ReviewReview
System Specifications
Requires Windows 3.1 or higher, DOS 5 or higher, 386 or better, 8Mb disk space, 4Mb of RAM; tape cartridges store 612Mb (uncompressed), 1.25Gb (typical compressed) giving 2.5p/Mb media cost, 5 to 10Mb/min data transfer rate.
Pereos is a miniaturised data storage system that uses tapes the size of a postage stamp, each of which can hold 612Mb (uncompressed), nominally around 1.25Gb with compression. The tape unit itself is tiny, approximately 7.4 x 5.7 x 3.2cm. It plugs into a base unit (3.4 x 4.8 x 6.0cm) that houses a twin AA battery compartment and DC in jack, together with the cable for connection to the parallel port. The whole caboodle weighs less than 283g with batteries fitted and will fit comfortably into a briefcase. If you need to shuffle data between discrete stations, you can even buy extra base units so that all you carry is the tape unit. As the device connects to a PC's parallel port, there's no proprietary interface or SCSI requirement. All you have to do is install the supplied Windows software which is extremely user-friendly. Not only are the main data storage and retrieval procedures spelled out step by step on screen, there's also an on-line manual.
Datasonix has given the user a number of ways to store and retrieve data. Its operation as a backup and restore facility is fully featured. Once you've done a full backup, you can make automatic or manual incremental backups; if incremental backups have taken place, you have the option to restore the system to a certain date and time. You can specify locations to restore to (useful if you need to avoid overwriting system files) on a file-by-file basis if necessary.
Performing a backup of 300Mb to tape took a little under 30 minutes with compression switched on. So Pereos is reasonably fast and very simple to use. With more selective operations, recovering files from tape can be time-consuming. It can take a while to load tables of contents off the tape and synchronise the reading head to the points on the tape where the files you want are located. Stepping about picking up files from different parts of the tape can take far longer than sucking off several hundred megabytes.
The tape mechanism itself is based on a helical scan system using non-tracking technology developed by Sony for high-density data applications. More than 170 million bits are stored per square inch. The tape used is ME (metal evaporated), stable media that should last for years despite its thinness.
Verdict
Pereos is a unique tape storage product that allows users to carry several gigabytes around for occasional or emergency use. The interface is simple, the media reliable. It's not suitable for fragmented file restoration unless time isn't an issue and there are a couple of non-critical problems (soon to be fixed) with the software, but these are minor quibbles. But there's one major quibble – the price. The value you place on the miniaturisation will determine whether you feel it's worth it.
Price
Tape unit £595 (£699 inc VAT), parallel port base unit £99, four data tapes plus cleaning tape £128, single data tape £32, carry case £30.
Supplier
Datasonix 01865 883302
Features 5 Performance 3 Value 3 Overall 4
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