Topic: DDS-3 tapes

[heyitsmejess]

hi folks!  new here, and i have a question.

i know that certain DDS tapes will work in a dat deck (same design/tape/everything). 

i will soon be aquiring a dat dack, and have been given a couple of DDS-3 tapes. will these work in place of a DAT?

thanks in advance!

edit : specifically im wondering if the (-3) designation means anything

[OFOTD]

Those are the right tapes.  DDS-3

Make sure though that when using those tapes not to exceed a 90m tape.  They make them in different lengths but the more common ones are 60m, 90m and 120m.

Here is the actual record times of them:

60m  - 2hr3min +/- 1 minute

90m - 3hr6min +/- 1 minute


The 120m tapes are really thin and put alot of stress on the tape heads.  Lots of folks feel the same way about the 90m tapes and would only use the 60m tapes.  I found with my D7's, D8's and D10 that the 90m tapes worked just fine.


Oh and welcome to the club!  Good luck on you first taping outing!

[heyitsmejess]

thank you very much!

if i had the abilty yet, i would give you at +t

so as a general rule of thumb, every 30m = 1 hr of recording time.

[OFOTD]

so as a general rule of thumb, every 30m = 1 hr of recording time.

Yeah thats about right.  99% of people who use/used DDS tapes though only use 60m or 90m tapes.  Beware beware beware of the longer length tapes.   

[heyitsmejess]

Yeah thats about right.  99% of people who use/used DDS tapes though only use 60m or 90m tapes.  Beware beware beware of the longer length tapes.   

akin to using 110 min analog tapes?

[OFOTD]

Yeah thats about right.  99% of people who use/used DDS tapes though only use 60m or 90m tapes.  Beware beware beware of the longer length tapes.   

akin to using 110 min analog tapes?

Good example.  I think with the 120m tapes not only was it hard wears on the heads but also with the tape being so thin that there was the very real possibility of it snapping.

Another tip that some believe in and some don't from the analog world is to unpack your tapes.  FFWD all the way and then RRWD to settle the tape so to speak.    Lots of carryovers from the analog world except for the tape flips.