Quantum DLT 2000 Handbook page 23

Figure 2-1 Super DLTtape Drive
capacity, reliability, and data transfer rate in a 5.25" form factor.
Half-Inch Tape
The DLTtape system uses half-inch wide tape. That is the
widest tape available. The half-inch format was originally used in
mainframe products and was adopted by Digital Equipment
Corporation when they designed the ancestors of the DLTtape
system. What is important about the half-inch format is very
straightforward – it's bigger than the other widely used technolo-
gies, such as quarter-inch, 4mm, and 8mm tape. Half-inch tape is
60 percent wider than 8mm tape. Therefore, you can put more
information on half-inch tape than you can on smaller-format tape.
Linear Recording, Versus Helical Scan
DLTtape drives read and write data in a linear pattern on the tape
(see Figure 2-2). That is, each data track goes the entire length of
the tape (about 1,800 feet for DLTtape IV and Super DLTtape I
media, for example). When data is being recorded, the first set of
tracks is recorded on the whole length of the tape. When the end
2.2 WHAT IS THE DLTtape SYSTEM?
Head
Head guide
assembly
Cartridge
Take-up reel
delivers industry-leading