OK, it can be connected to PC.
SCSI? Still available, but not very up to date. Nevermind, you can have
older PC.
However... what next?
What software to use? How to read mainframe datasets?
I'm sure there are such tools, but I don't know any.
Last, but not least: it would be easy to read text datasets, but things
are getting harder with binary formats or ADRDSSU/FDR dumps. Or other
tools.
--
Radoslaw Skorupka
Lodz, Poland
W dniu 04.06.2021 o 15:16, Charles Mills pisze:
I used to have an Overland Tape drive. You don't hook it up Bus & Tag <g> you
hook it up to a PC. IIRC ours was SCSI-attached. It came with software, and there are
APIs -- I wrote some additional software (in-house use, quick and dirty type stuff). You
get the data off of the tape and then you send it off wherever you want it.
Charles
-----Original Message-----
From: IBM Mainframe Discussion List [mailto:IBM-MAIN@LISTSERV.UA.EDU] On Behalf
Of Radoslaw Skorupka
Sent: Friday, June 4, 2021 1:32 AM
To: IBM-MAIN@LISTSERV.UA.EDU
Subject: Re: [External] Re: access to 9-track reel tape drive
Obviously it is possible to get (buy) 3420 compatible tape drive.
However it is not so cheap. Tape drive is connected using Bus & Tag
interface, so one would need to buy ESCON converter and FICON converter.
I just checked:
$8500 for tape drive
$130 for ESCON converted (new, Optica brand, but from some broker)
$50000 for FICON converter
Of course the prices may vary significantly.
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