ECMA 316 : 2ED 2001

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 ac erase
   4.2 algorithm
   4.3 Average Signal Amplitude
   4.4 azimuth
   4.5 back surface
   4.6 Beginning of Data (BOD)
   4.7 Beginning of Tape (BOT)
   4.8 bit cell
   4.9 byte
   4.10 cartridge
   4.11 Channel bit
   4.12 Cyclic Redundancy Check (CRC) character
   4.13 End of Data (EOD)
   4.14 End of Partition (EOP)
   4.15 End of Tape (EOT)
   4.16 Error Correcting Code (ECC)
   4.17 File Mark
   4.18 Logical Block
   4.19 magnetic tape
   4.20 Master Standard Reference Tape
   4.21 Partition
   4.22 physical recording density
   4.23 Reference Field
   4.24 Secondary Standard Reference Tape (SSRT)
   4.25 Set Mark
   4.26 Standard Reference Amplitude (SRA)
   4.27 Standard Reference Current (Ir)
   4.28 Tape Reference Edge
   4.29 Test Recording Current (TRC)
   4.30 Track
   4.31 Typical Field
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 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 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 Length
        9.2.1 Length of the magnetic tape
        9.2.2 Length of leader and trailer tapes
        9.2.3 Length of the splicing tape
   9.3 Width
        9.3.1 Width of magnetic, leader and trailer tape
        9.3.2 Width and position of the splicing tape
        9.3.3 Edge weave
   9.4 Discontinuities
   9.5 Thickness
        9.5.1 Thickness of the magnetic tape
        9.5.2 Thickness of leader and trailer tape
        9.5.3 Thickness of the splice 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 Electrical resistance of the recording surface
   9.13 Tape winding
   9.14 Light transmittance of tape
10 Magnetic recording characteristics
   10.1 Test conditions
   10.2 Typical Recording Current
   10.3 Signal Amplitude
   10.4 Resolution
   10.5 Signal-to-Noise Ratio
   10.6 Ease of erasure
   10.7 Tape quality
        10.7.1 Missing pulses
        10.7.2 Missing pulse zone
        10.7.3 Overwrite
Section 4 - Requirements for an Interchanged Tape
11 Track Format
   11.1 General
   11.2 Physical Logical Block Format
        11.2.1 Logical Block Set (LBS)
        11.2.2 Logical Blocks
        11.2.3 Segment Packets
        11.2.4 Segment Overhead Packets
        11.2.5 Skipped Segment Packets
        11.2.6 Segment ECC packets
        11.2.7 Segment flush
   11.3 Track Packet format
        11.3.1 Virtual Packet Address
        11.3.2 Local Packet Address
        11.3.3 Packet data
        11.3.4 Packet CRC
        11.3.5 Packet Reed-Solomon ECC
   11.4 Control packet format
   11.5 Packet framing sync
12 Tape Format
   12.1 Track elements
   12.2 Data track format
        12.2.1 Order of packets in a data track
        12.2.2 Rewrite
   12.3 Gap tracks
13 Method of recording
   13.1 Physical recording density
        13.1.1 Long-term average bit cell length
        13.1.2 Short-term average bit cell length
        13.1.3 Rate of change
   13.2 Bit shift
   13.3 Amplitude of Data Signals
14 Track geometry
   14.1 General
   14.2 Track pitch
   14.3 Average track pitch
   14.4 Track width
   14.5 Track angle
   14.6 Track length
   14.7 Guard band
   14.8 Azimuth angles
   14.9 Track linearity
15 Layout of a tape
   15.1 General
   15.2 Beginning of Partition
   15.3 Tape Header Record (THR)
   15.4 Data area
   15.5 Tape Directory Record
   15.6 End of Data
   15.7 End of Partition (EOP)
Annex A - Measurement of Light Transmittance of Tape
          and Leaders
Annex B - Packet ECC
Annex C - Segment ECC
Annex D - Generation of the Segment Overhead CRCs
Annex E - Generation of the Segment Data CRC
Annex F - Generation of the Packet CRC
Annex G - Representation of 8-bit bytes by 14-bit
          patterns
Annex H - Measurement of bit shift
Annex J - Tape Count
Annex K - Recommendations for transportation

Specifies the physical and magnetic characteristics of an 8 mm wide magnetic tape cartridge to enable physical interchange of such cartridges between drives. Also specifies the quality of the recorded signals, the recording method and the recording format, called VXA-1, and thereby allowing data interchange between drives by means of such magnetic tape cartridges.