In August 1966, NEC announced the E204 magnetic tape unit for small computer systems. The E204 was more compact and inexpensive because it had a simplified drive mechanism and its tape media was comparatively short in length. So, it was comprised of 2 decks housed in a single cabinet. The tape drive system was the pinch roller type, and the tape shock absorber mechanism was the vacuum chamber type.
This unit was used with small computers, such as the NEAC Series 2200 Model 50, and the NEAC-3100 multi-purpose scientific computer.
| Magnetic tape |
Width (mm) | 12.7 |
|---|---|---|
| Length (m) | 137 | |
| Number of tracks | 7 | |
| Tape running speed (inch/s) | 16 | |
| Tape rewind speed (inch/s) | 48 | |
| Start/stop time (msec) | 10 | |
| Recording system | NRZI | |
| Information recording density (bit/mm) | 21.8 | |
| Information transfer speed (char/s) | 8.9k | |
| Application | NEAC Series 2200/M50,NEAC-3100 | |
