A tape cartridge reel comprises an upper flange, a lower flange, and a hollow cylinder hub between the upper flange and the lower flange. The upper flange has an upper opening at an upper end of the hollow cylinder hub. A hollow cylinder stiffener is positioned within the hollow cylinder hub. An inner surface is formed within the hollow cylinder hub and the hollow cylinder stiffener and extends from the upper end of the hollow cylinder hub to the lower end of the hollow cylinder hub. The inner surface forms a hollow space delimited by a surface of revolution with circular cross sections of different diameters.

A moveable tape support assembly. The assembly includes a frame that is moveable, and at least a first roller and a second roller are attached to the frame and are each free to rotate about an axis, and the first roller is in close proximity to the second roller. The frame is moveable in order for the first roller and the second roller to contact a first side of a tape and move the tape in order to have a second side of the tape to contact a head that is adapted for reading data from the tape or writing data to the tape.