MEDIA

MEDIA is used to specify how the data are to be transmitted to the correlator. This is mainly useful when a station has alternatives, such as both a tape system (station catalog parameter RECORDER) and a disk system (station catalog parameter DISK) and the default needs to be overridden. Valid arguments are blank (use the default), TAPE (use the tape system), and DISK (use the disk system). Eventually other options such as real time may be added.

If an option is specified that is not consistent with what is available at the station, an error will occur.

Note that most, if not all, stations now have ways to convert tape to disk files so it is essentially never necessary to specify MEDIA, and, in fact, is essentially never necessary to have a tape initialization section.

• Argument: An array of character strings of up to 8 characters each, one per station. Not case sensitive.
• Options: One of Blank, TAPE, DISK, TAPEDISK, DISKTAPE. Must have corresponding RECORDER or DISK in the station catalog.
• Default: TAPEDISK for the VLBA controlled systems, TAPE for others.
• Usage: Defaults to the previous group.
• Example: MEDIA=DISK, TAPE, TAPEDISK, DISK