Getting BASIC programs from cassette tape to digital files?

Anything Sinclair ZX Basic related; history, development, tips - differences between BASIC on the ZX80 and ZX81
kumbah
Posts: 17
Joined: Wed Jan 01, 2014 4:36 am

Re: Getting BASIC programs from cassette tape to digital fil

Post by kumbah »

Sounds good - don't have a ZXpand (yet), but have been thinking about one for awhile now.

I'll post you a message first, because this isn't exactly a "Spectrum"/Ts-2068 forum) and
I don't want to "clutter" it up with my idea just yet.

Would this actually not be the right place to talk about such things?
kumbah
Posts: 17
Joined: Wed Jan 01, 2014 4:36 am

Re: Getting BASIC programs from cassette tape to digital fil

Post by kumbah »

Message sent to RWAP.

Let me know what you think via "reply"in the email.

I wasn't sure this would've been the best place to put that idea, yet.

Thanks, Rich ! :)
User avatar
XavSnap
Posts: 1940
Joined: Sat May 10, 2008 4:23 pm
Location: 'Zx81 France' Fb group.

Re: Getting BASIC programs from cassette tape to digital fil

Post by XavSnap »

"ZxSpectape" > symetry and filters.
"Eo" to read the corrected wav file.
Infos:
http://zx81.ordi5.free.fr/wav
Put a wav 11-22kb/s 8bits on a ftp directory, we will try to get your "P" file...
And put it on-line thrue this chat...
Have Fun!
Xavier ...on the Facebook groupe : "Zx81 France"(fr)
kumbah
Posts: 17
Joined: Wed Jan 01, 2014 4:36 am

Re: Getting BASIC programs from cassette tape to digital fil

Post by kumbah »

Is it possible to do this for Spectrum, also?

( I know that the data rate is indeed "faster", which could be a problem, maybe. )

Same concept, I'm sure ! :)

I'm going to see if I have any "tapes" to experiment with.

Most are no longer locatable, and the ones I found, are barely readable, so
I might've waited too long. It's a good thing the author of Xtender had already
"transferred" most of the popular tapes to .p files already, saved a "giant" LOAD
of work, literally !

It's also a good thing my most useful things have been laboriously typed into
said emulator long ago ( and duplicated over and over again, to keep things
all backed up ) ... Gotta love how I can run Spectrum Anywhere and it's
"close cousin" Eighty-One just about on any machine I can get my hands on.

As an aside, spectrum Anywhere is actually running on Ubuntu linux (10.04)
using WINE and the only thing it doesn't do is "activate" the line in to be
able to read "real" tapes ... everything else (virtual tapes, snaps, etc) seem to
work without any issues at all - as if it was running on Windows.

Oops, I'm quite "wordy" today ... hope everyone's having a great weekend !
User avatar
1024MAK
Posts: 5103
Joined: Mon Sep 26, 2011 10:56 am
Location: Looking forward to summer in Somerset, UK...

Re: Getting BASIC programs from cassette tape to digital fil

Post by 1024MAK »

kumbah wrote:Oops, I'm quite "wordy" today ... hope everyone's having a great weekend !
Okay, I don't know where in the world you are, but sadly my weekend ended hours ago :(

Glad you are having fun! :D :lol:

Mark
ZX81 Variations
ZX81 Chip Pin-outs
ZX81 Video Transistor Buffer Amp

:!: Standby alert :!:
There are four lights!
Step up to red alert. Sir, are you absolutely sure? It does mean changing the bulb :!:
Looking forward to summer later in the year.
RWAP
Posts: 1348
Joined: Thu May 08, 2008 8:42 am
Location: Stoke-on-Trent, UK
Contact:

Re: Getting BASIC programs from cassette tape to digital fil

Post by RWAP »

Actually, I have also been asked by a French user who has a ZXPand, but not a PC with an SD card reader.

He wanted to transfer programs from cassette also - it was when I suggested the Tape Scraper utility that he said that his PC did not have an SD card reader.

Is there any other way of getting software onto the SD card using just the ZX81+ ZXPand?
kumbah
Posts: 17
Joined: Wed Jan 01, 2014 4:36 am

Re: Getting BASIC programs from cassette tape to digital fil

Post by kumbah »

An external card reader with a USB connection would be the only way I know of, unless
you manage to somehow connect a serial port (Westridge modem MOD?) to your ZX-81 and
file transfer it that way ... although - I don't have the ZXpand to test that idea, nor do
I have the serial port for said Zeddy ... my Zeddy is lonesome ...

I do have an HP 200 LX Pocket-sized PC that's got a serial cable and port (which also has
the ability to read and write to a CF card mounted on an adapter inside).

I haven't tried my PCMCIA SD card reader in said pocket-sized machine.

Maybe I need to dig out a small card and try it ...

Just using the ZX-81 and the Xpand ... I don't think it has a serial port built in.

Is it really that difficult in France to get a PC or a USB card reader?
kumbah
Posts: 17
Joined: Wed Jan 01, 2014 4:36 am

Re: Getting BASIC programs from cassette tape to digital fil

Post by kumbah »

Oh, I'm in EST ... Daylight Savings Time on the east cost in the Boston vicinity.

I really gotta test my Zeddies ... I haven't turned them on in awhile. :(
sirmorris
Posts: 2811
Joined: Thu May 08, 2008 5:45 pm

Re: Getting BASIC programs from cassette tape to digital fil

Post by sirmorris »

Tape scraper runs on the ZX81. No PC is involved. I suppose that you have to get scraper on to the '81 in the first place.. But you could use something like one of the PtoWAV programs to load it - and from that point the PC can be confined to the bin. :lol: In fact, you could run tape scraper to 'load' from the PC to the SD card.
kumbah
Posts: 17
Joined: Wed Jan 01, 2014 4:36 am

Re: Getting BASIC programs from cassette tape to digital fil

Post by kumbah »

Hello sir Morris,

Aww ... but I so love my PC ... but my original love harkens back to a simpler time. :)

Things are far more complex now, and I find playing around with the "platforms
of yester-year" quite refreshing these days.

I suppose, if it wasn't for the early PCs I had, most of my own software would
be lost and unusable. I suppose, once you get past moving it back to the "Zeddies"
then the PC becomes more of a storage facility and a source for "replacement
hardware" via emulation. 81 (EO) has the "tape interface" facility that can
turn your "digital" back to good old Zeddy "noise" for use on it.

Part of the problem is having your "stuff" on the PC to put back on the Zed
int he first place ... wow, what a conundrum !

the PC does, however, get me online to use the forums, so I should probably keep it. :) LoL

Hope all is well ! :)
Post Reply