TE16 DECmagtape Transport
| TE16 | |
| Tape speed: | 45 ips (Forward/Reverse) 150 ips (Rewind) |
|---|---|
| Size: | 19"W x 25"D x 26"H |
| Weight: | 150 lbs |
The TE16 is a classic big tape drive from Digital Equipment Corporation; it is an updated version of the TU16, with detail improvements to the electronics and mechanicals.
It is able to store 5-46 Mbytes on a 2400' 0.5" wide tape, on a standard 10-1/2" reel. It supports 7-track operation at 200, 556, and 800 BPI, and 9-track operation 800 and 1600 BPI. The tape transport utilizes a single capstan, with vacuum columns.
The TU16 drive contains a fair amount of electronics, in the form of several boards in a 4-slot hex-high backplane:
- M8916 - Logic and Write
- M8911-YB (M8931 in later models, required for TM03) - Slave Clock, Motion Delay
- M8912 - Slave Test Function Generator (two)
- G066 - Read Amplifier (compatible with the earlier G056)
The G066 and M8916 are hex cards; the others are dual. In addition, that backplane normally also contains three dual-high cards which interface to the drive bus:
- M8913 - Data driver
- M9001 - Bus Connector
- M9001-YA - Bus Connector
This set of three cards was later replaced with M9039. On the last drive on the bus, these cards are replaced with:
- M8913-YA - Data driver
- M9001-YB - Bus Connector
- M9001-YC - Bus Connector
Controllers
To connect to UNIBUS PDP-11's, one of three controller types can be used.
The TE16 is normally used with a TM02 or TM03 controller, which is a MASSBUS controller; a TM02/03 can handle up to eight TE16 drives. The TE16/TM02 with an RH11 MASSBUS interface is denominated as a TJE16; with the RH70 MASSBUS interface of the PDP-11/70, it is denominated as a TWE16.
The TE16 can also be used with one of the TM11 series of magtape controllers. To connect to these controllers, in the first drive, the three dual-high bus interface cards (above) are replaced by an M8926 interface board. (Details of the controller-Master interface are given here.) Such a drive is a 'Master' TE10W drive; additional TE10W 'Slave' drives (essentially a plain TE16 drive), up to seven of them, may be connected to the Master drive.
Finally, replacing the three dual-high bus interface cards (above) with an M8927 interface board creates a TE10N negative bus drive; this drive can replace a TU10 Slave drive, and may be used any place a TU10 Slave would be (e.g. with a negative bus controller such as a TC58 OMNIBUS controller). As above, additional TE10W 'Slave' drives (up to seven) may be connected to the Master drive.
