VCR cassette as digital storage ?
L S Ng
Could the ubiquitous VCR (video cassette recorder) be the ultimate
digital storage machine and media?
How much is the estimated capacity (in GBits)? What is the error
correction bits per data bit ratio for reliable data quality recording?
According to broadcaster's figures, up to 4 MPEG-2 streams can be fitted
within one single TV channel of existing bandwidth. So suppose each
MPEG-2 bit rate is 4 times MPEG-1 bit rate, then the existing TV channel
is equivalent to 16 MPEG-1 streams. Assuming VHS cassette has the same
bandwidth as the TV channel, then the VHS cassette can theoretically
hold up to 16 MPEG-1 streams. MPEG-1 equals CD audio rate. This is
potentially a 16X-speed device, 4X as fast as the current Quad-speed
CD-ROM.
Alesis manufacture ADAT backup device which uses S-VHS cassettes as a 8
track DAT quality backup media. Each DAT track is roughly equivalent to
one MPEG-1 stream, which is equivalent to CD rate. This is half the
capacity of the previous optimistic estimation.
If Alesis ADAT approach can be generalised to all digital data streams,
the opportunity is enormous.
For example, this can be the ideal file backup, MPEG-2 back-up /
recording device, CD-ROM, CD-Audio backup device, as well as
video-on-demand backup device.
What products in this area are available now?
Is there a stand alone unit which has video recording machinery built
in, with standard digital interface eg. SCSI-2?
Is there a digital to RF modulator so that the digital streams can be
fed into ordinary VCR for recording and a RF to digital demodulator for
replay? 'VCR Modem'?
Is any company manufacturing or developing the above mentioned products?
Pointers to further information will be appreciated.
L S Ng
L S Ng
Richard D Pierce
L S Ng <ls...@ecs.soton.ac.uk> wrote:
>Could the ubiquitous VCR (video cassette recorder) be the ultimate
>digital storage machine and media?
You mean just like it was in the late '70's and early '80's, with the
various Sony PCM-x adapters?
>How much is the estimated capacity (in GBits)? What is the error
>correction bits per data bit ratio for reliable data quality recording?
It's simple: assuming 16 bit linear PCM, stereo, with error correction
overhead and all, requires a storage bandwidth of about 6 MHz, and that's
within the storage capacity of a VCR. So a 2 hour VHS cassette can store.
altogether, around 4 x10^10 bits, or about 5 gigabytes including
overhead (which amount to about half the total storage), so 2.5 gigabytes
of real audio data.
>According to broadcaster's figures, up to 4 MPEG-2 streams can be fitted
>within one single TV channel of existing bandwidth. So suppose each
>MPEG-2 bit rate is 4 times MPEG-1 bit rate, then the existing TV channel
>is equivalent to 16 MPEG-1 streams. Assuming VHS cassette has the same
>bandwidth as the TV channel, then the VHS cassette can theoretically
>hold up to 16 MPEG-1 streams. MPEG-1 equals CD audio rate.
But it is NOT bit-for-bit identical.
>Alesis manufacture ADAT backup device which uses S-VHS cassettes as a 8
>track DAT quality backup media. Each DAT track is roughly equivalent to
>one MPEG-1 stream, which is equivalent to CD rate. This is half the
>capacity of the previous optimistic estimation.
No, each pair of tracks is NOT equivalent to MPEG1, it's equivalent to
uncompressed 16 bit linear PCM with no compression.
>What products in this area are available now?
They've been discontinued for some years now, I beleive.
>Is there a stand alone unit which has video recording machinery built
>in, with standard digital interface eg. SCSI-2?
>
>Is there a digital to RF modulator so that the digital streams can be
>fed into ordinary VCR for recording and a RF to digital demodulator for
>replay? 'VCR Modem'?
There was, the afore mentioned Sony PCM-x adapters are one example.
>Is any company manufacturing or developing the above mentioned products?
I don't believe anyone is doing this any more, since there are purpose
built solutions that are faster, cheaper, more reliable, more portable, etc.
--
| Dick Pierce |
| Loudspeaker and Software Consulting |
| 17 Sartelle Street Pepperell, MA 01463 |
| (508) 433-9183 (Voice and FAX) |
David R. Emberson
Dave Emberson
Libor Michalek
|>
|> Could the ubiquitous VCR (video cassette recorder) be the ultimate
|> digital storage machine and media?
|>
|> correction bits per data bit ratio for reliable data quality recording?
