Xtykutl

I currently have a ton of QIC-250MB tapes that I would like to read from (its been 30 years). I have a Tandberg TDC 3600 SCSI interfaced tape drive but I am lost how to connect it. In the past, with the computers then, they had a SCSI port where I could directly connect it. However, with computers today, SCSI interfaces appear to be obsolete. To be more specific, this is how it looks from the front:

and from the back:

The back looks like a 50 Pin Centronics. I am just not sure how I can connect such a device using modern computers, if at all. Any suggestions or guidances would be much appreciated! I am essentially starting from scratch, and would be interested in purchasing an old computer unit, if necessary.
Finally, I have one of these iomega SCSI to USB adapters that were made back in the day. The interface on this looks like a SCSI-2 interface. Is there a way to perhaps convert the 50 pin HD to the SCSI-2 then to USB?

The back looks like a 50 Pin Centronics. I am just not sure how I can connect such a device using modern computers, if at all. Any suggestions or guidances would be much appreciated!

Well, it seems to be a classic 50 Pin SCSI-1 interface - or at least compatible. So do it the same way it always has been done: Get yourself an SCSI interface card.

Jup, it's as easy as that, as there are SCSI cards are well in production, just nowadays for PCIe. I will not add any sellers, but just key in SCSI PCIe into your favorite search engine. Similarly, there are controllers for USB (try SCSI USB) or SATA (SCSI SATA).

Whatever fits your machine best. Costwise they are all in the 50 USD region. Well, brand new ones may be more than that, but then there is still the used market.

Edit, since you already found an USB to SCSI one.

The interface on this looks like a SCSI-2 interface. Is there a way to perhaps convert the 50 pin HD to the SCSI-2 then to USB?

SCSI-2 is exactly like SCSI-1, just with a double width data bus (*1). SCSI-2 introduced Wide SCSI with doubling the data path (thus needing more pins) and Fast SCSI which doubles the data rate - or both, Fast Wide SCSI, quadrupling the data rate.

In any case, they are all compatible, even different devices operating in either mode (Standard, Fast, Wide, Fast-Wide) can be combined at the same controller.

So all you now need is a 68 pin to 50 pin header (not Centronics) cable. More likely this will be two cables, 68 to 50 (Centronics) and 50 (Centronics) to 50 (Pin header).

You may want to check the manual for the adaptor, as it may as well be an Ultra SCSI one (also 68 pin). Not all SCSI-1 drives will be compatible, but more important, you may need a converting cable, as Ultra is using twisted pair cableing - and no terminators.

*1 - The wide part wasn't as often used, despite the connector.

The first thing you need to do is to open the front door of the drive and inspect the rubber roller that drives the tape. It is not uncommon for the roller on old drives to have deteriorated into a black goo. You don't want that stuff fouling your tapes.

Second, you need to inspect your tapes and ensure that the belts are still good. These belts develop dry-rot over time, and if they're broken (or so weak that they're likely to break when you read the tape) you will have problems.

Once that's done, your simplest path forward is probably to install a SCSI host adapter in one of the expansion slots of your computer. Try to find a card that supports single-ended SCSI, such a card will have the same 50-pin connector on the card and a simple ribbon cable will connect the card to the tape drive.

Another option is to find a SCSI enclosure for your tape drive, this will convert the internal ribbon connector to an external connector that you're more likely to be able to find a cable or adapter for.

Keep in mind that you will need to worry about software too. Once the drive is hooked up, how will you read from it? If your tapes were written using NTBACKUP.EXE (aka Windows Backup) then keep in mind that modern versions of Windows no longer include that utility. You may need to set up a retro system running older software to be able to read your tapes.