Operator Panels
1-14 Sixth Edition 95741
Display
The operator panel has an alphanumeric display that indicates:
•Drive status
•Menu selections and configuration choices
•Error messages and fault symptom codes
•Host-generated messages
•Tape bar, if activated
The display is formed by a horizontal array of 10 segments. Each segment is
formed by an array of 35 dots—five wide and seven high. When the tape bar is
not activated, the lighted segments and dots form text messages. The text
messages may display steadily, flashing, or alternating with other messages.
Tape Bar
The tape bar uses the operator panel display to show the amount of tape that
has been written and read (Figure 1-14 on page 1-15). The tape bar is a
configuration option that must be activated by authorized service personnel.
Once activated, it appears on the operator panel display when the drive is
reading or writing.
When the tape bar is activated, the segments and dots simultaneously show the
percentage of the total tape length that has been written and read. Each dot
represents 2% of the tape length; each segment represents 10%.
Note: The tape bar gets its information from the media information region
(MIR) on the tape. The MIR is written to the tape when the tape is
unloaded. If the MIR is bad, the tape bar does not display. To rewrite the
MIR, see (TBD).
Write Bar
As data is written to tape, the lighted dots forming the write bar appear at the
left side of the display and advance to the right. The write bar uses the full
height of the display. As the dots fill the display, note that only every other dot
is lighted. The point where the write bar ends is the percentage of tape written.
Read Bar
As data is read from the tape, the read bar appears in the center of the write bar
as a single row of unlighted dots. This row is bordered above and below by
single rows of lighted dots. The read bar also begins at the left side of the
display and advances to the right. The point where the read bar ends is the
percentage of tape that has been read.