Tape recorder for the future - which one?
Familiar 'problem' for a lot of you, I guess:
* From time to time, you get your hands on a tape (not just ZX Spectrum) that has software on it. And you want to have the ability to check it out.
* Keeping old equipment around costs you in one way or another, and there are 'external forces' :D encouraging you to get rid of that junk.
* Well built equipment from back in the day might out-last and out-perform anything built recently.
* 1 taperecorder should be enough for anyone. ;)
* Why buy new when you've got something that's old, but well-built, reliable and known working?
In other words: when thinning out one's stash of tape recorders, keep the old? Replace with new? Is the new better than an old one, refurbished (new rubber belts, for example)?
Personal doubt is between a Sanyo DR-202A that I've used a lot back in the day (but the one I have needs a new capstan & rubber belts), or a 'new' to buy Sony TCM-939 of which I've read good reviews. Would it be worth the money? Better stick with the old & apply some TLC? Get both?
Other recommended tape recorders? Or just call it quits & consider the tape age has ended?
* From time to time, you get your hands on a tape (not just ZX Spectrum) that has software on it. And you want to have the ability to check it out.
* Keeping old equipment around costs you in one way or another, and there are 'external forces' :D encouraging you to get rid of that junk.
* Well built equipment from back in the day might out-last and out-perform anything built recently.
* 1 taperecorder should be enough for anyone. ;)
* Why buy new when you've got something that's old, but well-built, reliable and known working?
In other words: when thinning out one's stash of tape recorders, keep the old? Replace with new? Is the new better than an old one, refurbished (new rubber belts, for example)?
Personal doubt is between a Sanyo DR-202A that I've used a lot back in the day (but the one I have needs a new capstan & rubber belts), or a 'new' to buy Sony TCM-939 of which I've read good reviews. Would it be worth the money? Better stick with the old & apply some TLC? Get both?
Other recommended tape recorders? Or just call it quits & consider the tape age has ended?
Post edited by RetroTechie on
Comments
I do have the sony deck also, super light but the PSU makes up for that. this I find funny
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oJGv4M0tIr8&list=UUq0qTOm1ux2WOhEDPbe0Ofg&index=6
as atari 8 bit tapes take far too long to load.. as does mr zaxon and his lack of replies ;)
I find it highly amusing the amstrad speccy's don't have a tape counter. even my ancient EACA bg3003 has one :)
The best tape player now is... PC.
My question concerns the case where you find a tape (let's assume without any markings), and want to find out what's on it. A computer with a good sound output isn't gonna help you there. :p
My thoughts exactly. Repair options are high on my list for any tape recorder to keep.
I simply want to have the option of "insert tape with unknown contents, press play, listen". And figure out (for years to come) what's the simplest/best way to make sure I continue to have that option. Lacking nano-ants that you can throw on a tape, that will crawl in between the windings, sense the magnetic areas, and report back to home base, :D this will involve a tape recorder somehow.
External forces, is that another way of describing the wife/girlfriend hee hee. My other half doesn't understand why I collect spectrum stuff at all. In fact she is banned from entering my lair now hee hee hee. I just say to her "Well do I bitch about the number of shoes/boots and your ever increasing wardrobe, NO, so shut it"
Personaly I have a Sony tape deck which I use to test games and it's connected to my PC so I can do some tzx'ing too. I also have an Amstrad cassette deck which I also use quite a bit and a phillips ghetto blaster for emergencies/ and listening to the radio whilst tinkering.
Never call it quits, the tape age will never end, use a little TLC and clean the heads etc on a regular basis. And yes get both.
However there is one problem. it requires headphones output from the source. Line-out is too silent and programs recorded this way don't want to load into Spectrum/ZX81.
A lot of modern PC cards has no headphones output, so beware.
Lately I bought a new soundcard (USB) that hactually has the headphone output, so I will test it by the way, to check out if this output is loud enough for the tape-recorder's / ZX Spectrum's requirements.
Yes, most of tape voice recorders have automatic recording level. Unfortunately it results also in variable recorded signal level, not good for turbo and other custom loaders.
Old double tape deck is very handy here.
In the past there were special data recorders dedicated to storing programs on tape.
The weird thing is I first got the next model up, almost identical with the tape counter and it was very weak and didn't load any games. I went back and got this one (although I really wanted the one with the counter).
I was wondering what's the tape deck that was available in (I think) a UK department store...Dixon's? Seen some pictures of it and seems to be pretty durable. I couldn't remember which store or model number when I was searching for a picture.
Is that a pretty good tape deck?
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My Arcade Cabinetl