[SunRescue] Re: 9 track reel things.....

[kk at enteract.com]

> Message: 8
> From: BSD Bob <bobkey at weedcon1.cropsci.ncsu.edu>
> Subject: Re: [SunRescue] 9 track reel things.....
> To: rescue at sunhelp.org
> Date: Mon, 19 Jun 2000 15:23:27 -0400 (EDT)
> Reply-To: rescue at sunhelp.org
> 
> > On June 19, BSD Bob wrote:
> > > >   501-1902        DIFFERENTIAL SCSI, RJ45 10MBIT ETHERNET (SBus)
> > > >   501-1902        DIFFERENTIAL SCSI, RJ45 10MBIT ETHERNET (SBus)
> > >
> > > Bill.... or anyone else that might know.....
> > >
> > > I have a fine old IBM AS/400 9 track reel-to-reel tape thing that I was
> > > trying to get up for some antique unix archive resurrection, but it
> > > has a differential scsi interface.
> >
> >   Schweeet!  Is it actually an IBM-manufactured drive?  Most companies
> > who want a high-performance, more modern 9-track drive OEM the 88780B
> > from HP.  I've got two of those that I really love.
> 
> It is an IBM Model 9348-001 flat pancake thing on slides, with 1600/6250bpi
> 125ips transport.  It looks IBM made, but I dunno for sure.  It looks a
> little like the HP things, but not quite.  The only info I can find is
> 
>   http://www.storage.ibm.com/hardsoft/tape/9348/index.html
> 
> It would sure be fun to hang off one of the Sun3/4 or Sparc toyz to run
> some antique unix boot tapes.
> 
> It was built with differential or single-ended interfaces, but it was my
> luck of the draw to hit up with the differential model.
> 
> I think it would look funky hanging off the back of an IPX.....(:+\\....
> 
> (or would I hang the IPX off the back of the tape drive.....(:+}}...)
> 
> Bob

Bob, from what  I remember you won't be able to use the 501-1902 
wide/differential controller on a sun4c machine.  Well, you 
could, but they don't quite fit.  There isn't enough room for
both a 68-pin SCSI and 10base-T.  They use the newer Sbus mounting
found on the sun4m machines.  One of the SCSI mounting nuts is used
to secure the sbus card on a 4m computer.  

If this is an HP 88780b, then you have a nice tape drive as someone
pointed out.  The 88780b has a front panel read-out with several
buttons: unload/rewind/density/prev/next/enter/etc.  It's neat to 
watch the drive auto-load and thread the tapes.  Look around for a
single-ended to differential converter, so you could use the tape 
drive on sun3's sun4 or whatever.  Or get a sun4m machine and use
the 501-1902 card.

*IF* this is an HP 88780b, then it is very much supported in
SunOS 4.1.3, and probably most other OS versions for Suns.I've 
seen a Sun labeled one mounted in 4/490's.  Check the man page
for "st" for more details.  Other then that, I couldn't tell
you how IBM configures their tape drives.  I only have experiance
running an HP branded 88780b.

-Ken