The TS1140 can use scratch MEDIA9, MEDIA11, and MEDIA13 tapes for all DFSMShsm functions. It can also utilize scratch MEDIA10 and MEDIA12 tapes for ABARS. The TS1140 can write in EFMT3, EEFMT3, EFMT4, and EEFMT4 recording technologies. The recording technology used on scratch media is controlled by the data class assigned to the tape by the ACS routines. If no recording technology is specified the default of EFMT4 is used.

The ACS routines often use the single file format tape data set name to make the data class selection. This control is transparent to DFSMShsm.