CINXE.COM

<!DOCTYPE html> <html class="client-nojs vector-feature-language-in-header-enabled vector-feature-language-in-main-page-header-disabled vector-feature-page-tools-pinned-disabled vector-feature-toc-pinned-clientpref-1 vector-feature-main-menu-pinned-disabled vector-feature-limited-width-clientpref-1 vector-feature-limited-width-content-enabled vector-feature-custom-font-size-clientpref-1 vector-feature-appearance-pinned-clientpref-1 vector-feature-night-mode-enabled skin-theme-clientpref-day vector-sticky-header-enabled vector-toc-available" lang="en" dir="ltr"> <head> <meta charset="UTF-8"> <title>DECtape - Wikipedia</title> <script>(function(){var className="client-js vector-feature-language-in-header-enabled vector-feature-language-in-main-page-header-disabled vector-feature-page-tools-pinned-disabled vector-feature-toc-pinned-clientpref-1 vector-feature-main-menu-pinned-disabled vector-feature-limited-width-clientpref-1 vector-feature-limited-width-content-enabled vector-feature-custom-font-size-clientpref-1 vector-feature-appearance-pinned-clientpref-1 vector-feature-night-mode-enabled skin-theme-clientpref-day vector-sticky-header-enabled vector-toc-available";var cookie=document.cookie.match(/(?:^|; )enwikimwclientpreferences=([^;]+)/);if(cookie){cookie[1].split('%2C').forEach(function(pref){className=className.replace(new RegExp('(^| )'+pref.replace(/-clientpref-\w+$|[^\w-]+/g,'')+'-clientpref-\\w+( |$)'),'$1'+pref+'$2');});}document.documentElement.className=className;}());RLCONF={"wgBreakFrames":false,"wgSeparatorTransformTable":["",""],"wgDigitTransformTable":["",""],"wgDefaultDateFormat":"dmy", "wgMonthNames":["","January","February","March","April","May","June","July","August","September","October","November","December"],"wgRequestId":"0adec0e2-a7b5-4156-983b-58324d7ec897","wgCanonicalNamespace":"","wgCanonicalSpecialPageName":false,"wgNamespaceNumber":0,"wgPageName":"DECtape","wgTitle":"DECtape","wgCurRevisionId":1177308905,"wgRevisionId":1177308905,"wgArticleId":893415,"wgIsArticle":true,"wgIsRedirect":false,"wgAction":"view","wgUserName":null,"wgUserGroups":["*"],"wgCategories":["Commons category link from Wikidata","DEC hardware","History of computing hardware","Computer-related introductions in 1963"],"wgPageViewLanguage":"en","wgPageContentLanguage":"en","wgPageContentModel":"wikitext","wgRelevantPageName":"DECtape","wgRelevantArticleId":893415,"wgIsProbablyEditable":true,"wgRelevantPageIsProbablyEditable":true,"wgRestrictionEdit":[],"wgRestrictionMove":[],"wgNoticeProject":"wikipedia","wgCiteReferencePreviewsActive":false,"wgFlaggedRevsParams":{"tags":{"status":{ "levels":1}}},"wgMediaViewerOnClick":true,"wgMediaViewerEnabledByDefault":true,"wgPopupsFlags":0,"wgVisualEditor":{"pageLanguageCode":"en","pageLanguageDir":"ltr","pageVariantFallbacks":"en"},"wgMFDisplayWikibaseDescriptions":{"search":true,"watchlist":true,"tagline":false,"nearby":true},"wgWMESchemaEditAttemptStepOversample":false,"wgWMEPageLength":20000,"wgEditSubmitButtonLabelPublish":true,"wgULSPosition":"interlanguage","wgULSisCompactLinksEnabled":false,"wgVector2022LanguageInHeader":true,"wgULSisLanguageSelectorEmpty":false,"wgWikibaseItemId":"Q568702","wgCheckUserClientHintsHeadersJsApi":["brands","architecture","bitness","fullVersionList","mobile","model","platform","platformVersion"],"GEHomepageSuggestedEditsEnableTopics":true,"wgGETopicsMatchModeEnabled":false,"wgGEStructuredTaskRejectionReasonTextInputEnabled":false,"wgGELevelingUpEnabledForUser":false};RLSTATE={"ext.globalCssJs.user.styles":"ready","site.styles":"ready","user.styles":"ready","ext.globalCssJs.user":"ready", "user":"ready","user.options":"loading","ext.cite.styles":"ready","skins.vector.search.codex.styles":"ready","skins.vector.styles":"ready","skins.vector.icons":"ready","jquery.makeCollapsible.styles":"ready","ext.wikimediamessages.styles":"ready","ext.visualEditor.desktopArticleTarget.noscript":"ready","ext.uls.interlanguage":"ready","wikibase.client.init":"ready"};RLPAGEMODULES=["ext.cite.ux-enhancements","mediawiki.page.media","site","mediawiki.page.ready","jquery.makeCollapsible","mediawiki.toc","skins.vector.js","ext.centralNotice.geoIP","ext.centralNotice.startUp","ext.gadget.ReferenceTooltips","ext.gadget.switcher","ext.urlShortener.toolbar","ext.centralauth.centralautologin","mmv.bootstrap","ext.popups","ext.visualEditor.desktopArticleTarget.init","ext.visualEditor.targetLoader","ext.echo.centralauth","ext.eventLogging","ext.wikimediaEvents","ext.navigationTiming","ext.uls.interface","ext.cx.eventlogging.campaigns","ext.cx.uls.quick.actions","wikibase.client.vector-2022", "ext.checkUser.clientHints","ext.growthExperiments.SuggestedEditSession"];</script> <script>(RLQ=window.RLQ||[]).push(function(){mw.loader.impl(function(){return["user.options@12s5i",function($,jQuery,require,module){mw.user.tokens.set({"patrolToken":"+\\","watchToken":"+\\","csrfToken":"+\\"}); }];});});</script> <link rel="stylesheet" href="/w/load.php?lang=en&modules=ext.cite.styles%7Cext.uls.interlanguage%7Cext.visualEditor.desktopArticleTarget.noscript%7Cext.wikimediamessages.styles%7Cjquery.makeCollapsible.styles%7Cskins.vector.icons%2Cstyles%7Cskins.vector.search.codex.styles%7Cwikibase.client.init&only=styles&skin=vector-2022"> <script async="" src="/w/load.php?lang=en&modules=startup&only=scripts&raw=1&skin=vector-2022"></script> <meta name="ResourceLoaderDynamicStyles" content=""> <link rel="stylesheet" href="/w/load.php?lang=en&modules=site.styles&only=styles&skin=vector-2022"> <meta name="generator" content="MediaWiki 1.44.0-wmf.18"> <meta name="referrer" content="origin"> <meta name="referrer" content="origin-when-cross-origin"> <meta name="robots" content="max-image-preview:standard"> <meta name="format-detection" content="telephone=no"> <meta property="og:image" content="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/32/DECTape_unit_for_the_DEC_PDP-11.jpg/1200px-DECTape_unit_for_the_DEC_PDP-11.jpg"> <meta property="og:image:width" content="1200"> <meta property="og:image:height" content="836"> <meta property="og:image" content="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/32/DECTape_unit_for_the_DEC_PDP-11.jpg/800px-DECTape_unit_for_the_DEC_PDP-11.jpg"> <meta property="og:image:width" content="800"> <meta property="og:image:height" content="557"> <meta property="og:image" content="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/32/DECTape_unit_for_the_DEC_PDP-11.jpg/640px-DECTape_unit_for_the_DEC_PDP-11.jpg"> <meta property="og:image:width" content="640"> <meta property="og:image:height" content="446"> <meta name="viewport" content="width=1120"> <meta property="og:title" content="DECtape - Wikipedia"> <meta property="og:type" content="website"> <link rel="preconnect" href="//upload.wikimedia.org"> <link rel="alternate" media="only screen and (max-width: 640px)" href="//en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/DECtape"> <link rel="alternate" type="application/x-wiki" title="Edit this page" href="/w/index.php?title=DECtape&action=edit"> <link rel="apple-touch-icon" href="/static/apple-touch/wikipedia.png"> <link rel="icon" href="/static/favicon/wikipedia.ico"> <link rel="search" type="application/opensearchdescription+xml" href="/w/rest.php/v1/search" title="Wikipedia (en)"> <link rel="EditURI" type="application/rsd+xml" href="//en.wikipedia.org/w/api.php?action=rsd"> <link rel="canonical" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DECtape"> <link rel="license" href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.en"> <link rel="alternate" type="application/atom+xml" title="Wikipedia Atom feed" href="/w/index.php?title=Special:RecentChanges&feed=atom"> <link rel="dns-prefetch" href="//meta.wikimedia.org" /> <link rel="dns-prefetch" href="login.wikimedia.org"> </head> <body class="skin--responsive skin-vector skin-vector-search-vue mediawiki ltr sitedir-ltr mw-hide-empty-elt ns-0 ns-subject mw-editable page-DECtape rootpage-DECtape skin-vector-2022 action-view"><a class="mw-jump-link" href="#bodyContent">Jump to content</a> <div class="vector-header-container"> <header class="vector-header mw-header"> <div class="vector-header-start"> <nav class="vector-main-menu-landmark" aria-label="Site"> <div id="vector-main-menu-dropdown" class="vector-dropdown vector-main-menu-dropdown vector-button-flush-left vector-button-flush-right" title="Main menu" > <input type="checkbox" id="vector-main-menu-dropdown-checkbox" role="button" aria-haspopup="true" data-event-name="ui.dropdown-vector-main-menu-dropdown" class="vector-dropdown-checkbox " aria-label="Main menu" > <label id="vector-main-menu-dropdown-label" for="vector-main-menu-dropdown-checkbox" class="vector-dropdown-label cdx-button cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--fake-button--enabled cdx-button--weight-quiet cdx-button--icon-only " aria-hidden="true" ><span class="vector-icon mw-ui-icon-menu mw-ui-icon-wikimedia-menu"></span> <span class="vector-dropdown-label-text">Main menu</span> </label> <div class="vector-dropdown-content"> <div id="vector-main-menu-unpinned-container" class="vector-unpinned-container"> <div id="vector-main-menu" class="vector-main-menu vector-pinnable-element"> <div class="vector-pinnable-header vector-main-menu-pinnable-header vector-pinnable-header-unpinned" data-feature-name="main-menu-pinned" data-pinnable-element-id="vector-main-menu" data-pinned-container-id="vector-main-menu-pinned-container" data-unpinned-container-id="vector-main-menu-unpinned-container" > <div class="vector-pinnable-header-label">Main menu</div> <button class="vector-pinnable-header-toggle-button vector-pinnable-header-pin-button" data-event-name="pinnable-header.vector-main-menu.pin">move to sidebar</button> <button class="vector-pinnable-header-toggle-button vector-pinnable-header-unpin-button" data-event-name="pinnable-header.vector-main-menu.unpin">hide</button> </div> <div id="p-navigation" class="vector-menu mw-portlet mw-portlet-navigation" > <div class="vector-menu-heading"> Navigation </div> <div class="vector-menu-content"> <ul class="vector-menu-content-list"> <li id="n-mainpage-description" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/wiki/Main_Page" title="Visit the main page [z]" accesskey="z"><span>Main page</span></a></li><li id="n-contents" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Contents" title="Guides to browsing Wikipedia"><span>Contents</span></a></li><li id="n-currentevents" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/wiki/Portal:Current_events" title="Articles related to current events"><span>Current events</span></a></li><li id="n-randompage" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/wiki/Special:Random" title="Visit a randomly selected article [x]" accesskey="x"><span>Random article</span></a></li><li id="n-aboutsite" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:About" title="Learn about Wikipedia and how it works"><span>About Wikipedia</span></a></li><li id="n-contactpage" class="mw-list-item"><a href="//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Contact_us" title="How to contact Wikipedia"><span>Contact us</span></a></li> </ul> </div> </div> <div id="p-interaction" class="vector-menu mw-portlet mw-portlet-interaction" > <div class="vector-menu-heading"> Contribute </div> <div class="vector-menu-content"> <ul class="vector-menu-content-list"> <li id="n-help" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/wiki/Help:Contents" title="Guidance on how to use and edit Wikipedia"><span>Help</span></a></li><li id="n-introduction" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/wiki/Help:Introduction" title="Learn how to edit Wikipedia"><span>Learn to edit</span></a></li><li id="n-portal" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Community_portal" title="The hub for editors"><span>Community portal</span></a></li><li id="n-recentchanges" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/wiki/Special:RecentChanges" title="A list of recent changes to Wikipedia [r]" accesskey="r"><span>Recent changes</span></a></li><li id="n-upload" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:File_upload_wizard" title="Add images or other media for use on Wikipedia"><span>Upload file</span></a></li><li id="n-specialpages" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/wiki/Special:SpecialPages"><span>Special pages</span></a></li> </ul> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </nav> <a href="/wiki/Main_Page" class="mw-logo"> <img class="mw-logo-icon" src="/static/images/icons/wikipedia.png" alt="" aria-hidden="true" height="50" width="50"> <span class="mw-logo-container skin-invert"> <img class="mw-logo-wordmark" alt="Wikipedia" src="/static/images/mobile/copyright/wikipedia-wordmark-en.svg" style="width: 7.5em; height: 1.125em;"> <img class="mw-logo-tagline" alt="The Free Encyclopedia" src="/static/images/mobile/copyright/wikipedia-tagline-en.svg" width="117" height="13" style="width: 7.3125em; height: 0.8125em;"> </span> </a> </div> <div class="vector-header-end"> <div id="p-search" role="search" class="vector-search-box-vue vector-search-box-collapses vector-search-box-show-thumbnail vector-search-box-auto-expand-width vector-search-box"> <a href="/wiki/Special:Search" class="cdx-button cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--fake-button--enabled cdx-button--weight-quiet cdx-button--icon-only search-toggle" title="Search Wikipedia [f]" accesskey="f"><span class="vector-icon mw-ui-icon-search mw-ui-icon-wikimedia-search"></span> <span>Search</span> </a> <div class="vector-typeahead-search-container"> <div class="cdx-typeahead-search cdx-typeahead-search--show-thumbnail cdx-typeahead-search--auto-expand-width"> <form action="/w/index.php" id="searchform" class="cdx-search-input cdx-search-input--has-end-button"> <div id="simpleSearch" class="cdx-search-input__input-wrapper" data-search-loc="header-moved"> <div class="cdx-text-input cdx-text-input--has-start-icon"> <input class="cdx-text-input__input" type="search" name="search" placeholder="Search Wikipedia" aria-label="Search Wikipedia" autocapitalize="sentences" title="Search Wikipedia [f]" accesskey="f" id="searchInput" > <span class="cdx-text-input__icon cdx-text-input__start-icon"></span> </div> <input type="hidden" name="title" value="Special:Search"> </div> <button class="cdx-button cdx-search-input__end-button">Search</button> </form> </div> </div> </div> <nav class="vector-user-links vector-user-links-wide" aria-label="Personal tools"> <div class="vector-user-links-main"> <div id="p-vector-user-menu-preferences" class="vector-menu mw-portlet emptyPortlet" > <div class="vector-menu-content"> <ul class="vector-menu-content-list"> </ul> </div> </div> <div id="p-vector-user-menu-userpage" class="vector-menu mw-portlet emptyPortlet" > <div class="vector-menu-content"> <ul class="vector-menu-content-list"> </ul> </div> </div> <nav class="vector-appearance-landmark" aria-label="Appearance"> <div id="vector-appearance-dropdown" class="vector-dropdown " title="Change the appearance of the page's font size, width, and color" > <input type="checkbox" id="vector-appearance-dropdown-checkbox" role="button" aria-haspopup="true" data-event-name="ui.dropdown-vector-appearance-dropdown" class="vector-dropdown-checkbox " aria-label="Appearance" > <label id="vector-appearance-dropdown-label" for="vector-appearance-dropdown-checkbox" class="vector-dropdown-label cdx-button cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--fake-button--enabled cdx-button--weight-quiet cdx-button--icon-only " aria-hidden="true" ><span class="vector-icon mw-ui-icon-appearance mw-ui-icon-wikimedia-appearance"></span> <span class="vector-dropdown-label-text">Appearance</span> </label> <div class="vector-dropdown-content"> <div id="vector-appearance-unpinned-container" class="vector-unpinned-container"> </div> </div> </div> </nav> <div id="p-vector-user-menu-notifications" class="vector-menu mw-portlet emptyPortlet" > <div class="vector-menu-content"> <ul class="vector-menu-content-list"> </ul> </div> </div> <div id="p-vector-user-menu-overflow" class="vector-menu mw-portlet" > <div class="vector-menu-content"> <ul