ECMA 249 : 2ED 98

Section 1 - General
1 Scope
2 Conformance
   2.1 Magnetic tape cartridges
   2.2 Generating drive
   2.3 Receiving drive
3 References
4 Definitions
   4.1 a.c. erase
   4.2 algorithm
   4.3 append point
   4.4 Average Signal Amplitude
   4.5 azimuth
   4.6 back surface
   4.7 bit cell
   4.8 byte
   4.9 cartridge
   4.10 Channel bit
   4.11 Cluster
   4.12 Cyclic Redundancy Check (CRC) character
   4.13 Digital Sum Variation (DSV)
   4.14 Error Correcting Code (ECC)
   4.15 File Mark
   4.16 flux transition spacing
   4.17 Logical Beginning of Partition (LBOP)
   4.18 Logical Block
   4.19 magnetic tape
   4.20 Master Standard Reference Tape
   4.21 Partition
   4.22 Physical Beginning of Partition (PBOP)
   4.23 Physical Beginning of Tape (PBOT)
   4.24 Physical End of Partition (PEOP)
   4.25 Physical End of Tape (PEOT)
   4.26 physical recording density
   4.27 Read Back Check (RBC)
   4.28 Reference Field
   4.29 Secondary Standard Reference Tape (SSRT)
   4.30 Set Mark
   4.31 Standard Reference Amplitude (SRA)
   4.32 Standard Reference Current (Ir)
   4.33 Tape Reference Edge
   4.34 Test Recording Current (TRC)
   4.35 Track
   4.36 Typical Field
5 Conventions and Notations
   5.1 Representation of numbers
   5.2 Names
   5.3 Reserved fields
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 case
8 Dimensional and mechanical characteristics of the case
   8.1 General
   8.2 Overall dimension
   8.3 Holding areas
   8.4 Cartridge insertion
   8.5 Window
   8.6 Loading grips
   8.7 Label areas
   8.8 Datum areas and datum holes
   8.9 Support areas
   8.10 Recognition holes
   8.11 Write-inhibit hole
   8.12 Pre-positioning surfaces
   8.13 Cartridge lid
   8.14 Cartridge reel lock
   8.15 Reel access holes
   8.16 Interface between the reels and the drive spindles
   8.17 Light path
   8.18 Position of the tape in the case
   8.19 Tape path zone
   8.20 Tape access cavity
   8.21 Tape access cavity clearance requirements
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 Width
   9.4 Discontinuities
   9.5 Thickness
   9.6 Longitudinal curvature
   9.7 Cupping
   9.8 Coating adhesion
   9.9 Layer-to-layer adhesion
   9.10 Tensile strength
   9.11 Residual elongation
   9.12 Electrical resistance of the recording surface
   9.13 Tape winding
   9.14 Light transmittance of tape
   9.15 Data cartridge recognition stripe
10 Magnetic recording characteristics
   10.1 Test conditions
   10.2 Typical Field
   10.3 Signal Amplitude
   10.4 Resolution
   10.5 Narrow-band Signal-to-Noise Ratio
   10.6 Ease of erasure
   10.7 Tape quality
Section 4 - Requirements for an Interchanged Tape
11 Format of a track pair
   11.1 General
   11.2 Physical block format
   11.3 Search field format
   11.4 Servo area
   11.5 Track layout
12 Method of recording
   12.1 Physical Recording Density
   12.2 Bit Shift
   12.3 Amplitude of Data Signals
13 Track geometry
   13.1 General
   13.2 Average track pitch - C
   13.3 Track pitch variation
   13.4 Track width - B
   13.5 Track angle - A
   13.6 Track length - E
   13.7 Guard band - F
   13.8 Azimuth angles
   13.9 Track linearity
14 Layout of a tape
   14.1 General
   14.2 Tape History Log (THL)
   14.3 Physical Beginning of Partition
   14.4 Logical Beginning of Partition
   14.5 Data area
   14.6 End of Data
   14.7 Physical End of Partition (PEOP)
Annex A - Measurement of Light Transmittance of Tape and
          Leaders
Annex B - Measurement of bit shift
Annex C - Representation of 8-bit bytes by 10-bit patterns
Annex D - Generation of Data Area CRC
Annex E - Generation of ECC
Annex F - Generation of Logical Block CRC
Annex G - Generation of Hamming Code ECC
Annex H - Generation of Search Field CRC
Annex J - Randomization
Annex K - Recommendations for Transportation

Gives the magnetic and physical characteristic of a 8 mm wide magnetic tape cartridge enabling physical interchange of cartridges between drives. Also covers 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.