ECMA 288 : 1ED 99

1 Scope
2 Conformance
   2.1 Magnetic tape cartridge
   2.2 Generating drive
   2.3 Receiving drive
3 References
4 Definitions
   4.1 Absolute Frame Number (AFN)
   4.2 a.c. erase
   4.3 Access Point
   4.4 algorithm
   4.5 Area ID
   4.6 Average Signal Amplitude
   4.7 azimuth
   4.8 back surface
   4.9 byte
   4.10 cartridge
   4.11 Channel bit
   4.12 Codeword
   4.13 Data Format ID
   4.14 Early Warning Point (EWP)
   4.15 End of Data (EOD)
   4.16 Entity
   4.17 Error Correcting Code (ECC)
   4.18 flux transition position
   4.19 flux transition spacing
   4.20 Fragment
   4.21 Frame
   4.22 Housekeeping Frame
   4.23 Logical Beginning of Tape (LBOT)
   4.24 magnetic tape
   4.25 Master Standard Amplitude Calibration Tape
   4.26 Master Standard Reference Tape
   4.27 Optimum Recording Field
   4.28 Partition Boundary
   4.29 Physical Beginning of Tape (PBOT)
   4.30 Physical End of Tape (PEOT)
   4.31 physical recording density
   4.32 pre-recording condition
   4.33 processing
   4.34 processed data
   4.35 Processed Record
   4.36 Processed Record Sequence
   4.37 record
   4.38 Reference Recording Field
   4.39 reprocessing
   4.40 Secondary Standard Amplitude Calibration Tape
   4.41 Secondary Standard Reference Tape
   4.42 Separator Mark
   4.43 Standard Reference Amplitude
   4.44 Tape Reference Edge
   4.45 Test Recording Current
   4.46 track
   4.47 unprocessed data
   4.48 Unprocessed Record
   4.49 Virtual End of Tape (VEOT)
5 Conventions and Notations
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 dimensions
   8.3 Loading grip
   8.4 Holding areas
   8.5 Notches of the lid
   8.6 Lid dimensions
   8.7 Optical detection of the beginning and end of tape
   8.8 Bottom side
        8.8.1 Locking mechanism of the slider
        8.8.2 Access holes
        8.8.3 Recognition, sub-datums, and write-inhibit
                holes
        8.8.4 Datum holes
        8.8.5 Access room for tape guides
        8.8.6 Holes for accessing the hubs
        8.8.7 Internal structure of the lower half
        8.8.8 Light path
        8.8.9 Support Areas
        8.8.10 Datum Areas
        8.8.11 Relationship between Support and Datum
                Areas and Reference Plane Z
   8.9 Hubs
   8.10 Attachment of leader and trailer tapes
   8.11 Interface between the hubs and the drive spindles
   8.12 Opening of the lid
   8.13 Release of the hub locking mechanism
   8.14 Label areas
   8.15 Requirement for autoloaders
Section 3 - Requirements for the unrecorded tape
9 Mechanical, physical and dimensional characteristics
   of the tape
   9.1 Materials
   9.2 Tape length
        9.2.1 Length of magnetic tape
        9.2.2 Length of leader and trailer tapes
        9.2.3 Length of splicing tapes
   9.3 Tape width
        9.3.1 Width of magnetic tape
        9.3.2 Width of leader and trailer tapes
        9.3.3 Width and position of splicing tape
        9.3.4 Edge weave
   9.4 Discontinuities
   9.5 Tape thickness
        9.5.1 Thickness of magnetic tape
        9.5.2 Thickness of leader and trailer tape
        9.5.3 Thickness of splicing tape
   9.6 Longitudinal curvature
   9.7 Cupping
   9.8 Coating adhesion
   9.9 Layer-to-layer adhesion
   9.10 Tensile strength
        9.10.1 Breaking strength
        9.10.2 Yield strength
   9.11 Residual elongation
   9.12 Flexural rigidity
   9.13 Electrical resistance of coated surfaces
   9.14 Light transmittance of the tape
   9.15 Media Recognition System (MRS)
10 Magnetic recording characteristics
   10.1 Optimum Recording Field
   10.2 Signal Amplitude
   10.3 Resolution
   10.4 Overwrite
   10.5 Ease of erasure
   10.6 Tape quality
        10.6.1 Missing pulses
        10.6.2 Missing pulse zone
   10.7 Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR) characteristic
Section 4 - Requirements for an interchanged tape
11 Format
   11.1 General
   11.2 Basic Groups
