[comp.unix.aux] 9-track tape support under A/UX

fnf@fishpond.UUCP (Fred Fish) (05/12/88)

For various reasons, I suddenly find myself needing to acquire a 9-track
tape drive.  Is anyone working on, or know of anyone working on, a NuBus
controller and A/UX driver software for supporting a 9-track drive on a
Mac-II.  I am looking for a total software/hardware solution, at a 
reasonable price (or at least as reasonable as you can get when you
start talking tape drives).  I am willing to put up with the hassle of
being a beta test site providing the price is right and support is
prompt.

-Fred ><>

-- 
# Fred Fish    hao!noao!mcdsun!fishpond!fnf     (602) 921-1113
# Ye Olde Fishpond, 1346 West 10th Place, Tempe, AZ 85281  USA

sas1@sphinx.uchicago.edu (Stuart Schmukler) (05/13/88)

In article <31@fishpond.UUCP> fnf@fishpond.UUCP (Fred Fish) writes:
>
>  Is anyone working on, or know of anyone working on, a NuBus
>controller and A/UX driver software for supporting a 9-track drive on a
>Mac-II. 

I know of three groups that have done SCSI drivers for 9-Track tape
drives under the MacOS:
	-Qualstar		(818)882-5822
	-Blackhole Technology	(617)721-7690
	-LASR at The University of Chicago 

You can try to call the people who have done it commerically to see if
it is available under A/UX.

The UofC implementation was a special thing for a NASA project tied to
the Space Shuttle so it status is unclear.  But I believe that the
Apple generic SCSI driver could handle a SCSI based tape drive if
presented with one.  [The only problem the LASR people had was writing
variable lenght blocks under the MacOS, but A/UX is completely
differant.]

No, I have not tried it.  If I could find a SCSI 9-track tape drive,
not in use, I would.

SaS

PS: I have no commerical interest in any of these products.