Timex/Sinclair 1000 Tape Loading

[Vintage Computer Festival]

On Thu, 23 Jun 2005, Scott Stevens wrote:

> On Wed, 22 Jun 2005 01:38:28 +0100 (BST)
> ard at p850ug1.demon.co.uk (Tony Duell) wrote:
>
> > > > > A somewhat 'crude' but simple thing you can try is to listen to
> > > > > the audiotape sound of the tape you created which you say was
> > > > > successful. Then listen audibly to the tapes you're trying to
> > > > > recover.  If the pitch seems to match for the most part it isn't
> > > > > a speed problem.  If you have an oscilloscope, look at the
> > > > > amplitude of the signal out of the cassette drive of the new
> > > > > 'working' tape and compare to the one you're trying to recover.
> > > >
> > > > As others have suggested, use the simplest tape player you can
> > > > find. Noise reduction circuits and other fancy technology will
> > > > only cause problems.
> > > >
> > >
> > > The 'fancy technology' I suggested was an oscilloscope.  I don't see
> > > how
> >
> > I think you've misunderstood the message. I think Sellam was refering
> > to 'fancy technology' inside the tape player -- things like noise
> > reduction circuits. You want a player without anything like that.
> >
> I understood that.  Using a 'cheap' mono cassette recorder with
> automatic level control and brute plain electronics is well known enough
> that I'm suprised that anybody wouldn't know it.  I just didn't think it
> was a 'cureall' comment to say 'just use a cheap tape recorder.'
> There's a lot more you can do, and Sellam's comment seemed dismissive.

It wasn't meant to be dismissive, but a step in the right direction.  I
didn't know what you were using, and just wanted to be sure of that.
Perhaps I shot from the hip.  It isn't the first time.

Many people never used cassettes for program storage, so it might not be
too obvious that a modern day player with Dolby noise reduction or what
not might actually be hampering a tape load.

-- 

Sellam Ismail                                        Vintage Computer Festival
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