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Looking for a cassette player for rubber keyed Spectrum 48k

HagarackHagarack
edited July 2011 in Hardware
Hi everyone,
I'm in the process of bidding for a rubber keyed spectrum on ebay and have just noticed it doesn't come with a cassette player. I'm eager to get a cassette player that would've been available at the same time as the spectrum, has anyone got one for sale or knows where I could get one?

Thanks in advance!

Maria
Post edited by Hagarack on

Comments

  • jdanddietjdanddiet
    edited July 2011
    im afraid they can be rather pricey http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=190549435048
  • MaccMacc
    edited July 2011
    Ive got one of those you can have for a tenner, plus about three quid postage if you like, or ive got a tatty boots one (about the same time period as the speccy) that works for a bit less
  • Zetr0Zetr0
    edited July 2011
    Hello Maria

    Your best bet would probably freecycle and or freagle if its in your area. Have a quick google and see what you can find.

    My next suggestion would charity shops in your local area and then finally would be eBay...

    avoid getting personal stereo tape players as these have a very weak audio output that can be troublesome for the spectrum... instead see if you can find a period peice

    you should be looking for perhaps something like this

    $(KGrHqIOKiYE3jt7pfM1BOFsrMnu1Q~~_35.JPG


    Unfortinately postage can really kill even a freebee, so have a good scoure around locally... if you dont any luck then hit me up on PM, I have a spare you can have for postage.
  • rich_chandlerrich_chandler
    edited July 2011
    Zetr0 wrote: »
    $(KGrHqIOKiYE3jt7pfM1BOFsrMnu1Q~~_35.JPG
    Funnily enough I'm looking at that exact same tape recorder now but it doesn't have Ferguson written on it...
    I wanna tell you a story 'bout a woman I know...
  • Zetr0Zetr0
    edited July 2011
    karingal wrote: »
    Funnily enough I'm looking at that exact same tape recorder now but it doesn't have Ferguson written on it...


    LOL... its got Karingal written all over it Mwuahahahaha!


    *ahem =)
  • Alien 8Alien 8
    edited July 2011
    I managed to get the Sony TCM shoebox one for ?15, which is much cheaper than usual, unfortunately the website is now closed. I can recommend it very highly as a tape deck though, hardly ever lets me down, and it looks good next to any Spectrum too. In short it has all the advantages of being a new deck, yet has te look of an old one, although not a old as that Ferguson.
  • Zetr0Zetr0
    edited July 2011
    Ahhh but Alien 8.... thats not Ferguson.... thats Karingal's!

    *hehehe*

    I have to admit about this time last year... I scoured eBay for an early 90's protable CD player... and I found the pefect one... its big, blocky, black with inset LCD... just perfect for Sinclair-ing up with some nice rainbow

    It looks total awesome next to my 128k Toast Rack.
  • Alien 8Alien 8
    edited July 2011
    Zetr0 wrote: »
    Ahhh but Alien 8.... thats not Ferguson.... thats Karingal's!

    *hehehe*

    I have to admit about this time last year... I scoured eBay for an early 90's protable CD player... and I found the pefect one... its big, blocky, black with inset LCD... just perfect for Sinclair-ing up with some nice rainbow

    It looks total awesome next to my 128k Toast Rack.

    Yes, the look is very important. If any of you are also in the Commodore camp, I have been surprised at how many C2N datasettes are still about, what good condition many are in, and how cheap they often are. It was a pretty reliable loader, IMO.
  • Zetr0Zetr0
    edited July 2011
    @Alien 8

    its very possible to modify these to work for the humble spectrum - I think the Black would like nice - although you would need external power, an on/off button and an ear / mic jack..

    its not to hard to make one, and they are quite prolific...

    if you have a look over at www.amibay.com I am sure you could find one or even plenty in you price / wants range =)
  • AceGraceAceGrace
    edited July 2011
    I found one of those WHSmith datasets at a car boot last week. Got it for 50p :smile:
  • MaccMacc
    edited July 2011
    Those ones were the best!! Good find!
  • Alien 8Alien 8
    edited July 2011
    Zetr0 wrote: »
    @Alien 8

    its very possible to modify these to work for the humble spectrum - I think the Black would like nice - although you would need external power, an on/off button and an ear / mic jack..

    its not to hard to make one, and they are quite prolific...

    if you have a look over at www.amibay.com I am sure you could find one or even plenty in you price / wants range =)


    I have a White C2N, as used on the VIC 20/C64/PET. The black model was for C16/+4 and had a different plug on it. I suppose for ZX conversion that doesn't matter though as no doubt it would be chopped off!

