[comp.sys.hp] what's a 9142?

wayne@dsndata.uucp (Wayne Schlitt) (08/23/90)

while cleaning out some old tapes, i found a tape that says "(for use
with hp9142)".  the tape has hp's logo on it and it looks fairly new.
(i.e., it is gray textured plastic instead of the old clear smooth
plastic, and it doesnt seem to be worn much...)

i have heard of 9144's and 9145's, but i cant find any doc that
mentions a 9142.

oh yeah, it seemed to mediainit -rv ok, but is it safe to use?


-wayne

kev@hpcpbla.HP.COM (Kevin Jones) (08/24/90)

9142's got obsoleted a few years back.

They were supposed to be "low cost" 1/4" tape drives.
Price erosion of the 9144's meant that 9142's wern't worth buying.

If the tape has been written with 9142 data previously, then I
wouldn't use it in a 9144/45.


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rjn@hpfcso.HP.COM (Bob Niland) (08/25/90)

re: > while cleaning out some old tapes, i found a tape that says "(for use
    > with hp9142)".  the tape has hp's logo on it and it looks fairly new.
    > (i.e., it is gray textured plastic instead of the old clear smooth
    > plastic, and it doesnt seem to be worn much...)

The 9142A was an attempt to make a low-cost 1/4-inch drive for the PC
market.  It was originally supposed to be Tallgrass compatible, but ended up
using a media format named "PCT".  The drive is HP-IB and sort-of CS/80.

> oh yeah, it seemed to mediainit -rv ok, but is it safe to use?

I had understood that the raw media was unformatted (like QIC), but some of
the early stuff may well have been DC600HC (preformatted).  If your sample
truly was unformatted, the 9144A/45A drive should have rejected it and/or
drive-faulted.  So, you probably have an uncertified DC600HC which is now
certified.  Cross your fingers and use it as you wish.

Regards,                                              Hewlett-Packard
Bob Niland      Internet: rjn@hpfcrjn.FC.HP.COM       3404 East Harmony Road
                UUCP: [hplabs|hpfcse]!hpfcrjn!rjn     Ft Collins CO 80525-9599

This response does not represent the official position of, or statement by,
the Hewlett-Packard Company.  The above data is provided for informational
purposes only.  It is supplied without warranty of any kind.