The 4mm and
8mm tape technologies are at the low end of the cost spectrum while 19mm tape cartridges are at the high end.
If videocassettes for camcorder use - especially VHS-Cand
8mm tapes - are also considered part of photo sales, the dollars generated climb even higher.
'NetWorker was bundled with one of the first autoloaders developed in 1993, an
8mm tape device that looked and operated like a slide projector,' Cole says.
According to industry figures, sales of
8mm tape grew by 92% last year, while VHSC tape volume grew by 60%.
First appearing in 1996, AIT is a compact, helical scan
8MM tape format in a 3.5-in., half-height form factor.
He says that two versions of
8mm tape could be especially strong-sellers in drug stores.
According to Freeman Reports,
8mm tape revenue, as represented by AIT, is expected to rise through 2005 to $630 million.
Several years after the 3480, Exabyte introduced a very high-density tape system based upon the commercial
8mm tape cassette.
Priced below DLT, but above DDS, high-end
8mm tape systems compete head-to-head with DLT.
Ecrix's VXA-1 drive has applied some new thinking to
8mm tape drives.
AIT-2, Sony's current generation of
8mm tape began shipping earlier this year, just a few months after the initial planned start of shipments.
Several years ago 4mm and
8mm tape technologies were "kicking sand" at the DC6000 form factor.
The final option is to convert
8mm tapes via an 8mm camcorder that is connected through the VIDBOX program.
There were ten or 12 old cassette style,
8mm tapes and an 8mm camera to watch them on.