Capstan Drive
Capstan drive describes how the motor turns the capstan, the rotating shaft that controls tape movement past the heads.
Belt drive transfers motion through a belt; direct drive turns the capstan without that belt. This describes the capstan mechanism, separately from the motors that turn the reels.
Capstan Drive — Cassette Deck
In a cassette deck, the capstan and pinch roller move the tape at the intended recording or playback speed. A belt links the motor to the capstan assembly on a belt-driven design; a direct-drive design eliminates that link. This distinction helps identify the transport arrangement and potential belt maintenance.
Compare speed accuracy and wow-and-flutter figures separately, since the drive label does not measure either. Servo control describes speed regulation, not necessarily belt or direct drive. On a twin-well deck, this specification describes the recording well; the other well may use a different mechanism.
Capstan Drive — Reel-to-Reel
On a reel-to-reel machine, the capstan controls the tape's movement through the recording and playback path. Its drive can use a belt or a direct motor connection while separate reel motors manage winding and tape tension. Directly driven reels therefore do not establish a direct-drive capstan.
Compare the actual capstan arrangement with the maintenance information and measured speed performance. A motor described as synchronous or servo-controlled does not identify the mechanical coupling. Neither drive type alone predicts lower flutter, and the number of motors is a separate specification rather than a substitute for this one.