Frequently Asked Questions
Tape Cleaners & Certifiers

This section is intended to help you find answers to the most frequently asked questions about our line of tape cleaners and certifiers. If you cannot find your question listed, then please contact us today at (626)799-6545 or at help@datadev.com and we will be pleased to assist you.

What is the difference between a tape cleaner and tape certifier?
A tape cleaner cleans and retensions computer tape. It does not affect the information on the tape. A tape certifier writes a magnetic pattern on the tape and reads the information back. It identifies any point on the tape where information is missing and the tape has a defect.

How long does it take to clean or certify a tape?
For cleaning, it takes approximately 3 minutes per cartridge. For certification and cleaning, it takes approximately 10 minutes per cartridge.

Is there any method to erase LTO Ultrium data cartridges so they can be reused?
Yes. The LTO Magnetic Tape Cartridge Certifier is designed with an erase option to erase the complete recording between the servo tracks. This means you can completely erase the data from the tape and safely reuse the data cartridges. When the tape is cleaned, certified and erased, it can be used with the reliability of new tape.

Do you sell to resellers?
We encourage resellers to contact us. Please call us and we will be happy to work with you. We offer very strong reseller support and will assist you in crafting a successful sales proposal. We want you to get the order.

Do you work with distributors in other countries?
Yes, we do work with international distributors, and if you are interested in selling our equipment in your country, we encourage you to contact us. We will provide you with the information and support you need to get the sale.

If I’m not in the United States, do you sell direct or do you have distributors?
We do have distributors in many countries – in Asia, East Asia, South Asia, Oceania, and Continental Europe. If you are contacting us from a region in which we have a distributor, we will put you in contact with our local agent. Alternatively, we do sell direct and will be happy to provide you with a quote based on your location.

What is the warranty on your machines?
Each machine comes with a different standard back-to-base warranty from 90 days to one year. Each unit’s specific warranty can be found on the product specification page.

How do you handle warranties if a new machine breaks down within the first year?
With stocked items, we generally swap out your unit with another unit. If you have ordered a new machine that is defective and under warranty, we will ship you a new machine and you will return the defective unit to us. If you have ordered a refurbished unit that is defective, we will ship you another refurbished unit and you will return the defective unit to us. With non-stocked items, you ship it to our base at your cost and we will return it to you at our cost when the unit has been repaired.

What kind of warranty comes with a remanufactured unit?
We offer a new-machine one year warranty on most of our remanufactured units. Each unit’s specific warranty can be found on the product specification page.

Do you offer extended warranties?
We do offer extended warranty options. These options include a three-year depot repair warranty and a three-year on-site service warranty.

When will my order ship?
Should we have a tape cleaner or certifier in stock, we will ship within a week of receiving your order. Tape cleaners generally require a 12 week or more lead time. We will provide the lead time with your price quotation.

What is the return policy on your tape cleaners?
For all of our stocked units, should you decide you don’t want the machine after you have used it, we charge a 25% restocking fee. For non-stocked or special-order items, no return is allowed. Please inquire when you order as to whether your unit is returnable.

How can we order a rental unit?
We sell rental units on credit card so that we can ensure the end-user will return the unit. Your rental term begins once the user receives the machine and ends the day you ship the machine back to us. You pay for shipping to and from our facility.

With my store order, why didn’t I get an invoice with shipping automatically added to the order?
Unfortunately, with our online store, we cannot accept one standard automatic shipping fee because of the amount and frequency with which we sell equipment overseas and to the non-contiguous United States. If you are located within the contiguous United States, we will automatically add the shipping price quoted on the product specification page to your order and ship your item via the best way (generally UPS), unless you contact us specifying that you need overnight or other shipping.

For international orders and orders within the non-contiguous United States, please contact us for a quote. With these orders, we will provide a quote and get your authorization before charging your credit card.

For online orders, do you charge my credit card if the unit does not ship that day?
No, we will not charge your credit card until the day your unit will ship. Typically we email you an invoice the day your order is processed.

If I place an order online, how do I request a special shipping option?
The best way to handle international, overnight, 2 nd day or 3 rd day shipping requests, is to email us before placing your order online and we will provide a quote that you can approve before we charge your credit card. Alternatively, there is a field for notes within the online order process, and in that field you may authorize us to charge you for non-standard shipping costs and specify how you would like the unit shipped.

Do you buy back old equipment?
Yes, we purchase pre-owned equipment. As we have a broad rental line and sell remanufactured units, we are happy to acquire used equipment.

If we have not addressed your question, we will be happy to assist you if you call (626)799-6545 or send an email to help@datadev.com.