Audio on a Computer DAT drive.
- Are you one of those people that have a
DAT tape drive in their PC and are looking for the firmware to make it
read audio DAT tapes?
- Do you have a drive with firmware
identification string that starts with ARCHIVE, and with a firmware revision that
start with a 5 (also known as CTD8000 or Perigrine)?
- Maybe you already found the V5ACB-15.HEX firmware file somewhere and
tried to flash your drive but got that nasty "write command buffer
failed"?
Well, if the answer to the
first two questions is "yes", then you have just arrived at the Computer
Dat Audio Holy Grail.
Below is a list of
firmwares that have been tested, plus a link to the audio firmware file and the
program to update the drive with. Most other drives, though not tested, should
also work. There are separate links for IBM OEM drives and Non-IBM OEM drives.
Before you flash your drive, make sure you read the Why do I have to set
the SCSI id on my drive to 0, 2 or 5? FAQ.
|
Firmware identification |
Firmware Revision |
Firmware Date |
FRU partnumber |
Updatable through |
||
|
ARCHIVE Python 28388-XXX5.40 |
5.40 |
0 |
Standard |
05/10/95 |
(null) |
|
|
ARCHIVE Python 28388-XXX5.AC |
5.AC |
0 |
Standard |
07/24/96 |
(null) |
|
|
ARCHIVE Python 28388-XXX5ACB |
5ACB |
0 |
Standard |
04/03/97 |
(null) |
|
|
ARCHIVE Python 28388-XXX5.AQ |
5.AQ |
0 |
Standard |
10/12/98 |
(null) |
|
|
ARCHIVE Python 00095-0015AB |
5AB |
52 |
Dell |
06/21/96 |
(null) |
|
|
ARCHIVE Python 00095-0015.ac |
5.ac |
52 |
Dell |
01/23/97 |
(null) |
|
|
ARCHIVE Python 02801-XXX5.67 |
5.67 |
61 |
Sun |
10/25/95 |
(null) |
|
|
ARCHIVE 4326XX 27871-XXX0316 |
5.46 |
10 |
Compaq |
06/14/95 |
(null) |
|
|
ARCHIVE 4326XX 27871-XXX0322 |
598A |
10 |
Compaq |
04/23/96 |
(null) |
|
|
ARCHIVE 4326XX 27871-XXX0324 |
5.AN |
10 |
Compaq |
05/01/97 |
(null) |
|
|
ARCHIVE Python 01931-XXX5.63 |
5.63 |
15 |
SGI |
01/24/96 |
(null) |
|
|
ARCHIVE Python 28388-XXX5.53 |
5.53 |
19 |
DEC |
11/01/95 |
(null) |
|
|
DEC TLZ07
(C)DEC553B |
||||||
|
|
||||||
|
ARCHIVE IBM4326NP/RP !D5770 |
5770 |
42 |
IBM |
01/12/96 |
16G8454 |
|
|
ARCHIVE IBM4326NP/RP !D5AJ0 |
5AJ0 |
42 |
IBM |
12/05/96 |
16G8456 |
|
|
ARCHIVE IBM4326NP/RP !D5AJ0 |
5AJ0 |
47 |
IBM |
12/05/96 |
16G8454 |
|
|
|
||||||
|
ARCHIVE IBM4326NP/RP !D5500 |
5500 |
42 |
IBM |
07/07/95 |
21H5158 |
|
|
ARCHIVE IBM4326NP/RP !D5500 |
5500 |
47 |
IBM |
07/07/95 |
21H5156 |
|
|
|
||||||
|
ARCHIVE IBM4326NP/RP !D562B |
562B |
42 |
IBM |
09/12/95 |
21H5172 |
|
|
ARCHIVE
IBM4326NP/RP !D5ALG |
5ALG |
42 |
IBM |
02/20/98 |
21H5154 |
|
|
|
||||||
|
ARCHIVE
IBM4326NP/RP !D5AL0 |
5AL0 |
43 |
IBM (RS6000) |
??/??/96 |
59H3481 |
|
|
ARCHIVE IBM4326NP/RP !D5ALL |
5ALL |
43 |
IBM (RS6000) |
06/21/00 |
59H3481 |
|
After the update the tape
should identify itself as ARCHIVE Python 01931-XXX5AC
As part of the update
process the identification string of the present firmware is copied to the file
A:\PRESENT.TXT. Please mail me this file, indicating if the update was
successful. This will help me to maintain this site. You will find my e-mail
address in the README.TXT that is included in the download.
If you have questions,
check this FAQ.
Once the update is
successful you can test your drive with the VDAT program.
If you want more
information on using Audio DATs in DDS drives look at Ade
Rixons’s or Joseph Gray’s
site.
|
! |
There are risks attached to flashing firmware. Flashing the firmware improperly or flashing to a drive that is not suited can render it useless. |
Last
updated on 1st October 2002 by Jos Heemskerk