class="vector-menu-content-list"> <li id="pt-sitesupport-2" class="user-links-collapsible-item mw-list-item user-links-collapsible-item"><a data-mw="interface" href="https://donate.wikimedia.org/?wmf_source=donate&wmf_medium=sidebar&wmf_campaign=en.wikipedia.org&uselang=en" class=""><span>Donate</span></a> </li> <li id="pt-createaccount-2" class="user-links-collapsible-item mw-list-item user-links-collapsible-item"><a data-mw="interface" href="/w/index.php?title=Special:CreateAccount&returnto=DECtape" title="You are encouraged to create an account and log in; however, it is not mandatory" class=""><span>Create account</span></a> </li> <li id="pt-login-2" class="user-links-collapsible-item mw-list-item user-links-collapsible-item"><a data-mw="interface" href="/w/index.php?title=Special:UserLogin&returnto=DECtape" title="You're encouraged to log in; however, it's not mandatory. [o]" accesskey="o" class=""><span>Log in</span></a> </li> </ul> </div> </div> </div> <div id="vector-user-links-dropdown" class="vector-dropdown vector-user-menu vector-button-flush-right vector-user-menu-logged-out" title="Log in and more options" > <input type="checkbox" id="vector-user-links-dropdown-checkbox" role="button" aria-haspopup="true" data-event-name="ui.dropdown-vector-user-links-dropdown" class="vector-dropdown-checkbox " aria-label="Personal tools" > <label id="vector-user-links-dropdown-label" for="vector-user-links-dropdown-checkbox" class="vector-dropdown-label cdx-button cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--fake-button--enabled cdx-button--weight-quiet cdx-button--icon-only " aria-hidden="true" ><span class="vector-icon mw-ui-icon-ellipsis mw-ui-icon-wikimedia-ellipsis"></span> <span class="vector-dropdown-label-text">Personal tools</span> </label> <div class="vector-dropdown-content"> <div id="p-personal" class="vector-menu mw-portlet mw-portlet-personal user-links-collapsible-item" title="User menu" > <div class="vector-menu-content"> <ul class="vector-menu-content-list"> <li id="pt-sitesupport" class="user-links-collapsible-item mw-list-item"><a href="https://donate.wikimedia.org/?wmf_source=donate&wmf_medium=sidebar&wmf_campaign=en.wikipedia.org&uselang=en"><span>Donate</span></a></li><li id="pt-createaccount" class="user-links-collapsible-item mw-list-item"><a href="/w/index.php?title=Special:CreateAccount&returnto=DECtape" title="You are encouraged to create an account and log in; however, it is not mandatory"><span class="vector-icon mw-ui-icon-userAdd mw-ui-icon-wikimedia-userAdd"></span> <span>Create account</span></a></li><li id="pt-login" class="user-links-collapsible-item mw-list-item"><a href="/w/index.php?title=Special:UserLogin&returnto=DECtape" title="You're encouraged to log in; however, it's not mandatory. [o]" accesskey="o"><span class="vector-icon mw-ui-icon-logIn mw-ui-icon-wikimedia-logIn"></span> <span>Log in</span></a></li> </ul> </div> </div> <div id="p-user-menu-anon-editor" class="vector-menu mw-portlet mw-portlet-user-menu-anon-editor" > <div class="vector-menu-heading"> Pages for logged out editors <a href="/wiki/Help:Introduction" aria-label="Learn more about editing"><span>learn more</span></a> </div> <div class="vector-menu-content"> <ul class="vector-menu-content-list"> <li id="pt-anoncontribs" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/wiki/Special:MyContributions" title="A list of edits made from this IP address [y]" accesskey="y"><span>Contributions</span></a></li><li id="pt-anontalk" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/wiki/Special:MyTalk" title="Discussion about edits from this IP address [n]" accesskey="n"><span>Talk</span></a></li> </ul> </div> </div> </div> </div> </nav> </div> </header> </div> <div class="mw-page-container"> <div class="mw-page-container-inner"> <div class="vector-sitenotice-container"> <div id="siteNotice"></div> </div> <div class="vector-column-start"> <div class="vector-main-menu-container"> <div id="mw-navigation"> <nav id="mw-panel" class="vector-main-menu-landmark" aria-label="Site"> <div id="vector-main-menu-pinned-container" class="vector-pinned-container"> </div> </nav> </div> </div> <div class="vector-sticky-pinned-container"> <nav id="mw-panel-toc" aria-label="Contents" data-event-name="ui.sidebar-toc" class="mw-table-of-contents-container vector-toc-landmark"> <div id="vector-toc-pinned-container" class="vector-pinned-container"> <div id="vector-toc" class="vector-toc vector-pinnable-element"> <div class="vector-pinnable-header vector-toc-pinnable-header vector-pinnable-header-pinned" data-feature-name="toc-pinned" data-pinnable-element-id="vector-toc" > <h2 class="vector-pinnable-header-label">Contents</h2> <button class="vector-pinnable-header-toggle-button vector-pinnable-header-pin-button" data-event-name="pinnable-header.vector-toc.pin">move to sidebar</button> <button class="vector-pinnable-header-toggle-button vector-pinnable-header-unpin-button" data-event-name="pinnable-header.vector-toc.unpin">hide</button> </div> <ul class="vector-toc-contents" id="mw-panel-toc-list"> <li id="toc-mw-content-text" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1"> <a href="#" class="vector-toc-link"> <div class="vector-toc-text">(Top)</div> </a> </li> <li id="toc-Origins" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Origins"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">1</span> <span>Origins</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Origins-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Technical_details" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Technical_details"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">2</span> <span>Technical details</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Technical_details-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-On_non-DEC_computers" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#On_non-DEC_computers"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">3</span> <span>On non-DEC computers</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-On_non-DEC_computers-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-DECtape_II" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#DECtape_II"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">4</span> <span>DECtape II</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-DECtape_II-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-See_also" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#See_also"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">5</span> <span>See also</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-See_also-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-References" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#References"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">6</span> <span>References</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-References-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-External_links" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#External_links"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">7</span> <span>External links</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-External_links-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> </ul> </div> </div> </nav> </div> </div> <div class="mw-content-container"> <main id="content" class="mw-body"> <header class="mw-body-header vector-page-titlebar"> <nav aria-label="Contents" class="vector-toc-landmark"> <div id="vector-page-titlebar-toc" class="vector-dropdown vector-page-titlebar-toc vector-button-flush-left" title="Table of Contents" > <input type="checkbox" id="vector-page-titlebar-toc-checkbox" role="button" aria-haspopup="true" data-event-name="ui.dropdown-vector-page-titlebar-toc" class="vector-dropdown-checkbox " aria-label="Toggle the table of contents" > <label id="vector-page-titlebar-toc-label" for="vector-page-titlebar-toc-checkbox" class="vector-dropdown-label cdx-button cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--fake-button--enabled cdx-button--weight-quiet cdx-button--icon-only " aria-hidden="true" ><span class="vector-icon mw-ui-icon-listBullet mw-ui-icon-wikimedia-listBullet"></span> <span class="vector-dropdown-label-text">Toggle the table of contents</span> </label> <div class="vector-dropdown-content"> <div id="vector-page-titlebar-toc-unpinned-container" class="vector-unpinned-container"> </div> </div> </div> </nav> <h1 id="firstHeading" class="firstHeading mw-first-heading"><span class="mw-page-title-main">DECtape</span></h1> <div id="p-lang-btn" class="vector-dropdown mw-portlet mw-portlet-lang" > <input type="checkbox" id="p-lang-btn-checkbox" role="button" aria-haspopup="true" data-event-name="ui.dropdown-p-lang-btn" class="vector-dropdown-checkbox mw-interlanguage-selector" aria-label="Go to an article in another language. Available in 6 languages" > <label id="p-lang-btn-label" for="p-lang-btn-checkbox" class="vector-dropdown-label cdx-button cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--fake-button--enabled cdx-button--weight-quiet cdx-button--action-progressive mw-portlet-lang-heading-6" aria-hidden="true" ><span class="vector-icon mw-ui-icon-language-progressive mw-ui-icon-wikimedia-language-progressive"></span> <span class="vector-dropdown-label-text">6 languages</span> </label> <div class="vector-dropdown-content"> <div class="vector-menu-content"> <ul class="vector-menu-content-list"> <li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-ca mw-list-item"><a href="https://ca.wikipedia.org/wiki/DECtape" title="DECtape – Catalan" lang="ca" hreflang="ca" data-title="DECtape" data-language-autonym="Català" data-language-local-name="Catalan" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Català</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-fr mw-list-item"><a href="https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/DECtape" title="DECtape – French" lang="fr" hreflang="fr" data-title="DECtape" data-language-autonym="Français" data-language-local-name="French" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Français</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-nl mw-list-item"><a href="https://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/DECtape" title="DECtape – Dutch" lang="nl" hreflang="nl" data-title="DECtape" data-language-autonym="Nederlands" data-language-local-name="Dutch" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Nederlands</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-no mw-list-item"><a href="https://no.wikipedia.org/wiki/DECtape" title="DECtape – Norwegian Bokmål" lang="nb" hreflang="nb" data-title="DECtape" data-language-autonym="Norsk bokmål" data-language-local-name="Norwegian Bokmål" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Norsk bokmål</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-pt mw-list-item"><a href="https://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/DECtape" title="DECtape – Portuguese" lang="pt" hreflang="pt" data-title="DECtape" data-language-autonym="Português" data-language-local-name="Portuguese" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Português</span></a></li><li class="interlanguage-link interwiki-ru mw-list-item"><a href="https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/DECtape" title="DECtape – Russian" lang="ru" hreflang="ru" data-title="DECtape" data-language-autonym="Русский" data-language-local-name="Russian" class="interlanguage-link-target"><span>Русский</span></a></li> </ul> <div class="after-portlet after-portlet-lang"><span class="wb-langlinks-edit wb-langlinks-link"><a href="https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Special:EntityPage/Q568702#sitelinks-wikipedia" title="Edit interlanguage links" class="wbc-editpage">Edit links</a></span></div> </div> </div> </div> </header> <div class="vector-page-toolbar"> <div class="vector-page-toolbar-container"> <div id="left-navigation"> <nav aria-label="Namespaces"> <div id="p-associated-pages" class="vector-menu vector-menu-tabs mw-portlet mw-portlet-associated-pages" > <div class="vector-menu-content"> <ul class="vector-menu-content-list"> <li id="ca-nstab-main" class="selected vector-tab-noicon mw-list-item"><a href="/wiki/DECtape" title="View the content page [c]" accesskey="c"><span>Article</span></a></li><li id="ca-talk" class="vector-tab-noicon mw-list-item"><a href="/wiki/Talk:DECtape" rel="discussion" title="Discuss improvements to the content page [t]" accesskey="t"><span>Talk</span></a></li> </ul> </div> </div> <div id="vector-variants-dropdown" class="vector-dropdown emptyPortlet" > <input type="checkbox" id="vector-variants-dropdown-checkbox" role="button" aria-haspopup="true" data-event-name="ui.dropdown-vector-variants-dropdown" class="vector-dropdown-checkbox " aria-label="Change language variant" > <label id="vector-variants-dropdown-label" for="vector-variants-dropdown-checkbox" class="vector-dropdown-label cdx-button cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--fake-button--enabled cdx-button--weight-quiet" aria-hidden="true" ><span class="vector-dropdown-label-text">English</span> </label> <div class="vector-dropdown-content"> <div id="p-variants" class="vector-menu mw-portlet mw-portlet-variants emptyPortlet" > <div class="vector-menu-content"> <ul class="vector-menu-content-list"> </ul> </div> </div> </div> </div> </nav> </div> <div id="right-navigation" class="vector-collapsible"> <nav aria-label="Views"> <div id="p-views" class="vector-menu vector-menu-tabs mw-portlet mw-portlet-views" > <div class="vector-menu-content"> <ul class="vector-menu-content-list"> <li id="ca-view" class="selected vector-tab-noicon mw-list-item"><a href="/wiki/DECtape"><span>Read</span></a></li><li id="ca-edit" class="vector-tab-noicon mw-list-item"><a href="/w/index.php?title=DECtape&action=edit" title="Edit this page [e]" accesskey="e"><span>Edit</span></a></li><li id="ca-history" class="vector-tab-noicon mw-list-item"><a href="/w/index.php?title=DECtape&action=history" title="Past revisions of this page [h]" accesskey="h"><span>View history</span></a></li> </ul> </div> </div> </nav> <nav class="vector-page-tools-landmark" aria-label="Page tools"> <div id="vector-page-tools-dropdown" class="vector-dropdown vector-page-tools-dropdown" > <input type="checkbox" id="vector-page-tools-dropdown-checkbox" role="button" aria-haspopup="true" data-event-name="ui.dropdown-vector-page-tools-dropdown" class="vector-dropdown-checkbox " aria-label="Tools" > <label id="vector-page-tools-dropdown-label" for="vector-page-tools-dropdown-checkbox" class="vector-dropdown-label cdx-button cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--fake-button--enabled cdx-button--weight-quiet" aria-hidden="true" ><span class="vector-dropdown-label-text">Tools</span> </label> <div class="vector-dropdown-content"> <div id="vector-page-tools-unpinned-container" class="vector-unpinned-container"> <div id="vector-page-tools" class="vector-page-tools vector-pinnable-element"> <div class="vector-pinnable-header vector-page-tools-pinnable-header vector-pinnable-header-unpinned" data-feature-name="page-tools-pinned" data-pinnable-element-id="vector-page-tools" data-pinned-container-id="vector-page-tools-pinned-container" data-unpinned-container-id="vector-page-tools-unpinned-container" > <div class="vector-pinnable-header-label">Tools</div> <button class="vector-pinnable-header-toggle-button vector-pinnable-header-pin-button" data-event-name="pinnable-header.vector-page-tools.pin">move to sidebar</button> <button class="vector-pinnable-header-toggle-button vector-pinnable-header-unpin-button" data-event-name="pinnable-header.vector-page-tools.unpin">hide</button> </div> <div id="p-cactions" class="vector-menu mw-portlet mw-portlet-cactions emptyPortlet vector-has-collapsible-items" title="More options" > <div class="vector-menu-heading"> Actions </div> <div class="vector-menu-content"> <ul class="vector-menu-content-list"> <li id="ca-more-view" class="selected vector-more-collapsible-item mw-list-item"><a href="/wiki/DECtape"><span>Read</span></a></li><li id="ca-more-edit" class="vector-more-collapsible-item mw-list-item"><a href="/w/index.php?title=DECtape&action=edit" title="Edit this page [e]" accesskey="e"><span>Edit</span></a></li><li id="ca-more-history" class="vector-more-collapsible-item mw-list-item"><a href="/w/index.php?title=DECtape&action=history"><span>View history</span></a></li> </ul> </div> </div> <div id="p-tb" class="vector-menu mw-portlet mw-portlet-tb" > <div class="vector-menu-heading"> General </div> <div class="vector-menu-content"> <ul class="vector-menu-content-list"> <li id="t-whatlinkshere" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/wiki/Special:WhatLinksHere/DECtape" title="List of all English Wikipedia pages containing links to this page [j]" accesskey="j"><span>What links here</span></a></li><li id="t-recentchangeslinked" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/wiki/Special:RecentChangesLinked/DECtape" rel="nofollow" title="Recent changes in pages linked from this page [k]" accesskey="k"><span>Related changes</span></a></li><li id="t-upload" class="mw-list-item"><a href="//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:File_Upload_Wizard" title="Upload files [u]" accesskey="u"><span>Upload file</span></a></li><li id="t-permalink" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/w/index.php?title=DECtape&oldid=1177308905" title="Permanent link to this revision of this page"><span>Permanent link</span></a></li><li id="t-info" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/w/index.php?title=DECtape&action=info" title="More information about this page"><span>Page information</span></a></li><li id="t-cite" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/w/index.php?title=Special:CiteThisPage&page=DECtape&id=1177308905&wpFormIdentifier=titleform" title="Information on how to cite this page"><span>Cite this page</span></a></li><li id="t-urlshortener" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/w/index.php?title=Special:UrlShortener&url=https%3A%2F%2Fen.