ECMA 210 : 2ED 95

Section 1 - General
1 Scope
2 Conformance
   2.1 Magnetic tape cartridge
   2.2 Generating system
   2.3 Receiving system
3 References
4 Definitions
   4.1 a.c. erase
   4.2 algorithm
   4.3 Average Signal Amplitude
   4.4 azimuth
   4.5 back surface
   4.6 Beginning of Tape (BOT)
   4.7 Beginning of Tape Sense Slot
   4.8 byte
   4.9 cartridge
   4.10 character
   4.11 Codeword Digital Sum (CDS)
   4.12 Cyclic Redundancy Check (CRC) Character
   4.13 Data Area Reference Point
   4.14 Data Records
   4.15 Digital Sum Variation (DSV)
   4.16 End of Tape (EOT)
   4.17 End of Tape Sense Slot
   4.18 Error Correcting Code (ECC)
   4.19 File safe
   4.20 Fixed Scan Group Header
   4.21 flux transition position
   4.22 flux transition spacing
   4.23 Helical Time Code (HTC)
   4.24 Internal Leader Header (ILH)
   4.25 Logical Block Number
   4.26 magnetic tape
   4.27 Master Standard Reference Tape
   4.28 Packet
   4.29 Packet Identifier
   4.30 Packet Trailer
   4.31 physical recording density
   4.32 Postamble
   4.33 Preamble
   4.34 processed data
   4.35 Reference Fields
   4.36 resolution
   4.37 Scan Group
   4.38 Scan Group Pair
   4.39 Scan Group Start Data (SGSD)
   4.40 Secondary Standard Reference Tape
   4.41 Standard Reference Amplitudes (SRA)
   4.42 Standard Reference Currents (Ir)
   4.43 Tape Reference Edge
   4.44 Test Recording Currents (TRC)
   4.45 track
   4.46 track angle
   4.47 Typical Field (TF)
   4.48 Variable Scan Group Header
   4.49 zero crossing
5 Conventions and Notations
   5.1 Representation of numbers
   5.2 Names
6 Acronyms
7 Environment and Safety
   7.1 Testing environment
   7.2 Operating environment
   7.3 Storage environment
   7.4 Transportation
   7.5 Safety
   7.6 Flammability
Section 2 - Requirements for the Cartridge
8 Dimensional and Mechanical Characteristics of the
   Cartridge
   8.1 Elements of the cartridge
   8.2 Reference Planes of the case
   8.3 Dimensions of the case
   8.4 Flexibility of the case
   8.5 Tape reel
   8.6 Magnetic tape
   8.7 Leader block
   8.8 Reflection density of the case
   8.9 Colour
Section 3 - Requirements for the Unrecorded Tape
9 Mechanical, physical and dimensional characteristics
   of the tape
   9.1 Materials
   9.2 Tape length
   9.3 Tape width
   9.4 BOT and EOT Sense Slots
   9.5 Discontinuities
   9.6 Thickness
   9.7 Longitudinal curvature
   9.8 Straightness
   9.9 Cupping
   9.10 Out-of-plane distortions
   9.11 Coating adhesion
   9.12 Layer-to-layer adhesion
   9.13 Young's Modulus for the tape
   9.14 Surface roughness
   9.15 Electrical resistance of coated surfaces
   9.16 Tensile strength
   9.17 Residual elongation
   9.18 Light transmittance of the tape
10 Magnetic Recording Characteristics
   10.1 General
   10.2 Basis for measuring the magnetic recording
        characteristics of the unrecorded tape
   10.3 Test conditions
   10.4 Typical Field
   10.5 Signal Amplitude
   10.6 Resolution
   10.7 Ease of Erasure
   10.8 Narrow-band Signal-to-Noise Ratio (NB-SNR)
   10.9 Tape Quality
Section 4 - Requirements for an Interchanged Tape
11 Format of a helically recorded track
   11.1 General description of the write data path
   11.2 Packet format
   11.3 Scan Group
   11.4 Write data channel
12 Track geometry
   12.1 General
   12.2 Helically recorded tracks
   12.3 Time Code Track
   12.4 Servo Control Track
   12.5 Reserved Longitudinal Track
13 Method of recording helical tracks
   13.1 Tape condition before recording
   13.2 Method of recording
   13.3 Physical Recording Densities
   13.4 Nominal Bit Cell Length
   13.5 Long-term Average Bit Cell Length
   13.6 Short-term Average Bit Cell Length (STA)
   13.7 Rate of Change of the STA
   13.8 Bit shift
   13.9 Read signal amplitude
14 Servo Control Track
   14.1 Format
   14.2 Relative locations of Pulse Pairs and Scan
        Group Pairs
   14.3 Polarity of magnetisation
   14.4 Read signal amplitude
   14.5 Quality of the Servo Control Track
15 Time Code Track
   15.1 Format
   15.2 Extent of a Time Code
   15.3 Relative locations of the Time Code and Scan
        Group Pairs
   15.4 Form of recording
   15.5 Read signal amplitude
   15.6 Quality of the Time Code Track
16 Tape format
   16.1 Layout of the magnetic tape
   16.2 Data Area
   16.3 EOD
Annex A - Representation of the CRC used in 11.2 - Packet
          Format
Annex B - Representation of the CRC used in 11.3 - Scan Group
Annex C - Representation of 8-bit bytes by 14-bit patterns
Annex D - Generation of Outer ECC and Inner ECC
Annex E - Measurement of the geometry of helical tracks
Annex F - Measurement of Bit Shift
Annex G - Label - Media type
Annex H - Reflection density of the case
Annex J - Measurement of light transmittance of tape
Annex K - Recommendations for transportation
Annex L - Guidelines for handling tape cartridges
Annex M - Helical and Longitudinal Time Codes
Annex N - Representation of the CRC used in 11.3.2 - HTC
Annex P - Bibliography

Specifies the physical and magnetic characteristics of a magnetic tape cartridge, using magnetic tape 12,65 mm wide, so as to provide physical interchangeability of such cartridges. Also specifies the quality of the recorded signals, the recording method and the recorded format, thereby allowing data interchange between drives by means of such magnetic tape cartridges.