Metrum drives from Metrum Inc. hold 21 GBs per data quality VHS tape
with hardware compression turned _OFF_ and have transfer rates of
2 MB/s over SCSI with compression turned off. I'm not sure about the
price, but I seem to remember that the price for a drive is somewhere
between $25,000 - $50,000. NCSA is using these drives to support there
mass storage enviroment which contains about 4 TBs of data. This data
use to be spread accross 3480 tapes which hold about 200 MBs each.
-Libor
Libor Michalek
System Support Engineer
Thinking Machines Corporation
li...@think.com
Peter Kerr
Ng) wrote:
> Could the ubiquitous VCR (video cassette recorder) be the ultimate
> digital storage machine and media?
snip
> If Alesis ADAT approach can be generalised to all digital data streams,
> the opportunity is enormous.
ADAT as an audio system relies on interpolation for burst errors beyond
the capacity of the Reed-Solomon code's error correction. What would be
the overhead of a *reliable* data error correction system to run with this
type of tape? Given that current tape formulations are designed for
analogue systems.
> Is there a digital to RF modulator so that the digital streams can be
> fed into ordinary VCR for recording and a RF to digital demodulator for
> replay? 'VCR Modem'?
Any additional mo/dem processing runs the risk of bandwidth reduction and
phase distortion
--
Peter Kerr bodger
School of Music chandler
University of Auckland neo-Luddite
Kelvin Lunsford
>>Could the ubiquitous VCR (video cassette recorder) be the ultimate
>>digital storage machine and media?
>
>various Sony PCM-x adapters?
>
>>correction bits per data bit ratio for reliable data quality recording?
>
>overhead and all, requires a storage bandwidth of about 6 MHz, and that's
>within the storage capacity of a VCR. So a 2 hour VHS cassette can store.
>altogether, around 4 x10^10 bits, or about 5 gigabytes including
>overhead (which amount to about half the total storage), so 2.5 gigabytes
>of real audio data.
Sorry guys but Exabyte has been using the 2 hour 8mm video cassette
for years. They give you 5 gigabytes of uncompressed data on a tape.
Thier first product used the Sony camcorder mechanics with a special
head to do read-after-write.
Digi-Data and a few others did some stuff with full size VHS but
never achieved the success that Exabyte enjoys.
Kelvin Lunsford, kel...@ddiq.com
Jamie Hanrahan, Kernel Mode Systems
> Could the ubiquitous VCR (video cassette recorder) be the ultimate
> digital storage machine and media?
No.
Dick Pierce has already answered with historical information regarding
the Sony PCM-xxx adapters. These were ADC/DAC units that packaged the
data stream onto a standard video signal that a VCR could handle.
There was a period of time when Umatic cartridges recording in this
way were a standard digital audio interchange medium in the recording
industry (in other words, this was how you sent your CD master to the
mastering plant), and they are still in use at some sites.
There was also a period during which computer data adapters were
available for VCRs, addressed at various market segments, all the way
from the high-end home user to the departmental-level systems in
businesses. They worked kinda sorta ok, but had noticeably poorer
data reliability than computer tape drives of all forms. As Dick
mentioned, they topped out at a few gigabytes per VHS tape. Modern
disk drive capacities make this insufficent for a serious backup
medium.
There is a basic problem with the whole scheme, in that the video
heads, and in fact the whole VCR, are optimized for recording and
playing back video signals (what a surprise). ie if I was going to
sit down and design a recording format, tape transport, and heads for
dealing with random digital data, the result wouldn't look anything
like a typical VCR. Even the basic signal recording technique is
wrong: for digital data you really want to use saturation recording
and rely on flux direction changes rather than intensity changes to
store your bits, but a VCR does not allow you to manipulate the
recorded signal to that low a level.
One thing you have to do a LOT with a computer tape drive is start,
stop, and reverse the direction of tape movement. VCR mechanisms
don't like this very much, and the tape likes it even less. To
completely implement computer tape functions you also have to be able
to record end-of-block and end-of-file marks, and you have to be able
to detect these during high-speed wind, and you have to be able to
stop on them (or at least reposition to them after stopping).
For example, to add a file to an existing tape (using widely-used
conventions about how data is stored on tape), you need to be able to
find the current end of tape (which is represented by two file marks),
preferably via high-speed wind; reposition to exactly *between* the
two marks; and begin writing your new data in such a way that it
overwrites the second file mark but leaves the first one alone.
