Jnc: Jnc moved page TU79 Magnetic Tape Drive to TU79 Magnetic Tape Transport: Alt form of name; dest is by analogy with TU78

2024-04-21T19:58:22Z

Jnc moved page TU79 Magnetic Tape Drive to TU79 Magnetic Tape Transport: Alt form of name; dest is by analogy with TU78

Jnc: Split joined TU79 page up, into one for each

2024-04-21T19:56:13Z

Split joined TU79 page up, into one for each

New page

{{Infobox Tape drive
| name = TU79
| tape speed = 125 inch/sec
| tape density = 1600 bpi, 6250 bpi
| transfer rate = 781 Kbytes/sec
| rewind time = 65 secs (nominal - 2,400 feet)<br>80 secs (maximum)
| power = 2.4kVA (max - slave)<br>3.1kVA (max - master)
| size = 60"H x 26.5"W x 32"D
| weight = 630 lbs (master unit)
| media = standard half-inch 9-track tape
| manufacturer = [[Digital Equipment Corporation|DEC]]
| year introduced = 1987
}}
The '''TU79 Magnetic Tape Transport''' (the complete name is not definitive; it has not yet been found in any original [[Digital Equipment Corporation|DEC]] documentation, but has been extrapolated from that of the [[TU78 Magnetic Tape Transport|TU78]]) seems to be a TU78 with minor changes.

Although one rumour had it that the changes were mostly cosmetic, a DEC sales brochure maintained that "Re-designed read/write electronics dramatically reduce the .. soft error rate ... These changes also improve the drive's ability to read tapes of marginal quality ... Mechanical changes (re-designed card cage, improved door, and a new power supply) .. enhance the drive's reliability, reduce the need for Field Service adjustments".

It was an advanced large auto-loading [[magnetic tape drive]] from DEC, which used 2400' 0.5" wide [[magnetic tape]] on a standard 10-1/2" reel. It supported 9-track operation at 1600 and 6250 BPI; the drive could read data in forward as well as reverse direction. It provided pneumatic (vacuum) tape loading.

The TU79 supported two data [[encoding]]s: [[Phase Encoding]] (PE) or [[Group Coded Recording]] (GCR). Bit density wass 1600 bits per inch for the PE format, and 6250 bits per inch for the GCR format.

The TU79 drive was used with a [[TM78 Magnetic Tape Formatter|TM78]] formatter, to interface to a [[MASSBUS]]. The TM78 could be mounted in a TU79, to produce a 'TU79 master'. A TU79 master can control three additional TU78 or TU79 drives, denominated as 'TU79 slaves'; up to four TU7x drives in total. It is also the base for the [[TA79 Magnetic Tape Drive]].

{{semi-stub}}

==Further reading==

* ''TA79, TU79 Magnetic Tape Subsystem Service Manual'' (EK-OTA79-SV)
* ''TA79, TU79 Magnetic Tape Subsystem Installation Manual'' (EK-OTA79-IN)
* ''TA79, TU79 Magnetic Tape Subsystem Owner's Manual'' (EK-OTA79-OM)

''None online''

==External links==

* [http://www.bitsavers.org/pdf/dec/magtape/ta79/EK-OTA79-TM-001_Mar88.pdf TA79, TU79, TA78, TU78 Magnetic Tape Subsystem Technical Manual] (EK-OTA79-TM-001)
* [http://www.bitsavers.org/pdf/dec/brochures/DEC-TA79+TA81-MagneticTapeSubsystems.pdf TA79 and TA81 Magnetic Tape Subsystems] - sales brochure; covers the TU79 also

[[Category: MASSBUS Tape Drives]]

← Older revision	Revision as of 19:58, 21 April 2024
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TU79 Magnetic Tape Transport - Revision history

Jnc: Jnc moved page TU79 Magnetic Tape Drive to TU79 Magnetic Tape Transport: Alt form of name; dest is by analogy with TU78

Jnc: Split joined TU79 page up, into one for each