Life/wear monitoring for magnetic tape

Apparatus for transducing information relative to a recording media comprising:

• a transducing element;
• a transport system which transports the media whereby plural predetermined media wear milestones of the media make a pass proximate the transducing element so that information can be transduced with respect to the media;
• a media wear monitoring system which determines when a pass occurs with respect to each of the plural predetermined media wear milestones on the media, and which provides an indication of media wear;
• wherein the media wear monitoring system generates a signal indicative of worn media when a predetermined number of passes has occurred for one of the media wear milestones on the media.

A. Apparatus for transducing information relative to a recording media comprising:

• a transducing element;
• a transport system which transports the media whereby the media makes a pass proximate the transducing element so that information can be transduced with respect to the media;
• a processor serves as a media wear indicator by determining when a pass occurs with respect to each of plural predetermined media wear milestones on the media, and which provides an indication of media wear;
• wherein the processor includes a media wear log stored in a memory, the media wear log including an indication of a number of passes which has occurred with respect to each of the plural medial wear milestones.

Apparatus for transducing information relative to a recording media comprising:

• a transducing element;
• a transport system which transports the media whereby the media makes a pass proximate the transducing element so that information can be transduced with respect to the media;
• a processor which serves as a media wear indicator by determining when a pass occurs with respect to each of plural predetermined media wear milestones on the media, and which provides an indication of media wear;
• and
• wherein the processor generates a signal indicative of worn media when a predetermined number of passes has occurred for one of the media wear milestones on the media.

A method of operating apparatus for transducing information relative to a recording media, the method comprising:

• (1) transporting the media whereby the media makes a pass proximate a transducing element so that information can be transduced with respect to the media;
• (2) determining when a pass occurs with respect to each of plural predetermined media wear milestones on the media, and
• (3) in accordance with the determination of step (2), providing an indication of media wear;
• and
• (4) storing a media wear log in a memory, the media wear log including an indication of a number of passes which has occurred with respect to each of the plural media wear milestones.