That's VERY tough with a VCR mechanism; it's nearly impossible if you
don't have access to the raw signal from the heads (ie, if you're
working from outside a standard VCR, talking to it through the video
in/out jacks and the remote control sensor). Nor does a standard VCR
provide enough in the way of "status" output for the controller to
really know what it is doing.
A company called Megatape introduced a unit that used the mechanics
of a standard VCR but with custom electronics, much as Exabyte does
with Sony 8mm drives. It never went anywhere in the market.
Modern tape drives, such as Digital Linear Tape, store tens of
gigabytes on a cartridge less than half the size of a VHS tape, with
much greater reliability and usability than can ever be achieved with
adapters on VCRs.
--- Jamie Hanrahan, Kernel Mode Systems, San Diego CA
Internet: j...@cmkrnl.com (JH645) CompuServe: 74140,2055
Dave Heyliger
>digital storage machine and media?
>
>
>
Try Alpha MicroSystems in Southern California. They have used VCR for
storage for YEARS, and they have a PC product board that does what their
mini's do.
Sorry about the address & phone... I don't know it. Good Luck
Dave Heyliger
heyl...@rockmedia.com
Rocky Mountain Multimedia
Touch Screen Kiosks, CBT, CD Titles, Anything Multimedia...
Give us a visit at http://www.rockmedia.com/multimedia
Bret Indrelee
L S Ng <ls...@ecs.soton.ac.uk> wrote:
>
>Could the ubiquitous VCR (video cassette recorder) be the ultimate
>digital storage machine and media?
Might want to check the patent files. I believe that Alpha MicroSystems
(used to sell S100 / 68K machines) has a patent on this. I don't know
who owns the rights to this now.
-Bret
--
Bret Indrelee
br...@bit3.com #include <std_disclaimer.h>
Mohammed Waleed Kadous
: How much is the estimated capacity (in GBits)? What is the error
: correction bits per data bit ratio for reliable data quality recording?
: What products in this area are available now?
: Is there a stand alone unit which has video recording machinery built
: in, with standard digital interface eg. SCSI-2?
: Is there a digital to RF modulator so that the digital streams can be
: fed into ordinary VCR for recording and a RF to digital demodulator for
: replay? 'VCR Modem'?
: Is any company manufacturing or developing the above mentioned products?
: Pointers to further information will be appreciated.
I do believe there was a system developed for the amiga computer, called
the Video Backup System. It stored about 500 Meg/tape. The problem with this
system was the speed, I think. Anyway it was relatively cheap (~US$200)
but it required a video externally. I'll try to get more info for you.
: L S Ng
--
+-------------------------------------------------------------------+
| |\ \ \ \ | | / Waleed Kadous: wal...@cse.unsw.edu.au |
| | \ \ \ \ | |< http://www.cse.unsw.edu.au/~waleed |
| | \ \.\ \|.| \. "And you kill what you hate, and you hate |
| ----------------- what you don't understand." Genesis, Duke.|
| // /||\/||/-\ /| |
| \\ // /-|| ||| /-| "Knowledge=power=energy=matter=mass" |
| \X/ / || ||\-7/ | -Terry Pratchett, Guards ! Guards ! |
+-------------------------------------------------------------------+
Georg Feil
>>Could the ubiquitous VCR (video cassette recorder) be the ultimate
>>digital storage machine and media?
We make a VHS tape array mass storage device for data storage requirements
in the 200 GB to 1.5 TB range. Uses VHS VCRs and Super-VHS tape.
It will be out in Beta form within 4 months, marketed by Legacy Storage Systems
of Markham, Ontario Canada. Files are accessed like a disk over a network
using NFS. This is not a low-end product like a single DAT or Exabyte, though.
A 2-page blurb is available by anonymous FTP from s2.sgl.ists.ca, file
/pub/nl/doc/brochure/brochure.ps.Z
Georg Feil
Space Geodynamics Laboratory | Internet: ge...@sgl.ists.ca
Institute for Space and Terrestrial Science | Phone: (416) 665-5458
4850 Keele St./North York/Ont/Canada/M3J 3K1 | Fax: (416) 665-1815
--
Georg Feil
Space Geodynamics Laboratory | Internet: ge...@sgl.ists.ca
Institute for Space and Terrestrial Science | Phone: (416) 665-5458
4850 Keele St./North York/Ont/Canada/M3J 3K1 | Fax: (416) 665-1815
Chris Niekel
>Could the ubiquitous VCR (video cassette recorder) be the ultimate
>digital storage machine and media?
On ftp.ee.ualberta.ca I discovered a scheme for building a VCR backup
system for a serial port. I haven't tried it yet, maybe I will someday.