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FDECtape"><span>Get shortened URL</span></a></li><li id="t-urlshortener-qrcode" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/w/index.php?title=Special:QrCode&url=https%3A%2F%2Fen.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FDECtape"><span>Download QR code</span></a></li> </ul> </div> </div> <div id="p-coll-print_export" class="vector-menu mw-portlet mw-portlet-coll-print_export" > <div class="vector-menu-heading"> Print/export </div> <div class="vector-menu-content"> <ul class="vector-menu-content-list"> <li id="coll-download-as-rl" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/w/index.php?title=Special:DownloadAsPdf&page=DECtape&action=show-download-screen" title="Download this page as a PDF file"><span>Download as PDF</span></a></li><li id="t-print" class="mw-list-item"><a href="/w/index.php?title=DECtape&printable=yes" title="Printable version of this page [p]" accesskey="p"><span>Printable version</span></a></li> </ul> </div> </div> <div id="p-wikibase-otherprojects" class="vector-menu mw-portlet mw-portlet-wikibase-otherprojects" > <div class="vector-menu-heading"> In other projects </div> <div class="vector-menu-content"> <ul class="vector-menu-content-list"> <li class="wb-otherproject-link wb-otherproject-commons mw-list-item"><a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:DECtape" hreflang="en"><span>Wikimedia Commons</span></a></li><li id="t-wikibase" class="wb-otherproject-link wb-otherproject-wikibase-dataitem mw-list-item"><a href="https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Special:EntityPage/Q568702" title="Structured data on this page hosted by Wikidata [g]" accesskey="g"><span>Wikidata item</span></a></li> </ul> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </nav> </div> </div> </div> <div class="vector-column-end"> <div class="vector-sticky-pinned-container"> <nav class="vector-page-tools-landmark" aria-label="Page tools"> <div id="vector-page-tools-pinned-container" class="vector-pinned-container"> </div> </nav> <nav class="vector-appearance-landmark" aria-label="Appearance"> <div id="vector-appearance-pinned-container" class="vector-pinned-container"> <div id="vector-appearance" class="vector-appearance vector-pinnable-element"> <div class="vector-pinnable-header vector-appearance-pinnable-header vector-pinnable-header-pinned" data-feature-name="appearance-pinned" data-pinnable-element-id="vector-appearance" data-pinned-container-id="vector-appearance-pinned-container" data-unpinned-container-id="vector-appearance-unpinned-container" > <div class="vector-pinnable-header-label">Appearance</div> <button class="vector-pinnable-header-toggle-button vector-pinnable-header-pin-button" data-event-name="pinnable-header.vector-appearance.pin">move to sidebar</button> <button class="vector-pinnable-header-toggle-button vector-pinnable-header-unpin-button" data-event-name="pinnable-header.vector-appearance.unpin">hide</button> </div> </div> </div> </nav> </div> </div> <div id="bodyContent" class="vector-body" aria-labelledby="firstHeading" data-mw-ve-target-container> <div class="vector-body-before-content"> <div class="mw-indicators"> </div> <div id="siteSub" class="noprint">From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia</div> </div> <div id="contentSub"><div id="mw-content-subtitle"></div></div> <div id="mw-content-text" class="mw-body-content"><div class="mw-content-ltr mw-parser-output" lang="en" dir="ltr"><figure typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:DECTape_unit_for_the_DEC_PDP-11.jpg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/32/DECTape_unit_for_the_DEC_PDP-11.jpg/250px-DECTape_unit_for_the_DEC_PDP-11.jpg" decoding="async" width="250" height="174" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/32/DECTape_unit_for_the_DEC_PDP-11.jpg/375px-DECTape_unit_for_the_DEC_PDP-11.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/32/DECTape_unit_for_the_DEC_PDP-11.jpg/500px-DECTape_unit_for_the_DEC_PDP-11.jpg 2x" data-file-width="2370" data-file-height="1651" /></a><figcaption>A TU56 dual DECtape unit for a DEC PDP-11. Note the 6-armed "starfish" hubs holding circular white tape reels in place. The vertical aluminium block above each pair of tape reels holds the read/write heads.</figcaption></figure> <p><b>DECtape</b>, originally called <b>Microtape</b>, is a <a href="/wiki/Magnetic_tape_data_storage" class="mw-redirect" title="Magnetic tape data storage">magnetic tape data storage</a> medium used with many <a href="/wiki/Digital_Equipment_Corporation" title="Digital Equipment Corporation">Digital Equipment Corporation</a> <a href="/wiki/Computer" title="Computer">computers</a>, including the <a href="/wiki/PDP-6" title="PDP-6">PDP-6</a>, <a href="/wiki/PDP-8" title="PDP-8">PDP-8</a>, <a href="/wiki/LINC-8" title="LINC-8">LINC-8</a>, <a href="/wiki/PDP-9" title="PDP-9">PDP-9</a>, <a href="/wiki/PDP-10" title="PDP-10">PDP-10</a>, <a href="/wiki/PDP-11" title="PDP-11">PDP-11</a>, <a href="/wiki/PDP-12" title="PDP-12">PDP-12</a>, and the <a href="/wiki/PDP-15" title="PDP-15">PDP-15</a>. On DEC's 32-bit systems, <a href="/wiki/OpenVMS" title="OpenVMS">VAX/VMS</a> support for it was implemented but did not become an official part of the product lineup. </p><p>DECtapes<sup id="cite_ref-DECbook_1-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-DECbook-1"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>1<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> are <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1154941027">.mw-parser-output .frac{white-space:nowrap}.mw-parser-output .frac .num,.mw-parser-output .frac .den{font-size:80%;line-height:0;vertical-align:super}.mw-parser-output .frac .den{vertical-align:sub}.mw-parser-output .sr-only{border:0;clip:rect(0,0,0,0);clip-path:polygon(0px 0px,0px 0px,0px 0px);height:1px;margin:-1px;overflow:hidden;padding:0;position:absolute;width:1px}</style><span class="frac"><span class="num">3</span>⁄<span class="den">4</span></span> inch (19 mm) wide, and formatted into blocks of data that can each be read or written individually. Each tape stores 184K <a href="/wiki/12-bit_computing" title="12-bit computing">12-bit</a> PDP-8 words or 144K <a href="/wiki/18-bit_computing" title="18-bit computing">18-bit</a> words. <a href="/wiki/Block_(data_storage)" title="Block (data storage)">Block size</a> is 128 12-bit words (for the 12-bit machines), or 256 18-bit words for the other machines (16, 18, 32, or 36-bit systems).<sup id="cite_ref-2" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-2"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>2<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>From a programming point of view,<sup id="cite_ref-DECbook_1-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-DECbook-1"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>1<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup class="reference nowrap"><span title="Page / location: p.505">: p.505 </span></sup><sup id="cite_ref-3" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-3"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>3<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> because the system is block-oriented and allows random seeking, DECtape behaves like a very slow disk drive.<sup id="cite_ref-4" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-4"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>4<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <meta property="mw:PageProp/toc" /> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Origins">Origins</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=DECtape&action=edit&section=1" title="Edit section: Origins"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>DECtape has its origin in the <b>LINCtape</b> tape system,<sup id="cite_ref-DECbook_1-2" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-DECbook-1"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>1<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup class="reference nowrap">: <span title="Page: 215
Quotation: "The DECtape was derived from M.I.T.'s Lincoln Laboratory LINCtape unit"" class="tooltip tooltip-dashed" style="border-bottom: 1px dashed;">215</span> </sup> which was originally designed by <a href="/wiki/Wesley_A._Clark" title="Wesley A. Clark">Wesley Clark</a> at the MIT <a href="/wiki/Lincoln_Laboratory" class="mw-redirect" title="Lincoln Laboratory">Lincoln Laboratory</a> as an integral part of the <a href="/wiki/LINC" title="LINC">LINC</a> computer. There are simple LINC instructions for reading and writing tape blocks using a single machine instruction.<sup id="cite_ref-5" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-5"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>5<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> The design of the LINC, including LINCtape, was placed in the public domain because its development had been funded by the government. LINCtape drives were manufactured by several companies, including Digital. </p><p>In turn, LINCtape's origin can be found in the magnetic tape system for the historic Lincoln Laboratory <a href="/wiki/TX-2" title="TX-2">TX-2</a> computer, designed by Richard L. Best and T. C. Stockebrand. The <a href="/wiki/TX-2_Tape_System" title="TX-2 Tape System">TX-2 Tape System</a> is the direct ancestor of LINCtape, including the use of two redundant sets of five tracks and a direct drive tape transport, but it uses a physically incompatible tape format (½-inch tape on 10-inch reels, where LINC tape and DECtape used ¾-inch tape on 4-inch reels).<sup id="cite_ref-BestStockerbrand_6-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-BestStockerbrand-6"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>6<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-7" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-7"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>7<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>Digital initially introduced the Type 550 Microtape Control and Type 555 Dual Microtape Transport as peripherals for the <a href="/wiki/PDP-1" title="PDP-1">PDP-1</a> and <a href="/wiki/PDP-4" title="PDP-4">PDP-4</a> computers, both 18-bit machines. DEC advertised the availability of these peripherals in March and May, 1963, and by November, planning was already underway to offer the product for the 12-bit <a href="/wiki/PDP-5" title="PDP-5">PDP-5</a> and 36-bit <a href="/wiki/PDP-6" title="PDP-6">PDP-6</a>, even though this involved a change in recording format.<sup id="cite_ref-8" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-8"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>8<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-9" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-9"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>9<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> The initial specifications for the Type 550 controller discuss a significant advance beyond the LINCtape, the ability to read and write in either direction.<sup id="cite_ref-10" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-10"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>10<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> By late 1964, the Type 555 transport was being marketed as a DECtape transport.<sup id="cite_ref-11" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-11"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>11<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>The tape transport used on the LINC is essentially the same as the Type 555 transport, with the same interface signals and the same physical tape medium. The LINC and DEC controllers, however, are incompatible, and the positions of the supply and take-up reels were reversed between the LINC and DEC tape formats. While LINCtape supports high-speed bidirectional block search, it only supports actual data read and write operations in the forward direction. DECtape uses a significantly different mark track format to provide for the possibility of read and write operations in either direction, although not all DECtape controllers support reverse read. DEC applied for a patent on the enhanced features incorporated into DECtape in late 1964.<sup id="cite_ref-DECtapePatent_12-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-DECtapePatent-12"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>12<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> The inventor listed on this patent, Thomas Stockebrand, is also an author of the paper on the TX-2 tape system from which the LINC tape was derived.<sup id="cite_ref-BestStockerbrand_6-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-BestStockerbrand-6"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>6<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>Eventually, the TC12-F tape controller on the <a href="/wiki/PDP-12" title="PDP-12">PDP-12</a> supported both LINCtape and DECtape on the same transport. As with the earlier <a href="/wiki/LINC-8" title="LINC-8">LINC-8</a>, the PDP-12 is a PDP-8 augmented with hardware support for the <a href="/wiki/LINC" title="LINC">LINC</a> instruction set and associated laboratory peripherals. </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Technical_details">Technical details</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=DECtape&action=edit&section=2" title="Edit section: Technical details"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <figure class="mw-default-size" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:Linc-8.jpg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0d/Linc-8.jpg/220px-Linc-8.jpg" decoding="async" width="220" height="186" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0d/Linc-8.jpg/330px-Linc-8.