    There is a guy who discovered that inside the C2N is another edge connector for connecting another C2N, but the connections are all weird. He worked out a modification to cut a hole in the front of the deck (to allow access) and rewire the edge connector to plug another deck in so that you can record as you load. I love that idea.

    I must admit I like your idea of the black C2N as a Spectrum loader. I seem to remember hearing that Commodore were more reliable at loading as it was a digital system.
  • Alien 8Alien 8
    edited July 2011
    AceGrace wrote: »
    I found one of those WHSmith datasets at a car boot last week. Got it for 50p :smile:

    Did it work? With my 48K rubber key Spectrum I also received a Boots computer compatible cassette deck, it looked OK cosmetically, but apart from that what a mess! The volume control was OK after I squirted half a can of WD40 into it. The rubber band was badly slipping so everything sounded drunk, and the tape counter didn't work. I got a new rubber band from Maplins, but even then I was getting too many load errors, so I changed to a different deck and it loaded most things. Eventually I got the Sony, which is very reliable.
  • AceGraceAceGrace
    edited July 2011
    It was a little bit dusty but works fine. :D
  • Alien 8Alien 8
    edited July 2011
    AceGrace wrote: »
    It was a little bit dusty but works fine. :D

    Glad it works. I was once told that cassette decks don't like lofts, so I never keep them up there. Something to do with the belt drive snapping.
  • Mark R. JonesMark R. Jones
    edited July 2011
    I threw away my original tape player from the 80s 3 years ago during a clear out with other stuff. 3 years later I find myself looking for a tape player so I can use my Spectrum in my games room. Boy did I regret throwing all that stuff out
    Mark R. Jones
    Ex-Ocean Software graphic artist -
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    https://twitter.com/MarkRJones1970
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  • jonathanjonathan
    edited July 2011
    I was having a look around Comet the other day and I noticed they still sell them new.

    http://www.comet.co.uk/p/CD-Radio-Cassettes/buy-FERGUSON-FTR100-CD-Radio-Cassette/555428
    Still supporting Multi-Platform Arcade Game Designer, currently working on AGD 5. I am NOT on Twitter.
    Egghead Website
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    My itch.io page
  • orangeorange
    edited July 2011
    jonathan wrote: »
    I was having a look around Comet the other day and I noticed they still sell them new.

    http://www.comet.co.uk/p/CD-Radio-Cassettes/buy-FERGUSON-FTR100-CD-Radio-Cassette/555428

    hm, ok I understand it lacks 'CD-R/CD-RW playback', but 'Headphone socket' ? isn't that almost the same thing as line out?
  • maikimaiki
    edited July 2011
    Zetr0 wrote: »
    I scoured eBay for an early 90's protable CD player... and I found the pefect one... its big, blocky, black with inset LCD... just perfect for Sinclair-ing up with some nice rainbow

    But with no save option it just can't do the job properly...
  • xbomberxbomber
    edited July 2011
    Mark R Jones wrote: »
    I threw away my original tape player from the 80s 3 years ago during a clear out with other stuff. 3 years later I find myself looking for a tape player so I can use my Spectrum in my games room. Boy did I regret throwing all that stuff out

    Don't get me started. My old toast rack loads of games all got thrown out as did literally hundreds of Marvel comics from the late seventies that my cousin gifted me.

    My mum considered it all a 'fire hazard'.

    ARGGHH.
  • Alessandro GrussuAlessandro Grussu
    edited July 2011
    Steve on Data Serve Shop sells new Sony TCM939 tape recorders for ? 16.99 each.

    http://www.dataserve-retro.co.uk/contents/en-uk/d10.html
    Spectrumpedia, the most comprehensive book ever written about the Spectrum - Zankle Soft - Corrections for games incompatible with the +2A/+3 - TAP files for DivIDE/DivMMC - SetoLOAD fast tape loading scheme
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