I have no idea how good it is, and how much will fit on a tape,
but I'll give you the path, (maybe the Free Hardware Foundation can
check this for usability?)
Ok, the path is ftp.ee.ualberta.ca:/pub/cookbook/video/vcr_bkup.tar
The accompanying readme is a oneliner, so I'll paste it too:
-- Use a VCR as a backup device (tape drive) for a PC
Greetings,
Chris
Erik van Roode
>L S Ng <ls...@ecs.soton.ac.uk> wrote:
>>Could the ubiquitous VCR (video cassette recorder) be the ultimate
>>digital storage machine and media?
>On ftp.ee.ualberta.ca I discovered a scheme for building a VCR backup
>system for a serial port. I haven't tried it yet, maybe I will someday.
>I have no idea how good it is, and how much will fit on a tape,
>but I'll give you the path, (maybe the Free Hardware Foundation can
>check this for usability?)
>Ok, the path is ftp.ee.ualberta.ca:/pub/cookbook/video/vcr_bkup.tar
>The accompanying readme is a oneliner, so I'll paste it too:
>-- Use a VCR as a backup device (tape drive) for a PC
I heard someone say you could store about 80MB/hour. So on a 3-hour tape
you should be able to put 240MB.
Erik
>Greetings,
> Chris
--
Erik van Roode Q : Did you ever use MSDOS ?
University of Amsterdam A : Yes, but I did not inhale !
Dept. of Computer Science
Email: ro...@fwi.uva.nl
John Liptak
>L S Ng <ls...@ecs.soton.ac.uk> wrote:
>>Could the ubiquitous VCR (video cassette recorder) be the ultimate
>>digital storage machine and media?
>
>system for a serial port. I haven't tried it yet, maybe I will someday.
>I have no idea how good it is, and how much will fit on a tape,
>but I'll give you the path, (maybe the Free Hardware Foundation can
>check this for usability?)
>
>Ok, the path is ftp.ee.ualberta.ca:/pub/cookbook/video/vcr_bkup.tar
>The accompanying readme is a oneliner, so I'll paste it too:
>-- Use a VCR as a backup device (tape drive) for a PC
>
I created a simple VCR backup system for by senior project in
Computer Engineering. I used a standard 4-headed VCR, the
computers serial port and assorted electronics to create an
NTSC (sp?) signal.
I was storing and recovering ~2 Gig of data without too many
problems.
In general, you need to make your blocks of data the size of one
tv screen. My setting the serial speed to mimic the scan rate
of the VCR (you do have to mess with the VCR's tracking) and
sending bits out of the PC that can always be interpreted as
close to a TV signal. I used a differencial encoding so that
blocks of all 0's and blocks of all 1's would still be storable.
You also need to find good VCR tapes. TV quality is not good enough.
Using a VCR is slow and very poor for reading anything that is not
a whole tape. On the other hand, the project was fun and it made
my VCR a school supply :)
John
>
>Greetings,
> Chris
--
John Liptak - MTS U S WEST Communications
WK (303) 965-8853 1999 Broadway Room 1510
PG (303) 820-9284 Denver, Colorado 80202
j.li...@ieee.org jli...@coefmd3.mnet.uswest.com
J Venturelli
: In article <3l9th9$h...@turner.ecs.soton.ac.uk>,
: L S Ng <ls...@ecs.soton.ac.uk> wrote:
: >
: >Could the ubiquitous VCR (video cassette recorder) be the ultimate
: >digital storage machine and media?
: Might want to check the patent files. I believe that Alpha MicroSystems
: (used to sell S100 / 68K machines) has a patent on this. I don't know
: who owns the rights to this now.
Yup!
I used to have an Alphamicro VCR Tape backup WAY BACK WHEN!!
it wasn't even acceptable way back then!
I remember you had the option of putting up to 20 copies of the data on
the tape (for reliabilty) and the minimum you could put was FOUR copies.
Since it never was able to reliably read a single copy.
I have done successful backups and restores but we are talking 20
megabytes on a 2 hour tape at SP and it took 2 hours to backup!
Peter Herweijer
> I created a simple VCR backup system for by senior project in
> Computer Engineering. I used a standard 4-headed VCR, the
> computers serial port and assorted electronics to create an
> NTSC (sp?) signal.
>
> I was storing and recovering ~2 Gig of data without too many
> problems.
Great! Post the design! Upload it! Whatever! Yesterday! :^)
> You also need to find good VCR tapes. TV quality is not good enough.