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0d/Linc-8.jpg/440px-Linc-8.jpg 2x" data-file-width="1785" data-file-height="1512" /></a><figcaption>A partially restored LINC-8,<br /> including LINCtape drives</figcaption></figure> <p>DECtape was designed to be reliable and durable enough to be used as the main storage medium for a computer's <a href="/wiki/Operating_system" title="Operating system">operating system</a> (OS). It is possible, although slow, to use a DECtape drive to run a small OS such as <a href="/wiki/OS/8" title="OS/8">OS/8</a> or OS/12. The system would be configured to put temporary <a href="/wiki/Swap_file" class="mw-redirect" title="Swap file">swap files</a> on a second DECtape drive, so as to not slow down access to the main drive holding the system programs. </p><p>Upon its introduction, DECtape was considered a major improvement over hand-loaded paper tapes, which could not be used to support swap files essential for practical <a href="/wiki/Timesharing" class="mw-redirect" title="Timesharing">timesharing</a>. Early <a href="/wiki/Hard_disk" class="mw-redirect" title="Hard disk">hard disk</a> and <a href="/wiki/Drum_memory" title="Drum memory">drum drives</a> were very expensive, limited in capacity, and notoriously unreliable, so the DECtape was a breakthrough in supporting the first timesharing systems on DEC computers. The legendary PDP-1 at <a href="/wiki/MIT" class="mw-redirect" title="MIT">MIT</a>, where early computer <a href="/wiki/Hacker_(term)" class="mw-redirect" title="Hacker (term)">hacker</a> culture developed, adopted multiple DECtape drives to support a primitive software sharing community. The hard disk system (when it was working) was considered a "temporary" file storage device used for speed, not to be trusted to hold files for long-term storage. Computer users would keep their own personal work files on DECtapes, as well as software to be shared with others. </p><p>The design of DECtape and its controllers is quite different from any other type of tape drive or controller at the time. The tape is 0.75 in (19 mm) wide, accommodating 6 data tracks, 2 mark tracks, and 2 clock tracks, with data recorded at roughly 350 bits per inch (138 bits per cm). Each track is paired with a non-adjacent track for redundancy by wiring the tape heads in parallel; as a result the electronics only deal with 5 tracks: a clock track, a mark track and 3 data tracks. <a href="/wiki/Manchester_code" title="Manchester code">Manchester encoding (PE)</a> was used. The clock and mark tracks are written only once, when the tape was formatted; after that, they are read-only.<sup id="cite_ref-13" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-13"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>13<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> This meant a "drop-out" on one channel could be tolerated; even a hole punched through the tape with a 0.25 in (6.4 mm) hole punch will not cause the read to fail.<sup id="cite_ref-14" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-14"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>14<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>Another reason for DECtape's unusually high reliability is the use of laminated tape: the magnetic oxide is sandwiched between two layers of <a href="/wiki/Mylar" class="mw-redirect" title="Mylar">mylar</a>, rather than being on the surface as was common in other magnetic tape types. This allows the tape to survive many thousands of passes over the tape heads without wearing away the oxide layer, which would otherwise have occurred in heavy swap file use on timesharing systems. </p><p>The fundamental durability and reliability of DECtape was underscored when the design of the tape reel mounting hubs was changed in the early 1970s. The original machined metal hub with a retaining spring was replaced by a lower cost single-piece plastic hub with 6 flexible arms in a "starfish" or "flower" shape. When a defective batch of these new design hubs was shipped on new DECtape drives, these hubs would loosen over time. As a result, DECtape reels would fall off the drives, usually when being spun at full speed, as in an end-to-end seek. The reel of tape would fall onto the floor and roll in a straight line or circle, often unspooling and tangling the tape as it went. In spite of this horrifying spectacle, desperate users would carefully untangle that tape and wind it laboriously back onto the tape reel, then re-install it onto the hub, with a paper shim to hold the reel more tightly. The data on the mangled DECtape could often be recovered completely and copied to another tape, provided that the original tape had only been creased multiple times, and not stretched or broken. DEC quickly issued an Engineering Change Order (ECO) to replace the defective hubs, to resolve the problem.<sup id="cite_ref-15" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-15"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>15<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>Eventually, a heavily used or abused DECtape begins to become unreliable. The operating system is usually programmed to keep retrying a failed read operation, which often succeeds after multiple attempts. Experienced DECtape users learned to notice the characteristic "shoe-shining" motion of a failing DECtape as it is passed repeatedly back and forth over the tape heads, and would retire the tape from further use. </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="On_non-DEC_computers">On non-DEC computers</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=DECtape&action=edit&section=3" title="Edit section: On non-DEC computers"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <figure class="mw-default-size" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:COI_Linc_Tape_II_drive.jpg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/73/COI_Linc_Tape_II_drive.jpg/220px-COI_Linc_Tape_II_drive.jpg" decoding="async" width="220" height="112" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/73/COI_Linc_Tape_II_drive.jpg/330px-COI_Linc_Tape_II_drive.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/73/COI_Linc_Tape_II_drive.jpg/440px-COI_Linc_Tape_II_drive.jpg 2x" data-file-width="1176" data-file-height="600" /></a><figcaption>COI LINC Tape II drive</figcaption></figure> <p>Computer Operations Inc (COI) of <a href="/wiki/Beltsville,_Maryland" title="Beltsville, Maryland">Beltsville, Maryland</a> offered a DECtape <a href="/wiki/Clone_(computing)" title="Clone (computing)">clone</a> in the 1970s. Initially, COI offered LINC-tape drives for computers made by <a href="/wiki/Data_General" title="Data General">Data General</a>, <a href="/wiki/Hewlett-Packard" title="Hewlett-Packard">Hewlett-Packard</a> and <a href="/wiki/Varian_Inc." class="mw-redirect" title="Varian Inc.">Varian</a>, with only passing reference to its similarity to DECtape.<sup id="cite_ref-16" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-16"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>16<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-17" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-17"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>17<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> While DECtape and LINC tape are physically interchangeable, the data format COI initially used for 16-bit minicomputers was distinct from both the format used by the <a href="/wiki/LINC" title="LINC">LINC</a> and the format used on DECtape.<sup id="cite_ref-18" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-18"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>18<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> When COI offered the <i>LINC Tape II</i> with support for the <a href="/wiki/DEC_PDP-8" class="mw-redirect" title="DEC PDP-8">DEC PDP-8</a>, <a href="/wiki/PDP-11" title="PDP-11">PDP-11</a>, <a href="/wiki/Data_General_Nova" title="Data General Nova">Data General Nova</a>, <a href="/wiki/Interdata_7/32_and_8/32" title="Interdata 7/32 and 8/32">Interdata 7/32</a>, <a href="/wiki/HP_2100" title="HP 2100">HP 2100</a>, <a href="/wiki/Honeywell_316" title="Honeywell 316">Honeywell 316</a> and several other computers in 1974, the drive was priced at $1,995 and was explicitly advertised as being DECtape compatible.<sup id="cite_ref-19" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-19"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>19<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-20" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-20"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>20<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-21" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-21"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>21<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>In 1974, DEC charged COI with patent infringement. COI, in turn, filed a suit claiming that DEC's patent was invalid on several grounds, including the assertions that DEC had marketed DECtape-based equipment for over a year before filing for the patent, that they had failed to properly disclose the prior art, and that the key claims in the DEC patent were in the public domain. The <a href="/wiki/US_Patent_and_Trademark_Office" class="mw-redirect" title="US Patent and Trademark Office">US Patent and Trademark Office</a> ruled DEC's patent invalid in 1978.<sup id="cite_ref-DECtapePatent_12-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-DECtapePatent-12"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>12<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-22" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-22"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>22<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> The court case continued into the 1980s.<sup id="cite_ref-23" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-23"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>23<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-24" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-24"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>24<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="DECtape_II">DECtape II</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=DECtape&action=edit&section=4" title="Edit section: DECtape II"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <figure class="mw-default-size" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:DECtape.jpg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/8f/DECtape.jpg/220px-DECtape.jpg" decoding="async" width="220" height="196" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/8f/DECtape.jpg/330px-DECtape.jpg 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/8f/DECtape.jpg/440px-DECtape.jpg 2x" data-file-width="817" data-file-height="728" /></a><figcaption>DECtape (top and lower left) and DECtape II (lower right) removable magnetic media</figcaption></figure> <p><b>DECtape II</b> was introduced around 1978 and has a similar block structure, but uses a much smaller 0.150 in (3.8 mm) tape<sup id="cite_ref-25" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-25"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>25<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> (the same width as an audio <a href="/wiki/Compact_cassette" class="mw-redirect" title="Compact cassette">compact cassette</a>). The tape is packaged in a special, pre-formatted <a href="/wiki/DC100" title="DC100">DC150</a> miniature cartridge consisting of a clear plastic cover mounted on a textured aluminum plate. Cartridge dimensions are <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1154941027" /><span class="frac">2<span class="sr-only">+</span><span class="num">3</span>⁄<span class="den">8</span></span> by <span class="frac">3<span class="sr-only">+</span><span class="num">3</span>⁄<span class="den">16</span></span> by <span class="frac"><span class="num">1</span>⁄<span class="den">2</span></span> inch (60 mm × 81 mm × 13 mm). The TU58 DECtape II drive has an <a href="/wiki/RS-232" title="RS-232">RS-232</a> <a href="/wiki/Serial_interface" class="mw-redirect" title="Serial interface">serial interface</a>, allowing it to be used with the ordinary serial ports that are very common on Digital's contemporary processors. </p><p>Because of its low cost, the TU58 was fitted to several different systems (including the <a href="/wiki/VT103" class="mw-redirect" title="VT103">VT103</a>, PDP-11/24 and /44 and the VAX-11/730 and /750) as a DEC-standard device for software product distribution, and for loading <a href="/wiki/Diagnostic_program" title="Diagnostic program">diagnostic programs</a> and <a href="/wiki/Microcode" title="Microcode">microcode</a>. The first version of the TU58 imposed very severe timing constraints on the unbuffered <a href="/wiki/Universal_asynchronous_receiver/transmitter" class="mw-redirect" title="Universal asynchronous receiver/transmitter">UARTs</a> then being used by Digital, but a later firmware revision eased the flow-control problems. The <a href="/wiki/RT11" class="mw-redirect" title="RT11">RT11</a> single-user operating system can be <a href="/wiki/Booting" title="Booting">bootstrapped</a> from a TU58, but the relatively slow access time of the tape drive makes use of the system challenging to an impatient user. </p><p>Like its predecessor DECtape, and like the faster RX01 floppies used on the <a href="/wiki/VAX-11" title="VAX-11">VAX-11/780</a>, a DECtape II cartridge has a capacity of about 256 kilobytes. Unlike the original DECtape media, DECtape II cartridges cannot be formatted on the tape drive transports sold to end-users, and have to be purchased in a factory pre-formatted state. </p><p>The TU58 is also used with other computers, such as the <a href="/wiki/Automatix" title="Automatix">Automatix</a> Autovision <a href="/wiki/Machine_vision" title="Machine vision">machine vision</a> system and AI32 robot controller. TU58 driver software is available for modern PCs running <a href="/wiki/DOS" title="DOS">DOS</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-26" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-26"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>26<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>Early production TU58s suffered from some reliability and data interchangeability problems, which were eventually resolved. However, rapid advances in low-cost <a href="/wiki/Floppy_disk" title="Floppy disk">floppy disk</a> technology, which had an inherent speed advantage, soon outflanked the DECtape II and rendered it obsolete. </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="See_also">See also</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=DECtape&action=edit&section=5" title="Edit section: See also"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/LINC#LINCtape" title="LINC">LINC</a> –  additional material on LINCtape lineage and operation</li></ul> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="References">References</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=DECtape&action=edit&section=6" title="Edit section: References"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1239543626">.mw-parser-output .reflist{margin-bottom:0.5em;list-style-type:decimal}@media screen{.mw-parser-output .reflist{font-size:90%}}.mw-parser-output .reflist .references{font-size:100%;margin-bottom:0;list-style-type:inherit}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns-2{column-width:30em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns-3{column-width:25em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns{margin-top:0.3em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns ol{margin-top:0}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns li{page-break-inside:avoid;break-inside:avoid-column}.mw-parser-output .reflist-upper-alpha{list-style-type:upper-alpha}.mw-parser-output .reflist-upper-roman{list-style-type:upper-roman}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-alpha{list-style-type:lower-alpha}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-greek{list-style-type:lower-greek}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-roman{list-style-type:lower-roman}</style><div class="reflist"> <div class="mw-references-wrap mw-references-columns"><ol class="references"> <li id="cite_note-DECbook-1"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-DECbook_1-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-DECbook_1-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-DECbook_1-2"><sup><i><b>c</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text"><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1238218222">.mw-parser-output cite.citation{font-style:inherit;word-wrap:break-word}.mw-parser-output .citation q{quotes:"\"""\"""'""'"}.mw-parser-output .citation:target{background-color:rgba(0,127,255,0.133)}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-free.id-lock-free a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/65/Lock-green.