Exabyte EXB-8505 8mm manual Helical-Scan Recording, Recording Format

2Recording Format

Helical-Scan Recording

To increase the amount of data that can be recorded on the tape, the tape drive implements advanced helical-scan recording technology. Helical-scan recorders write very narrow tracks at an acute angle to the edge of the tape, as shown in Figure 2-1. This recording method creates a track length that is several times longer than the width of the tape. Tracks can be accurately positioned by the geometry of the tape path to precise minimal tolerances, resulting in a very high number of tracks per inch.

The combination of the helical wrap of the tape around the drum, the rotation of the head/drum assembly, and the linear motion of the tape causes the heads to trace a track across the tape that is 2.47 inches (62.7 millimeters) long, at an acute angle of approximately 5 degrees to the bottom edge of the tape.

Figure 2-1Helical-scan recording

2-2	EXB-8205 and EXB-8505	510504
	(Standard and XL)