ECMA 329 : 1ED 2001

Section 1 - General
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
   4.4 algorithm
   4.5 Area ID
   4.6 Automatic Track Finding (ATF)
   4.7 Average Signal Amplitude
   4.8 azimuth
   4.9 back surface
   4.10 byte
   4.11 cartridge
   4.12 Channel bit
   4.13 Codeword
   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 Frame
   4.21 Housekeeping Frame
   4.22 Logical Beginning of Tape (LBOT)
   4.23 magnetic tape
   4.24 Master Standard Amplitude Calibration Tape
   4.25 Master Standard Reference Tape
   4.26 Partition Boundary
   4.27 Physical Beginning of Tape (PBOT)
   4.28 Physical End of Tape (PEOT)
   4.29 physical recording density
   4.30 pre-recording condition
   4.31 processing
   4.32 processed data
   4.33 Processed Record
   4.34 record
   4.35 Reference Field
   4.36 Remote Memory In Cartridge (RMIC)
   4.37 Secondary Standard Amplitude Calibration Tape
   4.38 Secondary Standard Reference Tape
   4.39 Separator Mark
   4.40 Standard Reference Amplitude (SRA)
   4.41 Standard Reference Current
   4.42 Tape Reference Edge
   4.43 Test Recording Current
   4.44 track
   4.45 Typical Field
   4.46 unprocessed data
   4.47 Unprocessed Record
5 Conventions and Notations
   5.1 Representation of numbers
   5.2 Names
6 Acronyms
7 Environment and safety
   7.1 Test 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
   8.22 Requirements for the RMIC
   8.23 Recognition recesses
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 the splicing tapes
   9.3 Tape width
        9.3.1 Width of magnetic, leader and trailer tapes
        9.3.2 Width and position of the splicing tape
   9.4 Discontinuities
   9.5 Tape thickness
        9.5.1 Thickness of the magnetic tape
        9.5.2 Thickness of the leader and trailer tape
        9.5.3 Thickness of the 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 Electrical resistance of the recording surface
   9.13 Tape winding
   9.14 Light transmittance of the tape
   9.15 Recognition stripe
10 Magnetic recording characteristics
   10.1 Typical 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
   11.4 Data Block
        11.4.1 ID information
        11.4.2 Recording of the ID Information in the Data Block Headers
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 straightness
   13.7 Track length
   13.8 Azimuth angles
14 Recorded patterns
   14.1 Recorded Data Block
15 Format of tracks
   15.1 Track structure
   15.2 Positioning accuracy
   15.3 Tracking scheme
   15.4 Generation of Margin Blocks
16 Layout of the 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 Multiple Recorded Instances
         16.5.5 Repeated Frames
         16.5.6 Appending and overwriting
   16.6 EOD Area
   16.7 Optional Device Area
   16.8 Logical End Of Tape (LEOT)
   16.9 Logical Beginning of Tape (LBOT)
   16.10 Early Warning Point - EWP
   16.11 Empty Partition
   16.12 Initialization
17 Housekeeping Frames
   17.1 Amble Frames
   17.2 System Amble Frames
18 AIT Remote Memory In Cartridge (AIT RMIC)
   18.1 General
   18.2 Content of the AIT RMIC
         18.2.1 Manufacturer's Information Section
         18.2.2 Communication Information Section
         18.2.3 Mechanism Error Log Information Section
         18.2.4 Memory Management Information Section
         18.2.5 Volume Information Section
         18.2.6 Volume Use History Information Section
   18.3 Memory Heap Management
         18.3.1 Cell
         18.3.2 Cell Header
         18.3.3 Partition Information Cell
         18.3.4 Physical Tape Directory Information Cell
         18.3.5 User Volume Information Cell
         18.3.6 User Partition Information Cell
         18.3.7 Application Information Cell
         18.3.8 Date and Time Stamp Information Section Cell
         18.3.9 Media Identification Information Cell
         18.3.10 Tape Alert Information Cell
   18.4 Electrical interface
   18.5 Environment
         18.5.1 Electromagnetic Compatibility
         18.5.2 Magnetic fields
         18.5.3 X-rays
   18.6 Operating Field
   18.7 Message from AIT RMIC reader-writer to AIT RMIC
   18.8 Message from AIT RMIC to AIT RMIC reader-writer
         18.8.1 Load modulation
   18.9 EDC
   18.10 AIT RMIC states
   18.11 Command and Response
         18.11.1 Attention Command and Response
         18.11.2 Attention Command and Response Type 1
         18.11.3 Attention Command and Response Type 2
         18.11.4 Read Command and Response
         18.11.5 Write Command and Response
         18.11.6 Status Command and Response
         18.11.7 Reset Command and Response
   18.12 Dialog
         18.12.1 Read data from AIT RMIC
         18.12.2 Write data to AIT RMIC
         18.12.3 Read and Write with Session ID
Annex A - Measurement of light transmittance
Annex B - Measurement of Signal-to-Noise Ratio
Annex C - Method for determining the nominal and the maximum
          allowable recorded levels (pre-recording condition)
Annex D - Representation of 16-bit words by 18-Channel bits
          patterns
Annex E - Measurement of bit shift
Annex F - Method of measuring the straightness of track edges
Annex G - ECC calculation
Annex H - Recommendations for transportation
Annex J - Read-After-Write
Annex K - Basic Group No. 0
Annex L - Chip for the AIT-3 Format
Annex M - Generation of EDC bytes for the Error Detecting Code for
          G2 Sub-Groups

Describes the physical and magnetic characteristics of an 8 mm wide magnetic tape cartridge containing a memory chip to enable physical interchange of such cartridge between drives.