Development of a very high performance data recorder

The developments in video recording technology did not go unnoticed amongst the users of instrumentation data recording equipment and resulted in the standardization, by the American National Standards Institute, of the ID-1 standard for 19 mm digital data recording. Three different models of the ID-1 recorder have been developed offering a choice of user data rates from 1 MByte/sec up to a maximum of 32 MByte/sec, in several discreet steps. The key design performance specifications are summarized. Despite the similarities to D-l, it was decided early on in the development to design a new, purpose built, tape transport. This clearly major decision was taken after considering three main factors: tape path, loading mechanism and ease of signal processing. In the case of the D-l product the tape wrap angle is 270 degrees. However unlike a VTR, the ID-1 recorder is required to record (and playback) at various data rates while maintaining the same tape footprint and this means that the rotary speed of the scanner and the linear tape speed need to change proportionally. The smaller the wrap angle, the easier this is to achieve. In addition it is highly desirable that the tape path be constructed on a single plane