> > I like the HP DDS/DAT drives. <
>
> thanks for the info on this ... Sounds like these could fit in as a part
> of my overall multi-faceted backup system (I think I want a USB disc,
> too).
>
> Now, can you tell me: Someone else informed me of the DDS-1 -2 -3
> breakdowns and the different megs the tapes handled. My question: will
> one drive accept ALL THREE tapes, or does each tape have to be used with
> ts own drive?
DDS-1 will read DDS-1
DDS-2 will read DDS-2 and DDS-1
DDS-3 will read DDS-3 and DDS-2 and DDS-1
and so on.
The early DDS and DDS-DC drives tended to be a bit balky about reading
anything including the ones they wrote.
Tape drives are mechanical and at their core they move a piece of flimsy
plastic at incredible speeds over a polished metal surface. And they
have to do it very accurately time after time after time. They will wear
out. Or the power supply will go bad. Until I switched to HP units I
figured on tossing a drive and starting over after a couple of years. HP
has a program where you can sign up for an extended warranty for $45 to
$60 per year. If you have a bad drive you get a replacement. And the
interesting thing is the HP units don't fail as often as other brands
I've dealt with.
Want to make a tape drive fail?
1. Ignore dust and grit. Make sure you leave it out while they replaster
the office next door.
2. Don't put any power protection on the drive. After all why would the
power company supply bad power.
3. Leave your tapes in the sun lit window. Or better yet in the back of
the car.
You get the picture.
I like HP DDS for the type of offices I deal with. Currently I support a
mix of DDS-1 and DDS-3 with one DDS-2 about to be retired. Over all the
HP units work great. But I do have a large collection of Sony DDS-2
drives that I think are bad due to the APS cases they sit in. When I
need more storage I'll likely go with AIT, Mammoth, or VXA. VXA is new
and looks neat but I need something with more time under it's belt. It's
web site has some interesting movies but they don't tell me much.
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