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The technology of DAT is closely based on that of video recorders, using a rotating head and helical scan to record data. This, crucially or not, prevents DATs from being physically edited , as ProDigi , DASH, or analogue tape recordings can be.
The DAT standard allows for four sampling modes: 32 kHz at 12 bits, and 32 kHz, 44.1 kHz or 48 kHz at 16 bits. Certain recorders operate outside the specification, allowing recording at 96 kHz and 24 bits (HHS). Some machines aimed at the domestic market did not operate at 44.1 kHz when recording from analog sources. Since each recording standard uses the same tape the quality of the sampling has a direct relation to the duration of the recording - 32 kHz at 12 bits will allow six hours of recording onto a three hour tape while HHS will only give 90 minutes from a three hour tape. Included in the signal data are subcodes to indicate the start and end of tracks or to skip a section entirely, this allows for indexing and fast seeking. The tapes themselves are not physically editable, in the cut-and-splice manner of analogue tapes. Two channel stereo recording is supported under all sampling rates and bit depths, but the R-DAT standard does support 4-channel recording at 32 kHz.
DAT tapes are between 15 and 180 minutes in length, a 120 minute tape being 60 meters in length.
The format was designed for audio use, but through the ISO DDS standard it has been adopted for general data storage, storing from 1.3 to 72 GB on a 60 to 170 meter tape depending on the standard and compression. It is, naturally, sequential-access media and is commonly used for backupBackup in computer engineering refers to the copying of data for the purpose of having a second copy of an original source, in case of damage to the original data source. The "data" in question may be either data as such, or stored program code, both of ws. Due to the higher requirements for integrity in data backups, a computer-grade DAT was introduced.
DAT was not the first digital audio tape standard; an early form was available in the late 1970s, but it flopped commercially. Likewise, DCC was not a success either. Modern DAT has not been very popular outside of professional and semi-professional music artists, although the prospect of perfect digital copies of copyrighted material was sufficient for the music industry in the US to force the passage of the Audio Home Recording Act of 19921992 is a leap year starting on Wednesday. Events January January The Internet Society is formed. January 1 Boutros Boutros-Ghali of Egypt replaces Javier Perez de Cuellar of Peru as United Nations Secretary-General January 1 George H. Bush becomes the fi, the so-called DAT Tax. The inclusion of SCMS ( Serial Copy Management SystemThe Serial Copy Management System or SCMS was created when the digital audio tape (DAT) was invented, in order to prevent DAT recorders from making second-generation or serial copies. SCMS sets a "copy" bit in all copies, which prevents anyone from making) in DAT recorders, to prevent digital copying for more than a single generation, was another response.
Flaws on the tape or heads can cause the signal to mute briefly on playback, which can be frustrating when attempting to copy material.