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-limited.id-lock-limited a,.mw-parser-output .id-lock-registration.id-lock-registration a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d6/Lock-gray-alt-2.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-subscription.id-lock-subscription a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/aa/Lock-red-alt-2.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4c/Wikisource-logo.svg")right 0.1em center/12px no-repeat}body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-free a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-limited a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-registration a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-subscription a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon a{background-size:contain;padding:0 1em 0 0}.mw-parser-output .cs1-code{color:inherit;background:inherit;border:none;padding:inherit}.mw-parser-output .cs1-hidden-error{display:none;color:var(--color-error,#d33)}.mw-parser-output .cs1-visible-error{color:var(--color-error,#d33)}.mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{display:none;color:#085;margin-left:0.3em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-left{padding-left:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-right{padding-right:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .citation .mw-selflink{font-weight:inherit}@media screen{.mw-parser-output .cs1-format{font-size:95%}html.skin-theme-clientpref-night .mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{color:#18911f}}@media screen and (prefers-color-scheme:dark){html.skin-theme-clientpref-os .mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{color:#18911f}}</style><cite id="CITEREFBellMudgeMcNamara1978" class="citation book cs1">Bell, C. Gordon; Mudge, J. Craig; McNamara, John E. (1978). <span class="id-lock-registration" title="Free registration required"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://archive.org/details/computerengineer00bell"><i>COMPUTER ENGINEERING: A DEC View of Hardware Systems Design</i></a></span>. Bedford, Mass.: Digital Press. <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/9781483207674" title="Special:BookSources/9781483207674"><bdi>9781483207674</bdi></a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=COMPUTER+ENGINEERING%3A+A+DEC+View+of+Hardware+Systems+Design&rft.place=Bedford%2C+Mass.&rft.pub=Digital+Press&rft.date=1978&rft.isbn=9781483207674&rft.aulast=Bell&rft.aufirst=C.+Gordon&rft.au=Mudge%2C+J.+Craig&rft.au=McNamara%2C+John+E.&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Farchive.org%2Fdetails%2Fcomputerengineer00bell&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ADECtape" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-2"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-2">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222" /><cite id="CITEREFDavid_Donald_Miller1997" class="citation book cs1">David Donald Miller (1997). <i>Open VMS Operating System Concepts</i>. p. 440. <a href="/wiki/ISBN_(identifier)" class="mw-redirect" title="ISBN (identifier)">ISBN</a> <a href="/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1555581572" title="Special:BookSources/978-1555581572"><bdi>978-1555581572</bdi></a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=Open+VMS+Operating+System+Concepts&rft.pages=440&rft.date=1997&rft.isbn=978-1555581572&rft.au=David+Donald+Miller&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ADECtape" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-3"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-3">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">A file system was developed for it, and is included in the <a href="/wiki/PDP-6" title="PDP-6">PDP-6</a> monitor.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-4"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-4">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">A PDP-6 using only DECtape, that formerly supported 4-6 timesharing users could, with a single disk drive, support up to 30 users - p.35, Volume 1, Number 1, The DEC Professional (magazine)</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-5"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-5">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Mary Allen Wilkes and Wesley A. Clark, 18: Magnetic Tape Instructions, <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://archive.org/stream/bitsavers_washingtoneferenceManualsLINCVol16Section2Programm_6160276/LINC_Vol_16_Section_2_Programming_the_LINC_Jun65#page/n87/mode/1up">Programming the LINC</a>, LINC Volume 16, Section 2, June, 1965; pages 80-104.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-BestStockerbrand-6"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-BestStockerbrand_6-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-BestStockerbrand_6-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text">R. L. Best and T. C. Stockerbrand, A Computer-Integrated Rapid Access Magnetic Tape System with Fixed Address, <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://dl.acm.org/citation.cfm?id=1457769.1457783">Proceedings of the Western Joint Computer Conference: Contrasts in Computers</a>, May 6–8, 1958; pages 42-46.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-7"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-7">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Herbert R. Johnson, <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.retrotechnology.com/restore/linc_tapes.html#fit">Tape reels and hubs - "fit"</a> section of <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.retrotechnology.com/restore/linc_tapes.html">LINC, LINCtape, DECtape</a>, November 26, 2013.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-8"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-8">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Levin H. Campbell, <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://law.justia.com/cases/federal/appellate-courts/F2/653/701/313062/">Court ruling</a>, Digital Equipment Corporation, Plaintiff, Appellant, v. Sidney A. Diamond, Etc., et al., 653 F.2d 701 (1st Cir. 1981), June 12, 1981; see paragraph 5 for the chronology of introduction.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-9"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-9">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Leonard M. Hantman, Microtape: Its Features and Applications, <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://archive.org/stream/bitsavers_decdectape_1101439/microtapeDecusDec63#page/n2/mode/1up">Second Annual Meeting of the Digital Equipment Corporation User's Society (DECUS)</a>, Lawrence Radiation Laboratories, Livermore, Nov. 18-19, 1963; see the <i>Future Trends</i> section, page 15.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-10"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-10">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://archive.org/stream/bitsavers_decdectape_2552119/F-13_555brochure_May63#page/n0/mode/1up">555/550 Micro-Tape Dual Transport & Tape Control</a>, Digital Equipment Corporation, May, 1963.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-11"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-11">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://archive.org/stream/bitsavers_decdectapeDec64_1008579/H-555_555dectapeDrive_Dec64#page/n5/mode/1up">555 DECtape Dual Transport</a>, Digital Equipment Corporation, H-555, Dec. 1964; The start of Chapter 1 contains the term 'DECtape'.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-DECtapePatent-12"><span class="mw-cite-backlink">^ <a href="#cite_ref-DECtapePatent_12-0"><sup><i><b>a</b></i></sup></a> <a href="#cite_ref-DECtapePatent_12-1"><sup><i><b>b</b></i></sup></a></span> <span class="reference-text">Thomas C. Stockebrand, Bidirectional Retrieval of Magnetically Recorded Data, <span><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://patents.google.com/patent/US3387293">U.S. patent 3,387,293</a></span>, issued June 4, 1968.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-13"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-13">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://archive.org/stream/bitsavers_decdectape_3543487/DEC-00-HZTA-D_TU55_May69#page/n9/mode/1up"><i>TU55 DECtape 55 Instruction Manual</i></a>, DEC-00-HZTA-D, Digital Equipment Corporation, Maynard Mass., Sept. 1968; sections 1.4 and 1.5.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-14"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-14">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222" /><cite class="citation book cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.bitsavers.org/pdf/dec/dectape/tu55/H-TU55_MaintMan_Nov66.pdf"><i>Instruction Manual - DECtape Transport TU55</i></a> <span class="cs1-format">(PDF)</span>. Maynard, MA: Digital Equipment Corporation. 1966.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=Instruction+Manual+-+DECtape+Transport+TU55&rft.place=Maynard%2C+MA&rft.pub=Digital+Equipment+Corporation&rft.date=1966&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.bitsavers.org%2Fpdf%2Fdec%2Fdectape%2Ftu55%2FH-TU55_MaintMan_Nov66.pdf&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ADECtape" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-15"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-15">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222" /><cite id="CITEREFKoning2015" class="citation web cs1">Koning, Paul (November 12, 2015). <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://classiccmp.org/pipermail/cctalk/2015-November/015310.html">"DECtape reliability?"</a>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=unknown&rft.btitle=DECtape+reliability%3F&rft.date=2015-11-12&rft.aulast=Koning&rft.aufirst=Paul&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fclassiccmp.org%2Fpipermail%2Fcctalk%2F2015-November%2F015310.html&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ADECtape" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-16"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-16">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Linc Tapes, Operating System Give Users I/O Paper Tape Option, <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://books.google.com/books?id=GF_o9uVZKmgC&pg=PT14">Computerworld</a>, Dec. 20, 1972; page 15.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-17"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-17">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Varian 610s Gain Direct-Access Tapes, <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://books.google.com/books?id=pWBoOXVjuZ0C&pg=PT9">Computerworld</a>, Oct. 17, 1973; page 19.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-18"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-18">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://archive.org/stream/bitsavers_coiCO600NP_5292542">CO 600 NP LINC Tape System for Nova Computers</a>, Computer Operations, Inc., Beltsville, MD, Nov. 24, 1971, Doc. No. 112; Section 9.0 describes the tape format.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-19"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-19">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://archive.computerhistory.org/resources/access/text/2015/02/102686584-05-01-acc.pdf">LINC Tape II - Direct Access Mini-Computer Mass Storage System</a>, Computer Operations Inc., Sept. 1974; 5 pages.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-20"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-20">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Low Cost Tape Drives made for DEC, DG Gear, <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://books.google.com/books?id=RkAxDQnQJWkC&pg=PA33">Computerworld</a>, June 4, 1975; page 33.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-21"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-21">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">COI Showing Mass Storage Units, <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://books.google.com/books?id=X2ubE_4klewC&pg=PA56">Computer World</a>, May 31, 1976; page 56.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-22"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-22">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Martha Blumenthal, Fraud Ruled in 1968 DEC Tape Patent, <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://books.google.com/books?id=r_blY9oI5CYC&pg=PA65">Computerworld</a>, May 1, 1978; page 65.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-23"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-23">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Rya W. Zobel, <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.ecases.us/case/mad/2125524/digital-equip-corp-v-parker">Memorandum of Decision</a>, Digital Equip. Corp. v. Parker, April 2, 1980.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-24"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-24">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">Levin H. Campbell, <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://law.justia.com/cases/federal/appellate-courts/F2/653/701/313062/">Court ruling</a>, Digital Equipment Corporation, Plaintiff, Appellant, v. Sidney A. Diamond, Etc., et al., 653 F.2d 701 (1st Cir. 1981), June 12, 1981.</span> </li> <li id="cite_note-25"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-25">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222" /><cite class="citation cs2"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20100807150030/http://www.bitsavers.org/pdf/dec/dectape/EK-0TU58-TM-001_TU58tech.pdf"><i>TU58 DECtape II Technical Manual</i></a> <span class="cs1-format">(PDF)</span>, Digital Equipment Corporation, 1979, pp. <span class="nowrap">1–</span>5, archived from <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://bitsavers.org/pdf/dec/dectape/EK-0TU58-TM-001_TU58tech.pdf">the original</a> <span class="cs1-format">(PDF)</span> on 2010-08-07</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Abook&rft.genre=book&rft.btitle=TU58+DECtape+II+Technical+Manual&rft.pages=%3Cspan+class%3D%22nowrap%22%3E1-%3C%2Fspan%3E5&rft.pub=Digital+Equipment+Corporation&rft.date=1979&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fbitsavers.org%2Fpdf%2Fdec%2Fdectape%2FEK-0TU58-TM-001_TU58tech.pdf&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ADECtape" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> <li id="cite_note-26"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-26">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1238218222" /><cite class="citation web cs1"><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.sparetimegizmos.com/Software/TU58_Driver.htm">"TU58 Driver"</a>. <i>www.sparetimegizmos.com</i>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=unknown&rft.jtitle=www.sparetimegizmos.com&rft.atitle=TU58+Driver&rft_id=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.sparetimegizmos.com%2FSoftware%2FTU58_Driver.htm&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ADECtape" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> </ol></div></div> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="External_links">External links</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=DECtape&action=edit&section=7" title="Edit section: External links"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <ul><li><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.pdp8.net/tu56/tu56.shtml">TU56 DECtape Drive Information</a></li> <li><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://bitsavers.org/pdf/dec/dectape">DECtape Documentation</a> at bitsavers.org</li> <li><a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://www.bitsavers.org/pdf/dec/terminal/vt103/EK-VT103-UG-001_VT103_User_Guide_Sep79.pdf">VT103 manual</a> at bitsavers.org. Appendix A describes the TU58 interface protocol.