1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a magnetic recording/reproducing apparatus such as a streamer device that is used as a peripheral storage device of a computer. The present invention particularly relates to a magnetic recording/reproducing apparatus using a tape cassette and including a rotation drum and a tape loading mechanism, which magnetic recording/reproducing apparatus is capable of selectively loading a first tape cassette that accommodates a first magnetic tape having a first width W1 or a second tape cassette that accommodates a second magnetic tape having a second width W2 that is twice the first width W1 of the first magnetic tape.
2. Description of the Related Art
As one type of magnetic recording/reproducing apparatus that is used as a peripheral storage device of a computer, a streamer device using a tape cassette and including a rotating drum and a tape loading mechanism like the VTR is being commercialized.
The storage capacity of a conventional streamer device is relatively large at around 72 GB in compression mode, for example. Yet, there is a market demand for a streamer device with a larger storage capacity, and in turn, various manufacturers are developing new techniques for improving the streamer device.
As one way of increasing the storage capacity of the streamer device, a new tape cassette that accommodates a magnetic tape having a tape width that is wider than the tape width of the magnetic tape of the conventional tape cassette may be used.