to devise a cartridge configuration which meets ansi standards for quarter inch tape yet accommodates half inch tape the above object has been satisfied with a cartridge preserving ansi standards for quarter inch magnetic tape yet accommodating half inch magnetic tape by means of a new tape path the new path involves routing tape around the inside periphery of the cartridge so that the tape encircles the drive belt in all places except at the drive pulley in this way the magnetic tape completely avoids interference with both the drive belt and the drive pulley the new tape path preserves most of the idlers presently used in the cartridge disclosed in u s pat no 3 861 619 so that two new tape turning idlers can be positioned behind these to preserve tape travel in the proper direction tape is spooled from the inside surface of a tape roll to the inside surface of the other tape roll as opposed to outside surface spooling which is presently done for quarter inch tape while this lengthens the tape path the path is symmetrical such that tape tension is balanced regardless of the direction of tape travel fig1 is a top plan view of a tape cartridge of the present invention seated in a tape drive with reference to fig1 a tape cartridge 11 may be seen seated within a drive support 13 cartridge 11 has the outside dimensions of a quarter inch ansi compatible cartridge including a height of 0 655 inches the cartridge has.