</li></ul> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1235681985">.mw-parser-output .side-box{margin:4px 0;box-sizing:border-box;border:1px solid #aaa;font-size:88%;line-height:1.25em;background-color:var(--background-color-interactive-subtle,#f8f9fa);display:flow-root}.mw-parser-output .side-box-abovebelow,.mw-parser-output .side-box-text{padding:0.25em 0.9em}.mw-parser-output .side-box-image{padding:2px 0 2px 0.9em;text-align:center}.mw-parser-output .side-box-imageright{padding:2px 0.9em 2px 0;text-align:center}@media(min-width:500px){.mw-parser-output .side-box-flex{display:flex;align-items:center}.mw-parser-output .side-box-text{flex:1;min-width:0}}@media(min-width:720px){.mw-parser-output .side-box{width:238px}.mw-parser-output .side-box-right{clear:right;float:right;margin-left:1em}.mw-parser-output .side-box-left{margin-right:1em}}</style><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1237033735">@media print{body.ns-0 .mw-parser-output .sistersitebox{display:none!important}}@media screen{html.skin-theme-clientpref-night .mw-parser-output .sistersitebox img[src*="Wiktionary-logo-en-v2.svg"]{background-color:white}}@media screen and (prefers-color-scheme:dark){html.skin-theme-clientpref-os .mw-parser-output .sistersitebox img[src*="Wiktionary-logo-en-v2.svg"]{background-color:white}}</style><div class="side-box side-box-right plainlinks sistersitebox"><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1126788409">.mw-parser-output .plainlist ol,.mw-parser-output .plainlist ul{line-height:inherit;list-style:none;margin:0;padding:0}.mw-parser-output .plainlist ol li,.mw-parser-output .plainlist ul li{margin-bottom:0}</style> <div class="side-box-flex"> <div class="side-box-image"><span class="noviewer" typeof="mw:File"><a href="/wiki/File:Commons-logo.svg" class="mw-file-description"><img alt="" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/30px-Commons-logo.svg.png" decoding="async" width="30" height="40" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/45px-Commons-logo.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/59px-Commons-logo.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="1024" data-file-height="1376" /></a></span></div> <div class="side-box-text plainlist">Wikimedia Commons has media related to <span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;"><a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:DECtape" class="extiw" title="commons:Category:DECtape">DECtape</a></span>.</div></div> </div> <div class="navbox-styles"><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1129693374">.mw-parser-output .hlist dl,.mw-parser-output .hlist ol,.mw-parser-output .hlist ul{margin:0;padding:0}.mw-parser-output .hlist dd,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt,.mw-parser-output .hlist li{margin:0;display:inline}.mw-parser-output .hlist.inline,.mw-parser-output .hlist.inline dl,.mw-parser-output .hlist.inline ol,.mw-parser-output .hlist.inline ul,.mw-parser-output .hlist dl dl,.mw-parser-output .hlist dl ol,.mw-parser-output .hlist dl ul,.mw-parser-output .hlist ol dl,.mw-parser-output .hlist ol ol,.mw-parser-output .hlist ol ul,.mw-parser-output .hlist ul dl,.mw-parser-output .hlist ul ol,.mw-parser-output .hlist ul ul{display:inline}.mw-parser-output .hlist .mw-empty-li{display:none}.mw-parser-output .hlist dt::after{content:": "}.mw-parser-output .hlist dd::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist li::after{content:" · ";font-weight:bold}.mw-parser-output .hlist dd:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist li:last-child::after{content:none}.mw-parser-output .hlist dd dd:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist dd dt:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist dd li:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt dd:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt dt:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt li:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist li dd:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist li dt:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist li li:first-child::before{content:" (";font-weight:normal}.mw-parser-output .hlist dd dd:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist dd dt:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist dd li:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt dd:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt dt:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt li:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist li dd:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist li dt:last-child::after,.mw-parser-output .hlist li li:last-child::after{content:")";font-weight:normal}.mw-parser-output .hlist ol{counter-reset:listitem}.mw-parser-output .hlist ol>li{counter-increment:listitem}.mw-parser-output .hlist ol>li::before{content:" "counter(listitem)"\a0 "}.mw-parser-output .hlist dd ol>li:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist dt ol>li:first-child::before,.mw-parser-output .hlist li ol>li:first-child::before{content:" ("counter(listitem)"\a0 "}</style><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1236075235">.mw-parser-output .navbox{box-sizing:border-box;border:1px solid #a2a9b1;width:100%;clear:both;font-size:88%;text-align:center;padding:1px;margin:1em auto 0}.mw-parser-output .navbox .navbox{margin-top:0}.mw-parser-output .navbox+.navbox,.mw-parser-output .navbox+.navbox-styles+.navbox{margin-top:-1px}.mw-parser-output .navbox-inner,.mw-parser-output .navbox-subgroup{width:100%}.mw-parser-output .navbox-group,.mw-parser-output .navbox-title,.mw-parser-output .navbox-abovebelow{padding:0.25em 1em;line-height:1.5em;text-align:center}.mw-parser-output .navbox-group{white-space:nowrap;text-align:right}.mw-parser-output .navbox,.mw-parser-output .navbox-subgroup{background-color:#fdfdfd}.mw-parser-output .navbox-list{line-height:1.5em;border-color:#fdfdfd}.mw-parser-output .navbox-list-with-group{text-align:left;border-left-width:2px;border-left-style:solid}.mw-parser-output tr+tr>.navbox-abovebelow,.mw-parser-output tr+tr>.navbox-group,.mw-parser-output tr+tr>.navbox-image,.mw-parser-output tr+tr>.navbox-list{border-top:2px solid #fdfdfd}.mw-parser-output .navbox-title{background-color:#ccf}.mw-parser-output .navbox-abovebelow,.mw-parser-output .navbox-group,.mw-parser-output .navbox-subgroup .navbox-title{background-color:#ddf}.mw-parser-output .navbox-subgroup .navbox-group,.mw-parser-output .navbox-subgroup .navbox-abovebelow{background-color:#e6e6ff}.mw-parser-output .navbox-even{background-color:#f7f7f7}.mw-parser-output .navbox-odd{background-color:transparent}.mw-parser-output .navbox .hlist td dl,.mw-parser-output .navbox .hlist td ol,.mw-parser-output .navbox .hlist td ul,.mw-parser-output .navbox td.hlist dl,.mw-parser-output .navbox td.hlist ol,.mw-parser-output .navbox td.hlist ul{padding:0.125em 0}.mw-parser-output .navbox .navbar{display:block;font-size:100%}.mw-parser-output .navbox-title .navbar{float:left;text-align:left;margin-right:0.5em}body.skin--responsive .mw-parser-output .navbox-image img{max-width:none!important}@media print{body.ns-0 .mw-parser-output .navbox{display:none!important}}</style></div><div role="navigation" class="navbox" aria-labelledby="Magnetic-tape_data_storage_formats51" style="padding:3px"><table class="nowraplinks mw-collapsible autocollapse navbox-inner" style="border-spacing:0;background:transparent;color:inherit"><tbody><tr><th scope="col" class="navbox-title" colspan="2"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1129693374" /><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1239400231">.mw-parser-output .navbar{display:inline;font-size:88%;font-weight:normal}.mw-parser-output .navbar-collapse{float:left;text-align:left}.mw-parser-output .navbar-boxtext{word-spacing:0}.mw-parser-output .navbar ul{display:inline-block;white-space:nowrap;line-height:inherit}.mw-parser-output .navbar-brackets::before{margin-right:-0.125em;content:"[ "}.mw-parser-output .navbar-brackets::after{margin-left:-0.125em;content:" ]"}.mw-parser-output .navbar li{word-spacing:-0.125em}.mw-parser-output .navbar a>span,.mw-parser-output .navbar a>abbr{text-decoration:inherit}.mw-parser-output .navbar-mini abbr{font-variant:small-caps;border-bottom:none;text-decoration:none;cursor:inherit}.mw-parser-output .navbar-ct-full{font-size:114%;margin:0 7em}.mw-parser-output .navbar-ct-mini{font-size:114%;margin:0 4em}html.skin-theme-clientpref-night .mw-parser-output .navbar li a abbr{color:var(--color-base)!important}@media(prefers-color-scheme:dark){html.skin-theme-clientpref-os .mw-parser-output .navbar li a abbr{color:var(--color-base)!important}}@media print{.mw-parser-output .navbar{display:none!important}}</style><div class="navbar plainlinks hlist navbar-mini"><ul><li class="nv-view"><a href="/wiki/Template:Magnetic_tape_data_formats" title="Template:Magnetic tape data formats"><abbr title="View this template">v</abbr></a></li><li class="nv-talk"><a href="/wiki/Template_talk:Magnetic_tape_data_formats" title="Template talk:Magnetic tape data formats"><abbr title="Discuss this template">t</abbr></a></li><li class="nv-edit"><a href="/wiki/Special:EditPage/Template:Magnetic_tape_data_formats" title="Special:EditPage/Template:Magnetic tape data formats"><abbr title="Edit this template">e</abbr></a></li></ul></div><div id="Magnetic-tape_data_storage_formats51" style="font-size:114%;margin:0 4em"><a href="/wiki/Magnetic-tape_data_storage" title="Magnetic-tape data storage">Magnetic-tape data storage</a> formats</div></th></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Linear</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"></div><table class="nowraplinks navbox-subgroup" style="border-spacing:0"><tbody><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Wide (19–25.4 mm)</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/IBM_7340" title="IBM 7340">IBM 7340</a> (1961)</li> <li><a href="/wiki/LINC#LINCTape" title="LINC">LINCtape</a> (1962)</li> <li><a class="mw-selflink selflink">DECtape</a> (1963)</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Magnetic_tape_data_storage#IBM_formats" class="mw-redirect" title="Magnetic tape data storage">CDC 626</a> (1966)</li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Half inch (12.7 mm)</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/UNISERVO" class="mw-redirect" title="UNISERVO">UNISERVO</a> (1951)</li> <li><a href="/wiki/IBM_7-track" title="IBM 7-track">IBM 7-track</a> (1952)</li> <li><a href="/wiki/TX-2_Tape_System" title="TX-2 Tape System">TX-2 Tape System</a> (1958)</li> <li><a href="/wiki/9-track_tape" title="9-track tape">9-track</a> (1964)</li> <li><a href="/wiki/IBM_3480_Family" class="mw-redirect" title="IBM 3480 Family">IBM 3480</a> (1984)</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Digital_Linear_Tape" title="Digital Linear Tape">DLT</a> (1984)</li> <li><a href="/wiki/IBM_3590" title="IBM 3590">IBM 3590</a> (1995)</li> <li><a href="/wiki/StorageTek_tape_formats" title="StorageTek tape formats">T9840</a> (1998)</li> <li><a href="/wiki/StorageTek_tape_formats" title="StorageTek tape formats">T9940</a> (2000)</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Linear_Tape-Open" title="Linear Tape-Open">LTO Ultrium</a> (2000)</li> <li><a href="/wiki/IBM_3592" title="IBM 3592">IBM 3592</a> (2003)</li> <li><a href="/wiki/StorageTek_tape_formats" title="StorageTek tape formats">T10000</a> (2006)</li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Eight millimeter (8 mm)</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Travan" title="Travan">Travan</a> (1995)</li> <li><a href="/wiki/IBM_Magstar_MP_3570" title="IBM Magstar MP 3570">IBM 3570 MP</a> (1997)</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Advanced_Digital_Recording" title="Advanced Digital Recording">ADR</a> (1999)</li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Quarter inch (6.35 mm)</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Quarter-inch_cartridge" title="Quarter-inch cartridge">QIC</a> (1972)</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Scalable_Linear_Recording" title="Scalable Linear Recording">SLR</a> (1986)</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Ditto_(drive)" title="Ditto (drive)">Ditto</a> (1992)</li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">"Eighth" (0.15) inch (3.81 mm)</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/D/CAS" title="D/CAS">D/CAS</a> (1971)</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Kansas_City_standard" title="Kansas City standard">KC standard, Compact Cassette</a> (1975)</li> <li><a href="/wiki/DC100" title="DC100">DC100</a> (1976)</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Tarbell_Cassette_Interface" title="Tarbell Cassette Interface">Tarbell Cassette Interface</a> (1976)</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Commodore_Datasette" title="Commodore Datasette">Commodore Datasette</a> (1977)</li> <li><a class="mw-selflink-fragment" href="#DECtape_II">DECtape II</a> (1979)</li> <li><a href="/wiki/IBM_cassette_tape" title="IBM cassette tape">IBM PC Cassette</a> (1981)</li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Stringy (1.58–1.9 mm)</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Exatron_Stringy_Floppy" title="Exatron Stringy Floppy">Exatron Stringy Floppy</a> (1979)</li> <li><a href="/wiki/ZX_Microdrive" title="ZX Microdrive">ZX Microdrive</a> (1983)</li> <li><a href="/wiki/QL_Microdrive" class="mw-redirect" title="QL Microdrive">QL Microdrive</a> (1984)</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Rotronics_Wafadrive" title="Rotronics Wafadrive">Rotronics Wafadrive</a> (1984)</li></ul> </div></td></tr></tbody></table><div></div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Helical</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"></div><table class="nowraplinks navbox-subgroup" style="border-spacing:0"><tbody><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Three quarter inch (19 mm)</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li>Sony <a href="/wiki/Digital_Instrumentation_Recorder" title="Digital Instrumentation Recorder">DIR</a> (19xx)</li> <li>Ampex <a href="/wiki/Data_Storage_Technology" title="Data Storage Technology">DST</a> (1992)</li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Half inch (12.7 mm)</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/ArVid" title="ArVid">ArVid</a> (1992)</li> <li><a href="/wiki/StorageTek_tape_formats" title="StorageTek tape formats">Redwood SD-3</a> (1995)</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Digital_Tape_Format" title="Digital Tape Format">DTF</a> (19xx)</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Advanced_Intelligent_Tape" title="Advanced Intelligent Tape">SAIT</a> (2003)</li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Eight millimeter (8 mm)</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Data8" title="Data8">Data8</a> (1987)</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Data8#Mammoth" title="Data8">Mammoth</a> (1994)</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Advanced_Intelligent_Tape" title="Advanced Intelligent Tape">AIT</a> (1996)</li> <li><a href="/wiki/VXA" title="VXA">VXA</a> (1999)</li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Four millimeter (3.81 mm)</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Digital_Data_Storage" title="Digital Data Storage">DDS/DAT</a> (1989)</li></ul> </div></td></tr></tbody></table><div></div></td></tr></tbody></table></div> <div class="navbox-styles"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1129693374" /><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1236075235" /></div><div role="navigation" class="navbox" aria-labelledby="Digital_Equipment_Corporation805" style="padding:3px"><table class="nowraplinks hlist mw-collapsible autocollapse navbox-inner" style="border-spacing:0;background:transparent;color:inherit"><tbody><tr><th scope="col" class="navbox-title" colspan="3"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1129693374" /><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1239400231" /><div class="navbar plainlinks hlist navbar-mini"><ul><li class="nv-view"><a href="/wiki/Template:Digital_Equipment_Corporation" title="Template:Digital Equipment Corporation"><abbr title="View this template">v</abbr></a></li><li class="nv-talk"><a href="/wiki/Template_talk:Digital_Equipment_Corporation" title="Template talk:Digital Equipment Corporation"><abbr title="Discuss this template">t</abbr></a></li><li class="nv-edit"><a href="/wiki/Special:EditPage/Template:Digital_Equipment_Corporation" title="Special:EditPage/Template:Digital Equipment Corporation"><abbr title="Edit this template">e</abbr></a></li></ul></div><div id="Digital_Equipment_Corporation805" style="font-size:114%;margin:0 4em"><a href="/wiki/Digital_Equipment_Corporation" title="Digital Equipment Corporation">Digital Equipment Corporation</a></div></th></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Key people</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Ken_Olsen" title="Ken Olsen">Ken Olsen</a> (founder and CEO, 1957–1992)</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Harlan_Anderson" title="Harlan Anderson">Harlan Anderson</a> (co-founder)</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Gordon_Bell" title="Gordon Bell">Gordon Bell</a> (VP of engineering)</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Robert_Palmer_(computer_businessman)" title="Robert Palmer (computer businessman)">Robert Palmer</a> (CEO, 1992–1998)</li></ul> </div></td><td class="noviewer navbox-image" rowspan="9" style="width:1px;padding:0 0 0 2px"><div><span class="mw-default-size" typeof="mw:File/Frameless"><a href="/wiki/File:Digital_Equipment_Corporation_1993_logo.svg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/90/Digital_Equipment_Corporation_1993_logo.svg/110px-Digital_Equipment_Corporation_1993_logo.svg.png" decoding="async" width="110" height="33" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/90/Digital_Equipment_Corporation_1993_logo.svg/165px-Digital_Equipment_Corporation_1993_logo.