Acronym for digital audio tape, a type of magnetic tape that uses a scheme called helical scan to record data. A DAT cartridge is slightly larger than a credit card in width and height and contains a magnetic tape that can hold from 2 to 24 gigabytes of data. It can supportdata transfer rates of about 2 MBps. Like other types of tapes, DATs are sequential-accessmedia.
QIC and DAT Tape Technology Overview Outlines the QIC and DAT (helical-scan) tape technologies and associated standards. Includes graphics, diagrams and an integrated glossary. This page is from "The PC Technology Guide."
