Patent ID: 8233246

Claim:
A magnetic head, comprising: identical, opposing modules, each module comprising: an array of paired data transducers, the transducers including at least one of data readers, data writers, and combinations thereof, wherein a first subset of the transducers is operable for reading or writing data in a first tape format, wherein a second subset of the transducers is operable for reading or writing data in a second tape format, at least some of the transducers being present in both subsets; a lone writer at one end of one of the subsets; a lone reader at an opposite end of the one of the subsets; and servo readers positioned outside the array, wherein the transducers that are present in both subsets are aligned along a straight line on the associated module, wherein, for each module, one of the pairs of data transducers is positioned along a centerline of the array.