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/90/Digital_Equipment_Corporation_1993_logo.svg/220px-Digital_Equipment_Corporation_1993_logo.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="3124" data-file-height="938" /></a></span></div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%"><a href="/wiki/Instruction_set_architecture" title="Instruction set architecture">Instruction set<br />architectures</a>,<br /><a href="/wiki/Processor_(computing)" title="Processor (computing)">processors</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"></div><table class="nowraplinks navbox-subgroup" style="border-spacing:0"><tbody><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%"><a href="/wiki/PDP-11_architecture" title="PDP-11 architecture">PDP-11</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li>LSI-11</li> <li>F-11</li> <li><a href="/wiki/DEC_T-11" title="DEC T-11">T-11</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/DEC_J-11" title="DEC J-11">J-11</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%"><a href="/wiki/VAX" title="VAX">VAX</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/DEC_V-11" title="DEC V-11">V-11</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/MicroVAX_78032" title="MicroVAX 78032">MicroVAX 78032</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/CVAX" title="CVAX">CVAX</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/CVAX#SOC" title="CVAX">SOC</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Rigel_(microprocessor)" title="Rigel (microprocessor)">Rigel</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Rigel_(microprocessor)#Mariah" title="Rigel (microprocessor)">Mariah</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/NVAX" title="NVAX">NVAX</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%"><a href="/wiki/DEC_Alpha" title="DEC Alpha">Alpha</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Alpha_21064" title="Alpha 21064">Alpha 21064</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Alpha_21064#Alpha_21066" title="Alpha 21064">21066</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Alpha_21064#Alpha_21068" title="Alpha 21064">21068</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Alpha_21164" title="Alpha 21164">Alpha 21164</a> (<a href="/wiki/Alpha_21164#Alpha_21164PC_(PCA56)" title="Alpha 21164">21164PC</a>)</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Alpha_21264" title="Alpha 21264">Alpha 21264</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Alpha_21364" title="Alpha 21364">Alpha 21364</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Alpha_21464" title="Alpha 21464">Alpha 21464</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Other</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/DEC_PRISM" title="DEC PRISM">MicroPRISM</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/StrongARM" title="StrongARM">StrongARM</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr></tbody></table><div></div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%"><a href="/wiki/Computer_terminal" title="Computer terminal">Computer<br />terminals</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/VT05" title="VT05">VT05</a> (1970)</li> <li><a href="/wiki/DEC_GT40" title="DEC GT40">GT40</a> (1972)</li> <li><a href="/wiki/VT52" title="VT52">VT50/VT52</a> (1975)</li> <li><a href="/wiki/VT55" class="mw-redirect" title="VT55">VT55</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/VT62" class="mw-redirect" title="VT62">VT62</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/VT100" title="VT100">VT100</a> (1978)</li> <li><a href="/wiki/VT101" class="mw-redirect" title="VT101">VT101</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/VT102" class="mw-redirect" title="VT102">VT102</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/VT103" class="mw-redirect" title="VT103">VT103</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/VT105" class="mw-redirect" title="VT105">VT105</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/VT131" class="mw-redirect" title="VT131">VT131</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/VT180" title="VT180">VT180</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/VT220" title="VT220">VT220</a> (1983)</li> <li><a href="/wiki/VT240" class="mw-redirect" title="VT240">VT240</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/VT241" class="mw-redirect" title="VT241">VT241</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/VT320" title="VT320">VT320</a> (1987)</li> <li><a href="/wiki/VT330" class="mw-redirect" title="VT330">VT330</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/VT340" class="mw-redirect" title="VT340">VT340</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/VT420" title="VT420">VT420</a> (1990)</li> <li><a href="/wiki/VT1000" title="VT1000">VT1000</a> (1990)</li> <li><a href="/wiki/VT510" class="mw-redirect" title="VT510">VT510</a> (1993)</li> <li><a href="/wiki/VT520" title="VT520">VT520</a> (1994)</li> <li><a href="/wiki/VT525" class="mw-redirect" title="VT525">VT525</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%"><a href="/wiki/Operating_system" title="Operating system">Operating<br />systems</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/PDP-7#Software" title="PDP-7">DECsys</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/4K_Disk_Monitor_System" class="mw-redirect" title="4K Disk Monitor System">4K DMS</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Commercial_Operating_System" title="Commercial Operating System">COS</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/TOPS-10" title="TOPS-10">TOPS-10</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/RSX-15" class="mw-redirect" title="RSX-15">RSX-15</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/TSS/8" title="TSS/8">TSS/8</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/OS/8" title="OS/8">OS/8</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/DEC_BATCH-11/DOS-11" title="DEC BATCH-11/DOS-11">DOS-11</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/RT-11" title="RT-11">RT-11</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/RSTS/E" title="RSTS/E">RSTS/E</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/RSX-11" title="RSX-11">RSX-11</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Interactive_Application_System" title="Interactive Application System">IAS</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/MUMPS#1970s" title="MUMPS">DSM-11</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/TOPS-20" title="TOPS-20">TOPS-20</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/OpenVMS" title="OpenVMS">VAX/VMS</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/VAXELN" title="VAXELN">VAXELN</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Ultrix" title="Ultrix">Ultrix</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/DEC_MICA" title="DEC MICA">MICA</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Digital_UNIX" class="mw-redirect" title="Digital UNIX">Digital UNIX</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%"><a href="/wiki/Programming_language" title="Programming language">Programming<br />languages</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/BASIC-8" title="BASIC-8">BASIC-8</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/DIBOL" title="DIBOL">DIBOL</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/FOCAL_(programming_language)" title="FOCAL (programming language)">FOCAL</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/MACRO-10" title="MACRO-10">MACRO-10</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/MACRO-11" title="MACRO-11">MACRO-11</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/MUMPS" title="MUMPS">MUMPS</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/VAX_MACRO" title="VAX MACRO">VAX MACRO</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/DIGITAL_Command_Language" title="DIGITAL Command Language">DIGITAL Command Language</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%"><a href="/wiki/Character_encoding" title="Character encoding">Character sets</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Multinational_Character_Set" title="Multinational Character Set">Code page 1100</a> (Multinational)</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Code_page_1287" title="Code page 1287">Code page 1287</a> (Greek)</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Code_page_1288" title="Code page 1288">Code page 1288</a> (Turkish)</li> <li><a href="/wiki/DEC_Hebrew" title="DEC Hebrew">Hebrew</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/National_Replacement_Character_Set" title="National Replacement Character Set">National Replacement</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/DEC_RADIX_50" title="DEC RADIX 50">RADIX 50</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/DEC_Special_Graphics" title="DEC Special Graphics">Special Graphics</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/DEC_Technical_Character_Set" title="DEC Technical Character Set">Technical</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%"><a href="/wiki/Bus_(computing)" title="Bus (computing)">Bus standards</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Digital_Storage_Systems_Interconnect" title="Digital Storage Systems Interconnect">Digital Storage Systems Interconnect</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Massbus" title="Massbus">Massbus</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Q-Bus" title="Q-Bus">Q-Bus</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Standard_Disk_Interconnect" title="Standard Disk Interconnect">Standard Disk Interconnect</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Synchronous_Backplane_Interconnect" title="Synchronous Backplane Interconnect">Synchronous Backplane Interconnect</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/TURBOchannel" title="TURBOchannel">TURBOchannel</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Unibus" title="Unibus">Unibus</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/VAXBI_bus" title="VAXBI bus">VAXBI bus</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Other <a href="/wiki/Computer_hardware" title="Computer hardware">hardware</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/DECtalk" title="DECtalk">DECtalk</a></li> <li><a class="mw-selflink selflink">DECtape</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/DECwriter" title="DECwriter">DECwriter</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Digital_Linear_Tape" title="Digital Linear Tape">Digital Linear Tape</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Dynamically_Redefined_Character_Set" title="Dynamically Redefined Character Set">Dynamically Redefined Character Set</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Firefly_(cache_coherence_protocol)" title="Firefly (cache coherence protocol)">Firefly</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Flip-Chip_module" title="Flip-Chip module">Flip-Chip module</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Gold_key_(DEC)" title="Gold key (DEC)">Gold key</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/LK201" title="LK201">LK201</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/LK421" title="LK421">LK421</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Mass_Storage_Control_Protocol" title="Mass Storage Control Protocol">Mass Storage Control Protocol</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/PALcode" title="PALcode">PALcode</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/RA90" title="RA90">RA90</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/RK05" title="RK05">RK05</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/RL02" title="RL02">RL02</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Star_coupler" title="Star coupler">Star coupler</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/System_Module" title="System Module">System Module</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/TU81" title="TU81">TU81</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Related topics</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/AdvFS" title="AdvFS">AdvFS</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/AltaVista" title="AltaVista">AltaVista</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Compaq" title="Compaq">Compaq</a></li> <li><i><a href="/wiki/CPU_Wars" title="CPU Wars">CPU Wars</a></i></li> <li><a href="/wiki/DECnet" title="DECnet">DECnet</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/DECUS" title="DECUS">DECUS</a> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/HP-Interex" title="HP-Interex">HP-Interex</a></li></ul></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Digital_Federal_Credit_Union" title="Digital Federal Credit Union">Digital Federal Credit Union</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Dynamic_debugging_technique" title="Dynamic debugging technique">Dynamic debugging technique</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/FX!32" title="FX!32">FX!32</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Local_Area_Transport" title="Local Area Transport">Local Area Transport</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Maintenance_Operations_Protocol" title="Maintenance Operations Protocol">Maintenance Operations Protocol</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/On-line_Debugging_Tool" title="On-line Debugging Tool">On-line Debugging Tool</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/PALcode" title="PALcode">PALcode</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Record_Management_Services" title="Record Management Services">Record Management Services</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/ReGIS" title="ReGIS">ReGIS</a></li> <li>Sequence and Batch Language</li> <li><a href="/wiki/Sixel" title="Sixel">Sixel</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/System_Reference_Manual" class="mw-redirect" title="System Reference Manual">System Reference Manual</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/DEC_Systems_Research_Center" title="DEC Systems Research Center">Systems Research Center</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/TD/SMP" title="TD/SMP">TD/SMP</a></li> <li><i><a href="/wiki/The_Ultimate_Entrepreneur" title="The Ultimate Entrepreneur">The Ultimate Entrepreneur</a></i></li> <li><a href="/wiki/VT640" title="VT640">VT640</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/WPS-8" title="WPS-8">WPS-8</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><td class="navbox-abovebelow" colspan="3"><div> <ul><li><span class="noviewer" typeof="mw:File"><span title="Template"><img alt="" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/83/Symbol_template_class_pink.svg/16px-Symbol_template_class_pink.svg.png" decoding="async" width="16" height="16" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/83/Symbol_template_class_pink.svg/23px-Symbol_template_class_pink.