        11.2.1 Entity
        11.2.2 Group Information Table
        11.2.3 Block Access Table (BAT)
   11.3 Sub-Groups
        11.3.1 G1 Sub-Group
        11.3.2 G2 Sub-Group - randomizing
        11.3.3 G3 Sub-Group
        11.3.4 G4 Sub-Group
        11.3.5 Main Data Fragment
        11.3.6 Summary of the transformation of a Basic
                Group
   11.4 Sub code Information
        11.4.1 Pack Item Number 0
        11.4.2 Pack Item Number 1
        11.4.3 Pack Item Number 2
        11.4.4 Pack Item Number 3
        11.4.5 Pack Item Number 4
        11.4.6 Pack Item Number 5
        11.4.7 Pack Item Number 6
        11.4.8 Pack Item Number 7
        11.4.9 Pack Item Number 8
        11.4.10 Pack Item Number 9
        11.4.11 Pack Item Number 10
        11.4.12 Pack Item Number 11
        11.4.13 Pack Item Number 12
        11.4.14 Pack Item Number 13
        11.4.15 Pack Item Number 14
        11.4.16 Pack Item Number 15
   11.5 Sub code location
        11.5.1 Sub code Pack Items on a Single Data Space
                tape
        11.5.2 Sub code Pack Items on a partitioned tape
12 Method of recording
   12.1 Physical recording density
   12.2 Long-term average bit cell length
   12.3 Short-term average bit cell length
   12.4 Rate of change
   12.5 Bit shift
   12.6 Read signal amplitude
   12.7 Maximum recorded levels
13 Track geometry
   13.1 Track configuration
   13.2 Average track pitch
   13.3 Variations of the track pitch
   13.4 Track width
   13.5 Track angle
   13.6 Track edge linearity
   13.7 Track length
   13.8 Ideal tape centreline
   13.9 Azimuth angles
14 Recorded patterns
   14.1 Recorded Main Data Fragment
   14.2 Preamble Zone, Margin Zones
15 Format of a track
   15.1 Format of a track
   15.2 Positioning accuracy
   15.3 Tracking scheme
16 Layout of a Single Data Space tape
   16.1 Device Area
   16.2 Reference Area
   16.3 Position Tolerance Band No. 1
   16.4 System Area
        16.4.1 System Preamble
        16.4.2 System Log
        16.4.3 System Postamble
        16.4.4 Position Tolerance Band No. 2
        16.4.5 Vendor Group Preamble
   16.5 Data Area
        16.5.1 Vendor Group
        16.5.2 Recorded Data Group
        16.5.3 ECC3
        16.5.4 Repeated Frames
        16.5.5 Appending and overwriting
   16.6 EOD Area
   16.7 Post-EOD Area
   16.8 Early Warning Point - (EWP)
   16.9 Initialization
17 Layout of a partitioned tape
   17.1 Overall magnetic tape layout
        17.1.1 Device Area
        17.1.2 Partition 1
        17.1.3 Partition 0
   17.2 Area ID
   17.3 System Area Pack Items No. 3 and No. 4
   17.4 Empty partitions
        17.4.1 Empty partition 1
        17.4.2 Empty partition 0
   17.5 Initialization of partitioned tapes
18 Housekeeping Frames
   18.1 Amble Frames
   18.2 System Log Frames
   18.3 Tape Management Frames
Annexes
A - Measurement of the light transmittance of the prisms
B - Measurement of light transmittance of tape and leaders
C - Measurement of Signal-to-Noise Ratio
D - Method for determining the nominal and the maximum
    allowable recorded levels
E - Representation of 8-bit bytes by 10-bit patterns
F - Measurement of bit shift
G - Measurement of track edge linearity
H - Tape abrasivity measurement procedure
J - Method for measurement of written track error, using
    pre-written tape
K - Recognition Holes
L - Means to open the lid
M - Recommendations for transportation
N - Read-After-Write
O - Example of the content of a Basic Group No. 0
P - Generating and Receiving Drives

Specifies the physical and magnetic characteristics of a 3,81 mm wide magnetic tape cartridge to enable physical interchangeability of such cartridges between drives. Also specifies the quality of the recorded signals, the recording method and the recorded format called Digital Data Storage 4 (DDS-4) - thereby allowing data interchange between drives by means of such magnetic tape cartridges.