At 09:00 AM 8/8/2006, Kauffman, Tom wrote:

The biggest item to remember about LTO is that these are streaming tape
drives; if your system can not provide the data fast enough to keep the
tape in motion they have to stop, back up, and come up to speed again.
They aren't designed for that -- the 3592 drives are. That is the
biggest reason for the price differential.

This was more true with LTO-1 than with -2 or -3.  The later
generation drives can vary their speed to try to match the data rate,
thus avoiding some backhitching.  But Tom is correct that the motors
in the 3592 drives are probably bigger and more powerful, and can
thus backhitch more quickly.  (this is my guess, not fact)



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