cipher-tape_nov1988

13th November 1988

Cipher Data Products Inc, San Diego last week announced an array of new tape
drives, led by the 8.75 form factor GCR reel-to-reel drive that provides high
performance in a smaller physical size than hitherto. It offers
800/1600/3200/6250 bits per inch density and transfers at 1Mbyteper-second in
the GCR recording format, at 160Kbytes-per-second in Phase-Encoded […]

Cipher Data Products Inc, San Diego last week announced an array of new tape
drives, led by the 8.75 form factor GCR reel-to-reel drive that provides high
performance in a smaller physical size than hitherto. It offers
800/1600/3200/6250 bits per inch density and transfers at 1Mbyteper-second in
the GCR recording format, at 160Kbytes-per-second in Phase-Encoded format.
Capacity is 270Mb with GCR and 92Mb with PE, and data compression techniques
enable the capacity to be expanded. The tape streams at 100 inches per second
and up to 1Mb cache is available. Features include autoload, autothread, front
panel diagnostics and front panel graphical displays. Demonstration units are
promised for second quarter 1989, and the drive will be $3,500 in quantity. The
company also announced the ST320S drive with 320Mb capacity, 120 inches per
sec-ond tape speed and a 2Mbyte-per- second transfer rate using SCSI-2. It
incorporates the Emulex ESP high-performance SCSI chip set and a high-level
error correction capability. Third quarter 1989 delivery, $643 in OEM
quantities. The ST150S/90 has 150Mb capacity, 90 ips tape speed and SCSI
transfer rate of 2Mbps using the ESP chip set. It also features Cipher’s new
quarter-inch mechanical design and advanced electronics; first quarter 1989,
$503 OEM. The ST60S has 60Mb capacity using the newly de-signed mechanical
platform. Out first quarter; $438 OEM. The 540F/Plus is a full-height 5.25 drive
with 150Mb capacity and QIC-02 interface based on Cipher’s Model 540F drive; it
is shipping in volume and is also available as the 5400/Plus portable external
subsystem for MS-DOS and PS/2 Micro Channel mach ines; $490 OEM, and $1,648
retail. And there are five new quarter-inch tape systems that operate on the
same SCSI controller as Seagate SCSI disk drives – 55388S dual-drive portable
tape module with two 150Mb drives: it is $3,000, first quarter. The PC60Si and
PC150Si are half-height 60Mb and 150Mb for use inside MSDOS micros, and the
51130S and 51180S are low profile external counterparts, all five using the DTS
technology developed with Seagate and Sytron. PC60Si is $1,300; no prices for
the others.