Introducing a noise signal into a read-back signal when data is written to a removable data storage medium

A system to introduce a noise signal into a read-back signal when data is written to a removable data storage medium, the system comprising:

• a write head configured to write data to the removable data storage medium;
• a read head configured to:
• read a portion of the data written to the removable data storage medium while the write head writes the data to the removable data storage medium, and
• generate a read-back signal corresponding to the portion of the data, wherein the read-back signal is used to detect if an error occurred in writing the portion of the data to the removable data storage medium;
• a dither circuit configured to:
• generate a noise signal, and
• add the noise signal to the read-back signal;
• and
• a processor configured to:
• determine an error rate based on the portion of the data read from the removable data storage medium, and
• adjust the noise signal based on the determined error rate.

A tape drive configured to introduce a noise signal into a read-back signal when data is written to a tape cartridge, the tape drive comprising:

• a write head configured to write data to the tape cartridge;
• a read head configured to:
• read a portion of the data written to the tape cartridge while the write head writes the data to the tape cartridge, and
• generate a read-back signal corresponding to the portion of the data, wherein the read-back signal is used to detect if an error occurred in writing the portion of the data to the tape cartridge;
• a dither circuit configured to:
• generate a noise signal, and
• add the noise signal to the read-back signal;
• and
• a processor configured to:
• determine an error rate based on the portion of the data read from the tape cartridge, and
• adjust the noise signal based on the determined error rate.

A computer-readable storage medium containing computer executable code to introduce a noise signal into a read-back signal when data is written to a removable data storage medium by instructing a data storage device to operate as follows:

• while writing the data to the removable data storage medium, reading from the removable data storage medium a portion of the data written to the removable data storage medium;
• determining an error rate based on the portion of the data read from the removable data storage medium;
• generating a read-back signal corresponding to the portion of the data read from the removable data storage medium, wherein the read-back signal is used to detect if an error occurred in writing the portion of the data to the removable data storage medium;
• adding a noise signal to the read-back signal;
• and
• adjusting the noise signal based on the determined error rate.