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/83/Symbol_template_class_pink.svg/31px-Symbol_template_class_pink.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="180" data-file-height="185" /></span></span> <a href="/wiki/Template:DEC_hardware" title="Template:DEC hardware">Computers template</a></li> <li><span class="noviewer" typeof="mw:File"><span title="Category"><img alt="" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/9/96/Symbol_category_class.svg/16px-Symbol_category_class.svg.png" decoding="async" width="16" height="16" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/9/96/Symbol_category_class.svg/23px-Symbol_category_class.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/9/96/Symbol_category_class.svg/31px-Symbol_category_class.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="180" data-file-height="185" /></span></span> <a href="/wiki/Category:Digital_Equipment_Corporation" title="Category:Digital Equipment Corporation">Category</a></li> <li><span class="noviewer" typeof="mw:File"><span title="Commons page"><img alt="" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/12px-Commons-logo.svg.png" decoding="async" width="12" height="16" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/18px-Commons-logo.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/24px-Commons-logo.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="1024" data-file-height="1376" /></span></span> <a href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Digital_Equipment_Corporation" class="extiw" title="commons:Category:Digital Equipment Corporation">Commons</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr></tbody></table></div>    </div><noscript><img src="https://login.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:CentralAutoLogin/start?useformat=desktop&type=1x1&usesul3=0" alt="" width="1" height="1" style="border: none; position: absolute;"></noscript> <div class="printfooter" data-nosnippet="">Retrieved from "<a dir="ltr" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=DECtape&oldid=1177308905">https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=DECtape&oldid=1177308905</a>"</div></div> <div id="catlinks" class="catlinks" data-mw="interface"><div id="mw-normal-catlinks" class="mw-normal-catlinks"><a href="/wiki/Help:Category" title="Help:Category">Categories</a>: <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Category:DEC_hardware" title="Category:DEC hardware">DEC hardware</a></li><li><a href="/wiki/Category:History_of_computing_hardware" title="Category:History of computing hardware">History of computing hardware</a></li><li><a href="/wiki/Category:Computer-related_introductions_in_1963" title="Category:Computer-related introductions in 1963">Computer-related introductions in 1963</a></li></ul></div><div id="mw-hidden-catlinks" class="mw-hidden-catlinks mw-hidden-cats-hidden">Hidden category: <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Category:Commons_category_link_from_Wikidata" title="Category:Commons category link from Wikidata">Commons category link from Wikidata</a></li></ul></div></div> </div> </main> </div> <div class="mw-footer-container"> <footer id="footer" class="mw-footer" > <ul id="footer-info"> <li id="footer-info-lastmod"> This page was last edited on 27 September 2023, at 03:48<span class="anonymous-show"> (UTC)</span>.</li> <li id="footer-info-copyright">Text is available under the <a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Text_of_the_Creative_Commons_Attribution-ShareAlike_4.0_International_License" title="Wikipedia:Text of the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License">Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License</a>; additional terms may apply. By using this site, you agree to the <a href="https://foundation.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:MyLanguage/Policy:Terms_of_Use" class="extiw" title="foundation:Special:MyLanguage/Policy:Terms of Use">Terms of Use</a> and <a href="https://foundation.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:MyLanguage/Policy:Privacy_policy" class="extiw" title="foundation:Special:MyLanguage/Policy:Privacy policy">Privacy Policy</a>. Wikipedia® is a registered trademark of the <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://wikimediafoundation.org/">Wikimedia Foundation, Inc.</a>, a non-profit organization.</li> </ul> <ul id="footer-places"> <li id="footer-places-privacy"><a href="https://foundation.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:MyLanguage/Policy:Privacy_policy">Privacy policy</a></li> <li id="footer-places-about"><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:About">About Wikipedia</a></li> <li id="footer-places-disclaimers"><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:General_disclaimer">Disclaimers</a></li> <li id="footer-places-contact"><a href="//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Contact_us">Contact Wikipedia</a></li> <li id="footer-places-wm-codeofconduct"><a href="https://foundation.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:MyLanguage/Policy:Universal_Code_of_Conduct">Code of Conduct</a></li> <li id="footer-places-developers"><a href="https://developer.wikimedia.org">Developers</a></li> <li id="footer-places-statslink"><a href="https://stats.wikimedia.org/#/en.wikipedia.org">Statistics</a></li> <li id="footer-places-cookiestatement"><a href="https://foundation.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:MyLanguage/Policy:Cookie_statement">Cookie statement</a></li> <li id="footer-places-mobileview"><a href="//en.m.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=DECtape&mobileaction=toggle_view_mobile" class="noprint stopMobileRedirectToggle">Mobile view</a></li> </ul> <ul id="footer-icons" class="noprint"> <li id="footer-copyrightico"><a href="https://wikimediafoundation.org/" class="cdx-button cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--size-large cdx-button--fake-button--enabled"><picture><source media="(min-width: 500px)" srcset="/static/images/footer/wikimedia-button.svg" width="84" height="29"><img src="/static/images/footer/wikimedia.svg" width="25" height="25" alt="Wikimedia Foundation" lang="en" loading="lazy"></picture></a></li> <li id="footer-poweredbyico"><a href="https://www.mediawiki.org/" class="cdx-button cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--size-large cdx-button--fake-button--enabled"><picture><source media="(min-width: 500px)" srcset="/w/resources/assets/poweredby_mediawiki.svg" width="88" height="31"><img src="/w/resources/assets/mediawiki_compact.svg" alt="Powered by MediaWiki" lang="en" width="25" height="25" loading="lazy"></picture></a></li> </ul> </footer> </div> </div> </div> <div class="vector-header-container vector-sticky-header-container"> <div id="vector-sticky-header" class="vector-sticky-header"> <div class="vector-sticky-header-start"> <div class="vector-sticky-header-icon-start vector-button-flush-left vector-button-flush-right" aria-hidden="true"> <button class="cdx-button cdx-button--weight-quiet cdx-button--icon-only vector-sticky-header-search-toggle" tabindex="-1" data-event-name="ui.vector-sticky-search-form.icon"><span class="vector-icon mw-ui-icon-search mw-ui-icon-wikimedia-search"></span> <span>Search</span> </button> </div> <div role="search" class="vector-search-box-vue vector-search-box-show-thumbnail vector-search-box"> <div class="vector-typeahead-search-container"> <div class="cdx-typeahead-search cdx-typeahead-search--show-thumbnail"> <form action="/w/index.php" id="vector-sticky-search-form" class="cdx-search-input cdx-search-input--has-end-button"> <div class="cdx-search-input__input-wrapper" data-search-loc="header-moved"> <div class="cdx-text-input cdx-text-input--has-start-icon"> <input class="cdx-text-input__input" type="search" name="search" placeholder="Search Wikipedia"> <span class="cdx-text-input__icon cdx-text-input__start-icon"></span> </div> <input type="hidden" name="title" value="Special:Search"> </div> <button class="cdx-button cdx-search-input__end-button">Search</button> </form> </div> </div> </div> <div class="vector-sticky-header-context-bar"> <nav aria-label="Contents" class="vector-toc-landmark"> <div id="vector-sticky-header-toc" class="vector-dropdown mw-portlet mw-portlet-sticky-header-toc vector-sticky-header-toc vector-button-flush-left" > <input type="checkbox" id="vector-sticky-header-toc-checkbox" role="button" aria-haspopup="true" data-event-name="ui.dropdown-vector-sticky-header-toc" class="vector-dropdown-checkbox " aria-label="Toggle the table of contents" > <label id="vector-sticky-header-toc-label" for="vector-sticky-header-toc-checkbox" class="vector-dropdown-label cdx-button cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--fake-button--enabled cdx-button--weight-quiet cdx-button--icon-only " aria-hidden="true" ><span class="vector-icon mw-ui-icon-listBullet mw-ui-icon-wikimedia-listBullet"></span> <span class="vector-dropdown-label-text">Toggle the table of contents</span> </label> <div class="vector-dropdown-content"> <div id="vector-sticky-header-toc-unpinned-container" class="vector-unpinned-container"> </div> </div> </div> </nav> <div class="vector-sticky-header-context-bar-primary" aria-hidden="true" ><span class="mw-page-title-main">DECtape</span></div> </div> </div> <div class="vector-sticky-header-end" aria-hidden="true"> <div class="vector-sticky-header-icons"> <a href="#" class="cdx-button cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--fake-button--enabled cdx-button--weight-quiet cdx-button--icon-only" id="ca-talk-sticky-header" tabindex="-1" data-event-name="talk-sticky-header"><span class="vector-icon mw-ui-icon-speechBubbles mw-ui-icon-wikimedia-speechBubbles"></span> <span></span> </a> <a href="#" class="cdx-button cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--fake-button--enabled cdx-button--weight-quiet cdx-button--icon-only" id="ca-subject-sticky-header" tabindex="-1" data-event-name="subject-sticky-header"><span class="vector-icon mw-ui-icon-article mw-ui-icon-wikimedia-article"></span> <span></span> </a> <a href="#" class="cdx-button cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--fake-button--enabled cdx-button--weight-quiet cdx-button--icon-only" id="ca-history-sticky-header" tabindex="-1" data-event-name="history-sticky-header"><span class="vector-icon mw-ui-icon-wikimedia-history mw-ui-icon-wikimedia-wikimedia-history"></span> <span></span> </a> <a href="#" class="cdx-button cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--fake-button--enabled cdx-button--weight-quiet cdx-button--icon-only mw-watchlink" id="ca-watchstar-sticky-header" tabindex="-1" data-event-name="watch-sticky-header"><span class="vector-icon mw-ui-icon-wikimedia-star mw-ui-icon-wikimedia-wikimedia-star"></span> <span></span> </a> <a href="#" class="cdx-button cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--fake-button--enabled cdx-button--weight-quiet cdx-button--icon-only" id="ca-edit-sticky-header" tabindex="-1" data-event-name="wikitext-edit-sticky-header"><span class="vector-icon mw-ui-icon-wikimedia-wikiText mw-ui-icon-wikimedia-wikimedia-wikiText"></span> <span></span> </a> <a href="#" class="cdx-button cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--fake-button--enabled cdx-button--weight-quiet cdx-button--icon-only" id="ca-ve-edit-sticky-header" tabindex="-1" data-event-name="ve-edit-sticky-header"><span class="vector-icon mw-ui-icon-wikimedia-edit mw-ui-icon-wikimedia-wikimedia-edit"></span> <span></span> </a> <a href="#" class="cdx-button cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--fake-button--enabled cdx-button--weight-quiet cdx-button--icon-only" id="ca-viewsource-sticky-header" tabindex="-1" data-event-name="ve-edit-protected-sticky-header"><span class="vector-icon mw-ui-icon-wikimedia-editLock mw-ui-icon-wikimedia-wikimedia-editLock"></span> <span></span> </a> </div> <div class="vector-sticky-header-buttons"> <button class="cdx-button cdx-button--weight-quiet mw-interlanguage-selector" id="p-lang-btn-sticky-header" tabindex="-1" data-event-name="ui.dropdown-p-lang-btn-sticky-header"><span class="vector-icon mw-ui-icon-wikimedia-language mw-ui-icon-wikimedia-wikimedia-language"></span> <span>6 languages</span> </button> <a href="#" class="cdx-button cdx-button--fake-button cdx-button--fake-button--enabled cdx-button--weight-quiet cdx-button--action-progressive" id="ca-addsection-sticky-header" tabindex="-1" data-event-name="addsection-sticky-header"><span class="vector-icon mw-ui-icon-speechBubbleAdd-progressive mw-ui-icon-wikimedia-speechBubbleAdd-progressive"></span> <span>Add topic</span> </a> </div> <div class="vector-sticky-header-icon-end"> <div class="vector-user-links"> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="mw-portlet mw-portlet-dock-bottom emptyPortlet" id="p-dock-bottom"> <ul> </ul> </div> <script>(RLQ=window.RLQ||[]).push(function(){mw.config.set({"wgHostname":"mw-web.codfw.main-76d4c66f66-ggpf5","wgBackendResponseTime":167,"wgPageParseReport":{"limitreport":{"cputime":"0.527","walltime":"0.632","ppvisitednodes":{"value":1781,"limit":1000000},"postexpandincludesize":{"value":66004,"limit":2097152},"templateargumentsize":{"value":1078,"limit":2097152},"expansiondepth":{"value":16,"limit":100},"expensivefunctioncount":{"value":1,"limit":500},"unstrip-depth":{"value":1,"limit":20},"unstrip-size":{"value":52020,"limit":5000000},"entityaccesscount":{"value":0,"limit":400},"timingprofile":["100.00% 505.798 1 -total"," 36.57% 184.988 1 Template:Reflist"," 24.22% 122.523 3 Template:Cite_book"," 23.58% 119.244 5 Template:Navbox"," 19.43% 98.285 1 Template:Magnetic_tape_data_formats"," 14.18% 71.740 1 Template:Commons_category"," 13.73% 69.449 1 Template:Sister_project"," 13.28% 67.180 1 Template:Side_box"," 11.28% 57.031 5 Template:Convert"," 9.54% 48.255 2 Template:Rp"]},"scribunto":{"limitreport-timeusage":{"value":"0.292","limit":"10.000"},"limitreport-memusage":{"value":6063304,"limit":52428800}},"cachereport":{"origin":"mw-web.codfw.main-65b64b4b74-tx459","timestamp":"20250219130752","ttl":2592000,"transientcontent":false}}});});</script> <script type="application/ld+json">{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@type":"Article","name":"DECtape","url":"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/DECtape","sameAs":"http:\/\/www.wikidata.org\/entity\/Q568702","mainEntity":"http:\/\/www.wikidata.org\/entity\/Q568702","author":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Contributors to Wikimedia projects"},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Wikimedia Foundation, Inc.","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https:\/\/www.wikimedia.org\/static\/images\/wmf-hor-googpub.png"}},"datePublished":"2004-08-11T21:15:38Z","dateModified":"2023-09-27T03:48:18Z","image":"https:\/\/upload.wikimedia.org\/wikipedia\/commons\/3\/32\/DECTape_unit_for_the_DEC_PDP-11.jpg","headline":"magnetic tape data storage media used in many Digital Equipment Corporation computers"}</script> </body> </html>