ANSI INCITS 311 : 1998

Foreword
1 Scope, purpose, and application
   1.1 Scope
   1.2 Purpose
   1.3 Application
2 Normative references
3 Definitions
4 Tape characteristics
5 Recording
   5.1 Physical recording density
   5.2 Bit-cell length
   5.3 Average bit-cell length
   5.4 Bit rate of change
   5.5 Bit shift
   5.6 Total character skew
   5.7 Missing zero-crossing zones
   5.8 Coincident missing zero-crossing zones
6 Data track format
   6.1 Number of data tracks
   6.2 Track positions
   6.3 Track width
   6.4 Azimuth
   6.5 Track identification
7 Tape format
   7.1 General
   7.2 Recording area
   7.3 Tach count
   7.4 Physical blocks
   7.5 Servo acquisition region
   7.6 Volume control region
   7.7 Data region
   7.8 Data entities
8 Packet format
   8.1 Packet header
   8.2 Packet data
   8.3 Packet trailer
9 Device blocks
   9.1 Data device blocks
   9.2 Mark device blocks
   9.3 Filemark mark
   9.4 Void mark
   9.5 Beginning of half-wrap mark
   9.6 End of half-wrap mark
   9.7 BOP mark
   9.8 EOD mark
   9.9 SDM mark
   9.10 FID mark
   9.11 DBM mark
   9.12 SARS mark
   9.13 DBM checked out mark
   9.14 DBM valid mark
10 Device block format
   10.1 Device block header
   10.2 Device block data
   10.3 Device block trailer
11 ECC
   11.1 CRC
   11.2 Code block
   11.3 ECC-encoded code block
   11.4 Codeword correction code generation
   11.5 MIE pointer code generation
   11.6 ECC-encoded interleave unit
   11.7 Short error correction code generation
12 Recording of bytes on tape
   12.1 Synchronization format
   12.2 Interblock gap formatting
   12.3 RLL byte translation
   12.4 Write equalization bit translation
   12.5 Writing bits on tape
Annexes
A Measurement of bit shift
   A.1 Read equipment
   A.2 Measurement
   A.3 Data analysis
B Vendor code lists
C Bibliography

Presents the requirements for a 128-track tape format to be used for information interchange of data between information processing systems, communication systems, and associated equipment using standard code as agreed upon by the interchange parties. This standard deals solely with the requirements for recording, with provision made for using a processing algorithm, on magnetic tape.