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Chapter 7 Theory of operations
Page 72 STT8000A Product Manual
the position of the SAFE indicator on the cartridge and disables writing of write-
protected (SAFE) cartridges.
The Head-Position Sensor is an electro-optical assembly (LED and photo-transistor)
to determine the approximate head position.
The drive has an electro-optical sensor assembly comprised of a solid-state light
source (LED) and a photo-sensor (photo-transistor) that sense the beginning-of-tape
(BOT), end-of-tape (EOT), load point, and early warning holes of the cartridge.
Media—Travan minicartridges
The drive is designed to use Travan TR-4 cartridges, QIC-3080 quarter-inch
minicartridges, and QIC-3080 QIC-Wide minicartridges. These small (approximately
2 inches x 3 inches x 0.4 inch) cartridges house 900 Oersted Gamma Ferric Oxide
magnetic tape . Figure 7-2 shows a Travan minicartridge.
Figure 7-2
Travan minicartridge
The cartridge also provides for write protection so that existing data on the cartridge
is not overwritten. A write-protected cartridge allows the existing data to be read but
does not allow new data to be written to the tape. The position of the sliding write-
protect tab on the cartridge determines whether or not data can be written to the
tape. See chapter 4 for illustrations of the write-protect position.