unreadable HP cartridges

[Tony Duell]

> 
> If you recall there was a discussion about tape catridges that could
> not be read because their coating was falling off.
> 
> I was thinking, what if we reverse the tape, so that the magnetic
> head come in contact with the plastic backing and not the oxide.
> Would it be possible to read the data then?

I think you'd lose almost as much oside (rubbing on the other layers of 
tape on the spool, on the tape guides, etc) and would be almost certain 
not to get a useful signal off the tape. 

Spacing the magnetic part (the oxide coating) away from the head (by the 
thickness of the tape base) would kill off the HF response of the drive. 
You'd almost certainly not be able to resolve individual bits.

-tony