From: revilak@umbsky.cc.umb.edu
Subject: First Aid for the Tape that fed the player
Date: Tue, 12 Mar 1996 21:18:57 EST

        At work, one of our DAT machines recently ate a tape.  Fortunately,
this happened right at the beginning so fixing it was no problem--
(I'll include the procedure for anyone who might benefit)--


        -remove the two screws to the rear of the shell (on Bottom)
        -slide the lower plate back so that it clicks in place
        -remove two screws toward the front of the shell  (_don't_ lose
these)
        -flip the DAT topside up and open the shell.
        -make a clean cut to the end of the tape on the supply hub (the
one with the most tape still wound on it).  The few feet on the
takeup side end up being discarded.
        -You'll notice a little tab on the hub which slides in and out,
holding the leader in place.  Remove it, place the end of the tape
from the supply hub in the little crevice,and then place the little
piece of plastic over the crevice and push down so that it snaps into
place.  (You'll need to push fairly hard).
        -(Note--the side of the hub with the teeth goes on top)
        -Position the hubs in place on the lower half of the shell & make sure
the tape goes along the outside of both guides at the front corners.
Next, put on the top.
        -Screw in the front two screws on bottom, slide the plate forward, and
screw in the ones on the rear.

        Good to go--the tape works.  Now here's the question--

        This sacrifices the first two minutes or so of tape. (Tape physically
rewound all the way, absolute time = 2:00). When I place it in a 3700
and hit rewind, the machine gets confused, saw two minutes of tape left,
when there's actually nothing there.  Tried recording from the top, but it
still sees the beginning as two minutes and continues ABS time from there.

        So how do we make zero, zero once again?


        My solution was to record a little at the beginning of the DAT using a
Sony DTC-1000, which does not read or write ABS time--it erases it.  Now
the Panasonic rewinds and sees no ABS code.  Put it into record, and we
have zero.  Record over the length of the tape and life is good once again.

        Question--

        What if I didn't have access to the DTC-1000?  Does anyone out there
know
of a way to bulk erase DATs?  I gave it a good long rub against a bulk
eraser (the kind used for erasing reel to reel tape).  Couldn't so much as
cause a dropout.  I'd presume a videocassette bulk eraser would work, but
 does anyone know for sure?

        So let's swap.  My tip for yours.


Steve Revilak
revilak@umbsky.cc.umb.edu