I imagine using ECC would go a long way towards making standard tape
useable, even reliable.
- Peter
Sean RS Costall
: >Could the ubiquitous VCR (video cassette recorder) be the ultimate
: >digital storage machine and media?
This was actually tried commercially several years ago. I believe
it never really flew then because there was much less need for large
capacity backup devices back then (hard disks being smaller, etc.).
However, I have been told that a lack of precision on the part
of consumer grade video equipment was a factor as well. Consumer VCRs are
not very accurate when compared with professional video equipment, and even
less accurate when compared with more conventional tape backup devices.
The information is recorded correctly, but the lack of repeatability in
accessing the information caused problems.
Also, VHS tapes are much less stable over time than 8mm or Hi8
tapes, and degrade faster under use. I don't know how tough QIC80 tapes
are, but they must be roughly comparable to 8mm for durability. Your
VCR backup tapes may be unreliable in an unfortunately short period of
time.
Of course, the only way to really know is to try it out.
Michael Kuzmin
>>>Could the ubiquitous VCR (video cassette recorder) be the ultimate
>>>digital storage machine and media?
>>On ftp.ee.ualberta.ca I discovered a scheme for building a VCR backup
>>system for a serial port. I haven't tried it yet, maybe I will someday.
>I heard someone say you could store about 80MB/hour. So on a 3-hour tape
>you should be able to put 240MB.
>
Dear Sir,
I'd like to let you know that much better solution for VCR backup do exist.
It is a PC board that interfaces your computer to any VCR.
Recording speed is 200 KB/sec or 12 MB/min or 720 MB/hour.
(Compare with above 80MB/hour, or QIC-40/80 Colorado Jumbo 2 MB/min, or
QIC-02 Archive FT 8 MB/min).
Standard VHS 3-hour tape holds 2GB of data.
The board is supplied with DOS software shell (a la Norton Commander)
supporting directory file structure on tape and corresponding file operations -
selective copy, rename and even delete (though without reuse of freed space)
All searches on tape are completely automatic and are made at speed
of fast rewind. So positioning time is typicaly 1-2 minutes. VCR is controlled
by its usual IR comands by IR source on PC board.
Records made on different VCRs are compatible. Error control ensures
data integrity (triple errors are automatically corrected).
Thousands units of this board were produced and are in use now.
If this board is of any interest to the community I would be pleased
to answer all questions about its characteristics and availability.
Sincerely,
Michael V. Kuzmin,
AT Systems Inc.
a...@rctl.msk.su
Michael Kuzmin
>: L S Ng <ls...@ecs.soton.ac.uk> wrote:
>: >Could the ubiquitous VCR (video cassette recorder) be the ultimate
>: >digital storage machine and media?
>
>it never really flew then because there was much less need for large
>capacity backup devices back then (hard disks being smaller, etc.).
Such product has been developed for Easten Europe market and it is rather
popular here at low end (home and small business) market now. (I've posted
short summary in this thread several days earlier). Large capacity
(2GB per usual 180min VHS cassette) at extremely low media cost
($0.002/MB instead of usual $1/MB) makes it very attractive - many
thousands units are in use.
>
> However, I have been told that a lack of precision on the part
>of consumer grade video equipment was a factor as well. Consumer VCRs are
>not very accurate when compared with professional video equipment, and even
>less accurate when compared with more conventional tape backup devices.
>The information is recorded correctly, but the lack of repeatability in
>accessing the information caused problems.
That's gone. Recording method was specially designed for such inaccurate
consumer VCRs. All records are accessed reliably.
>
> Also, VHS tapes are much less stable over time than 8mm or Hi8
>tapes, and degrade faster under use. I don't know how tough QIC80 tapes
>are, but they must be roughly comparable to 8mm for durability. Your
>VCR backup tapes may be unreliable in an unfortunately short period of
>time.
No, normal brand name VHS cassettes appears reliable. This problem
was addressed in the design I mentioned. It contain automatic
monitoring of error rate. Single, double and triple error rates are
displayed during reading of tape. (Error correction recoveres triple
errors. Usualy, only single errors are present). So you are always
warned if your record is insufficiently reliable. In practics,
VHS cassettes serve for several years (since product release) with
no unrecoverable degradation.
>
> Of course, the only way to really know is to try it out.
>
Yes, you can try, no problems (except headake of overseas delivery
from Moscow), contact me if you are interested.
