ANSI INCITS 312 : 1998

Foreword
1 Introduction
   1.1 Scope
   1.2 Purpose
   1.3 Conformance
   1.4 Dimensions
2 Normative references
3 Definitions
4 Environment and safety
   4.1 Cartridge and tape testing environment
   4.2 Cartridge operating environment
   4.3 Cartridge storage environment
   4.4 Transportation
   4.5 Safety
5 Tape mechanical, electrical, and magnetic requirements
   5.1 Material
   5.2 Tape Length
   5.3 Total thickness
   5.4 Width
   5.5 Discontinuity
   5.6 Longitudinal curvature
   5.7 Out-of-plane distortions
   5.8 Cupping
   5.9 Coating surface roughness
   5.10 Coating adhesion
   5.11 Layer-to-layer adhesion
   5.12 Young's modulus
   5.13 Flexural rigidity
   5.14 Tensile yield force
   5.15 Electrical resistance of the recording surface
   5.16 Electrical resistance of the back surface
   5.17 Inhibitor tape
   5.18 Abrasivity
   5.19 Tape and leader opacity
   5.20 Friction coefficient
   5.21 Pre-record condition
6 Tape magnetic recording performance
   6.1 Typical field
   6.2 Signal amplitude.
   6.3 Resolution
   6.4 Overwrite
   6.5 Peak shift
   6.6 Self-erasure
7 Tape quality
   7.1 Dropouts
   7.2 Excessive duration error
   7.3 Tape edge quality
8 Mechanical specifications of the tape cartridge
   8.1 Cartridge case label areas
   8.2 Cartridge positioning planes
   8.3 Tape cartridge case material
   8.4 File-protect mechanism
   8.5 Reel lock mechanism
   8.6 Tape winding
   8.7 Winding tension
   8.8 Tape-reel diameter
   8.9 Tape-reel moment of inertia
   8.10 Leader attachment
   8.11 Cartridge leader position
   8.12 Leader retract velocity
   8.13 Tape exit angles
   8.14 Tape access door
   8.15 Tape position holes
9 Recording
   9.1 Method of recording
   9.2 Code conversion
   9.3 Physical recording density
   9.4 Bit-cell length
   9.5 Read signal amplitude
   9.6 Azimuth
   9.7 Channel skew
10 Tape format
   10.1 Reference edge of tape
   10.2 Direction of recording
   10.3 Tape layout
   10.4 Calibration/directory area
   10.5 Data area
11 Format of data
   11.1 General
   11.2 Data bytes
   11.3 Logical blocks
12 Format and content of block structures
   12.1 Preamble
   12.2 Sync
   12.3 Data field
   12.4 EDC
   12.5 Control field 1
   12.6 Control field 2
   12.7 Cyclical redundancy check (CRC)
   12.8 Postamble
   12.9 Use of logical blocks
13 Entity
14 Error handling
Annexes
A Pre-record condition and magnetic moment measurement
B Recommendations for transportation
C Tape cartridge handling guidelines
D Recommendations on tape durability
E Bibliography

Contains the requirements for a tape cartridge to be used for information interchange among information-processing systems, communication systems, and associated equipment utilizing a standard code for information interchange as agreed upon by the interchange parties. This standard deals with the requirements for the unrecorded cartridge and for recording on the enclosed magnetic tape.