Esix rev. D + Wangtek QIC controller/Caliper 120MB drive problems

[Steve Ralston]

In article <1990Dec28.144228.7436 at funet.fi> jja at kaarne.tut.fi (Ahola Jari)
writes:
 (Concerning Esix rev D + Wangtek 1/4" controller + Caliper 120MB drive)
>My problem with above SW and HW combination is that it does not work as it 
>should be. Controller is found during boot up and [...stuff removed...]
>and prints the ever so helpfull 'Tape write error' message. 
                                  ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
First, turn the write-protect thingy so the arrow points AWAY from SAFE.  :-)

Sorry, I couldn't resist.  And now I have to admit to thinking of this LAST
a time or two myself... ahem, but that was way back when I *first* started
working with QIC tapes.

Seriously, I can think of several OTHER reasons that you might be having
problems; tape media comes to mind.  For example, a Archive Viper 150 [SCSI]
can READ, but NOT WRITE a 3M DC300 XL/P data cartridge (450', 6400-10,000 ftpi,
310 oersted).  I am not familiar with the Caliper 120, but assume it writes
[only] QIC-120 format tapes, so you would [minimally] need DC600 media
(600', 10,000-12,500 ftpi, 550 oersted).  What the hell is "oersted" anyway?

A couple of things you really need to know (I sure would want to) is:
  "Does the Wangtek/Caliper combo play together?"
  "Has anybody else made it work on any system?"
Of course that's what the net is here for, right?  Sorry I can't answer
either of those questions.  You might try calling Wangtek; they seem to have
fairly good tech support (just my opinion).
-- 
Steve Ralston						sralston at srwic.UUCP
235 N Zelta						voice: 316-686-2019
Wichita, KS 67206			..!uunet!ncrlnk!ncrwic!srwic!sralston