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Using a tape drive for Spectrum +3

wootlanterwootlanter
edited February 2009 in Hardware
Could I just use any tape drive? I only have a sony walkman, really. Could this work? Also, how would I load up it up on the +3? Do I just set the tape going, not put a floppy in the drive and then press enter on the +3 loader?

Thanks.
Post edited by wootlanter on

Comments

  • thingleythingley
    edited February 2009
    Yes, maybe, yes, and yes...

    Or to elaborate - you need a cable that will connect the tape deck to the tape/sound socket at the back far left of the +3. (The Spectrum shop on ebay sell these).

    Whether or not it will work depends largely on how much volume the walkman can pump into the +3 - it may be too quiet (as it's stereo).... Only real way to know is to just try it!
  • wootlanterwootlanter
    edited February 2009
    Thanks. BTW, is there any place I can download the 'noises' of the tapes on the internet? Can I open a .tzx file with a media player or something?
  • bladerunnerbladerunner
    edited February 2009
    You need to convert the .tzx to an audio file such as .wav. There are various tools/emulators that can do that.

    You can then play the .wav out of your PC and record the sound on your tape desk.

    You could use your PC's sound output with an external amplifier to play the .wav directly into the Spectrum. It might work without the amplifier but probably won't.

    Best to use a mono cable so losing 1 audio channel.
  • wootlanterwootlanter
    edited February 2009
    Thanks so much dude. It works. I can just go from the jacksocket on the motherboard directly to the speccy. I tried Robocop, but got load errors just over halfway through. Not sure if it's the volume of the signal or the tzx file or the tool I used to convert it. So I tried a much smaller game (Nifty Lifty) and that works fine. I also used VLC media player instead of WMP, because you can kind of use overdrive with it nowadays.

    Many thanks! :smile:
  • DEATHDEATH
    edited February 2009
    To load from tape on a +3:

    Enter as a direct command: LOAD "t:" [Enter]

    All loading now defaults to the tape device

    Likewise, SAVE "t:" defaults all saves to tape

    Use the normal syntax - LOAD "filename" and SAVE "filename"
    Oh bugger!<br>
  • Mister BeepMister Beep
    edited February 2009
    By the way,
    sorry for this question but can I load/save programs into/from external tape-recorder via "sound/tape" port on Spectrum +2? (Well, +2A actually).
    I'm very fresh in 128K world.
    ZX Spectrum 48K BEEPER Music:
    http://mister_beep.republika.pl/
  • thingleythingley
    edited February 2009
    No - This get's asked a lot but searching the boards won't help as there are a lot of confused replies on this subject.

    The +2A tape/sound socket is output only.
    (One day I'll put up a web site with just that sentence in BIG letters - as there is a lot of confusion about this on the boards) ;)

    The best way of loading from an external source is to use a tape courier device (a dummy tape with a stereo connector on the end). That works really well and doesn't involve taking the computer apart or frying the ULA.

    If the tape deck doesn't work you can always solder to the PLAY and GRND sockets on the motherboard (They are clearly marked on a +2A so it's hard to go wrong). But you need to be careful with volume as there is nothing to protect the ULA from getting fried when you do it this way.
  • DEATHDEATH
    edited February 2009
    thingley wrote: »
    No - This get's asked a lot but searching the boards won't help as there are a lot of confused replies on this subject.

    The +2A tape/sound socket is output only.
    (One day I'll put up a web site with just that sentence in BIG letters - as there is a lot of confusion about this on the boards) ;)

    The best way of loading from an external source is to use a tape courier device (a dummy tape with a stereo connector on the end). That works really well and doesn't involve taking the computer apart or frying the ULA.

    If the tape deck doesn't work you can always solder to the PLAY and GRND sockets on the motherboard (They are clearly marked on a +2A so it's hard to go wrong). But you need to be careful with volume as there is nothing to protect the ULA from getting fried when you do it this way.

    Finally :D...... Somebody who understands!

    Only teasing ;)
    Oh bugger!<br>
  • WinstonWinston
    edited February 2009
    The 48K machine expects external devices to be connected - so the EAR and MIC circuits are designed with this in mind. The low pass filter on the 48K will stop any normal tape recorder from causing any harm (obviously it won't stop a serious overvoltage from causing damage).
  • Mister BeepMister Beep
    edited February 2009
    thingley:
    argh. I suspected that.
    Still, I hoped, considering +2A was actually +3 without fdd, that there was the same 'tape' trick like in +3.
    pity.

    thank you for the info.
    ZX Spectrum 48K BEEPER Music:
    http://mister_beep.republika.pl/
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