Topic: Computer DDS Drives [HP StorageWorks DAT 72] and going from DAT > WAV

[spott]

We've got some older DAT/DDS drives here at my office that are collecting dust (thanks to SAN's and off site replication); does anyone know if you can repurpose these HP drives for extracting audio (we've also got a HP StorageWorks DAT 72x6 with a 6-DAT cartridge) which would be great if I could get these drives to rip the audio off some DAT's.  I've looked into DAT2WAV but it looks like it only supports certain models (with particular firmware), anyone know of a way to do this (any OS is fine... OSX, Linux, XP, etc.)?

Here's the model numbers (both are external with a SCSI connection)

HP StorageWorks DAT 72, Model Q1527A
HP StorageWorks DAT 72x6, Model Q1567A

Thoughts?
Spott

[H₂O]

Steve,
How's it going?


No - Only Sony SDT-9000, Connor/Seagate/Archive CTD-8000, and older Connor/Archive drives 4320's etc support Audio DAT with the appropriate "SGI" firmware - You have to use specific DDS drives with specific firmware to extract audio from a DAT in a DDS drive.


Most SDT-9000's can be flashed to 12.2 SGI Firmware


Connor/Seagate/Archive CTD-8000 drives can be flashed to 5.AE SGI firmware


See:
http://web.ncf.ca/aa571/dat2wav.htm
http://theartofsound.net/forum/showthread.php?t=5329
http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/datheads2wav


I would strongly recommend using the Sony drives.

-RC

[H₂O]

If you need to borrow drive I have many of them (I have all three types and many SGI Sonys).

[spott]

That's what I was afraid of... but how sweet would it be to get a 6xDAT cartridge loaded up and roll out 6 DAT's at a time... I'll drop you a line today; (I know Peter King aka SleepyPedro is another DAT2WAV scripting / firmware junkie up here in the Farmington area), the "big box" should be here today or tomorrow and I'm trying to get prepped.  Might be worth snagging some of the Sony's (says they can read / write at 4x), have you had any luck with ebay or anywhere that sells refurb equipment (those drives are SCSI right)?  Looks like you can get them for roughly $100 a pop.



http://www.google.com/products/catalog?q=Sony+SDT-9000&um=1&ie=UTF-8&cid=13394058611141896213&ei=iljcTPOaKZL2tgOv18DiBw&sa=X&oi=product_catalog_result&ct=result&resnum=4&ved=0CD8Q8wIwAw#

[H₂O]

I have paid any where from $18 to $200 (back in 2004 for my first SGI SDT-9000's).  You can get lucky and find them pop cheap new (I got a "new" SDT-9000 for $25 once).  Alot of times with the internal SGI drives they have sat unused - I have a 13.0 Firmware version with 0 head hours but 70 power on hours - still low - but you got to be somewhat lucky - have a GOOD ebay search setup.


They are all SCSI - I do have an extra Adaptec AHA-1480 Cardbus PCMCIA controller I am not using as well - if you need it


I wouldn't xfer more than one tape per machine though (I guess you could try do more with a pretty hefty box and multiple SCSI controllers).


You can get new drives from resellers on the interweb for about $100-115 but that's a little high IMO - Don't buy seller refurbished versions especially for $100.


The other nice thing about the Sony drives as alot of the parts are interchangeable from model to model (with exception of boards and heads) so you can get a used SDT-9000 and buy a new SDT-11000 and harvest parts from the SDT-11000 (i.e. pinch roller) to get the 9000 up to snuff.  But you can buy new Pinch rollers from Full Compass for $25 or so.   Pinch rollers are typically the fail point of these drives and most DAT decks as they dry out due to age and are harder to clean.


I can do some refurbishing of the SDT drives as well if you don't feel comfortable doing this yourself (cleaning, and fixing the mechanics/swapping parts).

[H₂O]

Here is a pic of some of my drives (I have another 4 SGI SDT drives not shown here)


In this pic there is 4 SGI SDT-9000 drives; 2 Connor CTD-8000; 1 Archive 4320 DDS1 drive (with SGI board set)