The H-6485-1 was an 18-track magnetic tape cartridge unit which realized a large capacity (600MB/tape with Hitachi compression) by using a thin-film magnetic head, and cartridge tape—which, at the time, was a new medium to replace conventional open reel tape. The unit was first shipped in October 1987, for use in large systems.
The reel-to-reel tape drive system made the equipment more compact, and compact magnetic tape enabled reduction in storage space for backup tape, for a large reduction in overall space requirements. Tape replacement work by the operator was greatly reduced by using the world's first automatic cartridge replacement mechanism (8 tapes).
In addition to the H-6485-1, Hitachi also developed the H-6485-31/5 for small and midsize systems.
| Model name | H-6485-1 | H-6485-31 | H-6485-5 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Magnetic tape used | Width 1/2inch,Length 165m | ||
| Number of tracks | 18 | ||
| Recording density(BPI) |
38000 | ||
| IBG(mm) | 2 | ||
| Tape speed (m/s) | 2 | ||
| Data transfer speed (MB/s) | 3.0/6.0*1 | 1.5/3.0*1 | 0.75 |
| Max. number of component decks | 16*2 | 4 | 1 |
*1: With Hitachi compression
*2: With dual controllers
