ECMA 259 : 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 marker (BOT)
   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 Envelope
   4.14 Envelope size
   4.15 flux transition position
   4.16 flux transition spacing
   4.17 logical track
   4.18 magnetic tape
   4.19 Master Standard Reference Tape
   4.20 object
   4.21 page
   4.22 physical block
   4.23 physical recording density
   4.24 physical track
   4.25 Record
   4.26 Reference Edge
   4.27 Reference Field
   4.28 Secondary Standard Reference Tape
   4.29 Standard Reference Amplitude (SRA)
   4.30 Standard Reference Current
   4.31 Test Recording Current
   4.32 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
   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 31
        12.4.6 Guard Area G3
   12.5 Data Area
        12.5.1 Physical tracks
        12.5.2 Logical tracks
13 Data format
   13.1 Data Bytes
   13.2 Data Blocks
   13.3 Types of Blocks
   13.4 Entities
   13.5 Envelopes
   13.6 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 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 Format of Envelopes
17 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 - Handling guidelines

Defines the physical and magnetic characteristics of a 12.7 mm wide, 208-track magnetic tape cartridge for physical interchangeability of such cartridges between drives. In addition, it specifies the quality of recorded signals, a format, known as Digital Linear Tape 5 (DLT 5), and a recording method, thereby permitting data interchange between drives. Used with a labelling standard for Magnetic Tape Labelling, it permits full data interchanging using these magnetic cartridges.