ECMA 258 : 1ED 97

Section 1 - General
1 Scope
2 Conformance
   2.1 Magnetic tape cartridges
   2.2 Generating systems
   2.3 Receiving systems
3 References
4 Definitions
   4.1 Average Signal Amplitude
   4.2 azimuth
   4.3 back surface
   4.4 Beginning-Of-Tape markers (BOT 1 and BOT 2)
   4.5 byte
   4.6 cartridge
   4.7 Cyclic Redundancy Check (CRC) character
   4.8 Early Warning (EW)
   4.9 Error-Detecting Code (EDC)
   4.10 End-Of-Tape marker (EOT)
   4.11 Entity
   4.12 Error-Correcting Code (ECC)
   4.13 flux transition position
   4.14 flux transition spacing
   4.15 Logical Block
   4.16 logical track
   4.17 magnetic tape
   4.18 Master Standard Reference Tape
   4.19 object
   4.20 page
   4.21 physical block
   4.22 physical recording density
   4.23 physical track
   4.24 Record
   4.25 Reference Edge
   4.26 Reference Field
   4.27 Secondary Standard Reference Tape
   4.28 Standard Reference Amplitude (SRA)
   4.29 Standard Reference Current
   4.30 Test Recording Current
   4.31 Typical Field
5 Conventions and notations
   5.1 Representation of numbers
   5.2 Dimensions
   5.3 Names
   5.4 Acronyms
6 Environment and safety
   6.1 Cartridge and tape testing environment
   6.2 Cartridge operating environment
   6.3 Cartridge storage environment
   6.4 Safety
        6.4.1 Safeness
        6.4.2 Flammability
   6.5 Transportation
Section 2 - Requirements for the unrecorded tape
7 Mechanical and electrical requirements
   7.1 Material
   7.2 Tape length
   7.3 Width
   7.4 Total thickness
   7.5 Discontinuity
   7.6 Longitudinal curvature
        7.6.1 Requirement
        7.6.2 Procedure
   7.7 Out-of-Plane distortions
   7.8 Cupping
   7.9 Roughness of the coating surfaces
        7.9.1 Roughness of the back coating surface
        7.9.2 Roughness of the magnetic coating surface
   7.10 Coating adhesion
   7.11 Layer-to-layer adhesion
        7.11.1 Requirements
        7.11.2 Procedure
   7.12 Modulus of elasticity
        7.12.1 Requirement
        7.12.2 Procedure
   7.13 Flexural rigidity
        7.13.1 Requirement
        7.13.2 Procedure
   7.14 Tensile yield force
        7.14.1 Procedure
   7.15 Electrical resistance
        7.15.1 Requirement
        7.15.2 Procedure
   7.16 Inhibitor tape
   7.17 Abrasivity
        7.17.1 Requirement
        7.17.2 Procedure
   7.18 Light transmittance of the tape and the leader
   7.19 Coefficient of dynamic friction
        7.19.1 Requirements
        7.19.2 Procedure for the measurement of the
               friction between the magnetic surface
               and the back surface
        7.19.3 Procedure for the measurement of the
               friction between the magnetic surface or
               the back surface and calcium titanate
               ceramic
8 Magnetic recording characteristics
   8.1 Typical Field
   8.2 Signal amplitude
   8.3 Resolution
   8.4 Overwrite
        8.4.1 Requirement
   8.5 Peak shift
        8.5.1 Requirement
        8.5.2 Procedure
9 Tape quality
   9.1 Missing pulses
        9.1.1 Requirement
   9.2 Missing pulse zone
        9.2.1 Requirement
   9.3 Tape durability
Section 3 - Mechanical specifications of the tape
            cartridge
10 General
   10.1 Bottom side and right side
   10.2 Back side and left side
   10.3 Tape reel
   10.4 Tape leader and markers
   10.5 Front side
   10.6 Operation of the cartridge
   10.7 Tape winding
   10.8 Moment of inertia
   10.9 Material
Section 4 - Requirements for an interchanged tape
11 Method of recording
   11.1 Physical recording density
   11.2 Channel bit cell length
        11.2.1 Average Channel bit cell length
        11.2.2 Long-term average Channel bit cell length
        11.2.3 Short-term average Channel bit cell length
   11.3 Flux transition spacing
   11.4 Read signal amplitude
   11.5 Azimuth
   11.6 Channel skew
12 Tape format
   12.1 Reference Edge
   12.2 Direction of recording
   12.3 Tape layout
   12.4 Calibration and Directory Area
        12.4.1 Scratch Area
        12.4.2 Guard Area G1
        12.4.3 Calibration Tracks Area
        12.4.4 Guard Area G2
        12.4.5 Directory Area
        12.4.6 Guard Area G3
   12.5 Data Area
        12.5.1 Physical tracks
        12.5.2 Width of the physical tracks
        12.5.3 Logical tracks
        12.5.4 Locations of the physical tracks
        12.5.5 Layout of tracks in the Data Area
13 Data format
   13.1 Data Bytes
   13.2 Logical Blocks
   13.3 Data Blocks
   13.4 Types of Logical Blocks
   13.5 Entities
   13.6 Logical Block format
        13.6.1 Preamble
        13.6.2 Sync
        13.6.3 Data Field
        13.6.4 EDC
        13.6.5 Control Field 1 (CF1)
        13.6.6 Control Field 2 (CF2)
        13.6.7 CRC
        13.6.8 Postamble
14 Use of Logical Blocks
   14.1 Data Blocks
   14.2 Filler Blocks
   14.3 End of Track Blocks (EOTR)
   14.4 End of Data Blocks (EOD)
   14.5 ECC Blocks
15 Format of Entities
16 Error handling
Annex A - Measurement of light transmittance
Annex B - Generation of the Data Block CRCs
Annex C - ECC generation
Annex D - Generation of page CRCs
Annex E - Format of MAP entries
Annex F - Format of Control Field 1
Annex G - Format of Control Field 2
Annex H - Recommendations for transportation
Annex J - Inhibitor tape
Annex K - Recommendations on tape durability
Annex L - Handing guidelines

Defines the physical and magnetic characteristics of a 12.7 mm wide, 128-track magnetic tape cartridge, to permit physical interchanging of such cartridges between drives. In addition, it defines the quality of the recorded signals, a format known as Digital Linear Tape 3 Extended (DLT 3-XT) and a recording procedure, so allowing data interchange between drives.