Michael Kuzmin
>Michael Kuzmin (t...@rctl.msk.su) wrote:
>: >>>Could the ubiquitous VCR (video cassette recorder) be the ultimate
>: >>>digital storage machine and media?
>: >>On ftp.ee.ualberta.ca I discovered a scheme for building a VCR backup
>: >>system for a serial port. I haven't tried it yet, maybe I will someday.
>: >>[skipped]
>: >I heard someone say you could store about 80MB/hour. So on a 3-hour tape
>: >you should be able to put 240MB.
>: >
>
>: Dear Sir,
>: I'd like to let you know that much better solution for VCR backup do exist.
>: It is a PC board that interfaces your computer to any VCR.
>: Recording speed is 200 KB/sec or 12 MB/min or 720 MB/hour.
>: (Compare with above 80MB/hour, or QIC-40/80 Colorado Jumbo 2 MB/min, or
>: QIC-02 Archive FT 8 MB/min).
>: Standard VHS 3-hour tape holds 2GB of data.
>: The board is supplied with DOS software shell (a la Norton Commander)
>: supporting directory file structure on tape and corresponding file operations -
>: selective copy, rename and even delete (though without reuse of freed space)
>: All searches on tape are completely automatic and are made at speed
>: of fast rewind. So positioning time is typicaly 1-2 minutes. VCR is controlled
>: Records made on different VCRs are compatible. Error control ensures
>: data integrity (triple errors are automatically corrected).
>: Thousands units of this board were produced and are in use now.
>
>: If this board is of any interest to the community I would be pleased
>: to answer all questions about its characteristics and availability.
>
>
We, AT Systems Inc., are distributors of VCR cassete backup kits
(including PC board and software package with 1 year warranty and
2 weeks money back policy), please send all inquiries to my e-mail
address a...@rctl.msk.su.
I should clarify, however, that this product was targeted to
the market of ex-USSR so far, and corresponding structures (stocks
and customer support) are currently in Moscow (Russia). Distribution
channels in America and West Europe are still being developed.
So international order terms and conditions are negotiable.
We expect the price of the kit to be below $150 anyhow.
We can serve even single unit international orders if you allow
all corresponding overseas shipping overhead and e-mail-only support.
But we would prefer to sell through (your) local dealers, as usual.
Quantity orders/dealers inquiries are welcome.
Matthias Pfaller
> We, AT Systems Inc., are distributors of VCR cassete backup kits
> (including PC board and software package with 1 year warranty and
> 2 weeks money back policy), please send all inquiries to my e-mail
> address a...@rctl.msk.su.
Are there drivers for operating systems availiable? Or do you only support
boot/diagnostic monitors?
Thank's - Matthias
--
l...@marco.de in real life: Matthias Pfaller
..!unido!marco!leo marco GmbH, 85221 Dachau tel: +49 8131 516142
Efthymios Kiafoulis {68764}
Such devices are available in the U.S. market.
I have personally used a Honeywell VLDS (Very Large
Data Storage) interfaced with a PC to store digital
data. It has a 5.2 Gigabyte data capacity using
premium professional quality videocassetes (normal
vhs cassettes are inadequate and will usually casue
data dropout because of limited bandwidth). It
can also handle a 4 Megabyte/sec sustained transfer rate.
Custom TTL and SCSI interfaces are also available.
You couls fit 22 min. of data on a T-120 tape at the
4 Megabit/sec rate. Less for slower transfer rate of
course...
For more info call Honeywell's Test Instruments Division
in Denver,Co. at (303)773-4700.
EFthymi
.
Pete A. Zaitcev
> Large capacity
>(2GB per usual 180min VHS cassette)
AFAIK - Arvid-1020 stores only 1GB on one VHS-180 tape. Is Arvid-2040 in
production now or these 2GB are software compressed?
Pete
Michael Kuzmin
Density on Arvid-1020 was increased two-fold, hence it do store 2GB,
no compression.
--
Sincerely,
Michael V. Kuzmin,
AT Systems, Inc.
a...@rctl.msk.su,
Dan McEvers
: Density on Arvid-1020 was increased two-fold, hence it do store 2GB,
: no compression.
Where is there more information about these systems?
Rui Paulo Oliveira
Dear Sir,
We are selling an external interface for the PC to enable it to use an
ordinary VHS VCR for data storage allowing up to 1G byte per E300 tape.
An MS-DOS / MS-Windows driver is used so the device works as a PC drive,
much slower though. The VCR is remote-controlled by the computer.
price is $ 200.
Yours Sincerely,
Rui Oliveira