A HIGH CAPACITY, HIGH DATA RATE INSTRUMENTATION TAPE RECORDER SYSTEM

Abstract

A 240-megabit/second, serial bit stream recording system using a longitudinal (fixed-head) magnetic recording technique called HDMR (High Density Multitrack Recording) has been developed. This system provides maximum bits per square inch of tape at reliable in-track packing densities. Unique “unitized” fabrication techniques have been used to construct single stack magnetic heads (record/play on the same head) at track densities of over 100 tracks per inch. Commercially available tape is accommodated by the use of error detection and correction. HDMR technology, applied to the implementation of a typical ground instrumentation recording system, allows key performance parameters of: 240 Mb/s serial data input, 108 in/s tape speed, a 142-track head, a bit error rate of 1 x 10^-6 and 240 Mb/s serial data output.