I have been using an ISA card (its name is Arvid) that does such
thing. I'm completely happy with it. It stores about 2GB data on a
240min VHS cassette. Its speed is about 150KB/s. I have found no
errors in data restored from the cassettes (not including one which
got wet). Compared to my (quite old) HP 2GB DDS tape drive, I find
them quite competitive.
> Problems with these video beasts:
> - No read-after-write, therefore no decent error control.
Correct, but as I said, I have encountered no errors. Maybe it stores
data with a lot of error control (parity) extra data.
> - The additional conversion to an analog video signal means that the
> speed
> is nothing to speak of.
I'm satisfied.
> - No filemarks, i.e. one backup per tape.
Wrong, I have more than 10 backup sets on each tape.
> - How do you push the rewind/play/record buttons with the computer?
It has a remote control connected to a wire connected to the card
(actually a simple infra-red LED)
> - Timing of the signal (usually, parallel-port) is likely to be
> rather
> critical -> writing a Linux driver is difficult at best.
It is an ISA card as I mentioned.
BTW, it costs only about $50! And it works with about every VCR there
is on the market.
*********************************
Magnus Hiie
Computer Manager
Eesti Ekspress
E-mail: mgn@ekspress.ee
Tel: +372 6408046
GSM: +372 50 57507