Improving Timex/Sinclair Tape Loading

Discussions about Sinclair ZX80 and ZX81 Hardware
Lardo Boffin
Posts: 2160
Joined: Sat Nov 26, 2016 2:42 am

Re: Improving Timex/Sinclair Tape Loading

Post by Lardo Boffin »

TMAOne wrote: Sun Feb 11, 2018 4:33 am I never make mistakes. Once I thought I'd made a mistake, but it turned out I was wrong. :P

Seriously though, I'm glad to hear another dubber is on-line. Can't wait for Lardo to turn it loose on those "unrecoverable" tapes and see how many can be rescued.
It will probably be May before I can try anything. :cry: Most of the stuff in my house is going into storage while I move. Argh.
ZX80
ZX81 iss 1 (bugged ROM, kludge fix, normal, rebuilt)
TS 1000 iss 3, ZXPand AY and +, ZX8-CCB, ZX-KDLX & ChromaSCART
Tatung 81 + Wespi
TS 1500 & 2000
Spectrum 16k (iss 1 s/n 862)
Spectrum 48ks plus a DIVMMC future and SPECTRA
sirmorris
Posts: 2811
Joined: Thu May 08, 2008 5:45 pm

Re: Improving Timex/Sinclair Tape Loading

Post by sirmorris »

Well I assume the thing's working, but I admit it's only by trial - I haven't scoped anything out. I notice that I can make the LED light if I poke my fingers near certain components - I guess it's quite finely tuned?

* update - and a flick turns it off and on again. I think there's a screw loose. The board might have a fault too.

* update (2) - it's the cable. Sigh. Broken or intermittent conductor.
sirmorris
Posts: 2811
Joined: Thu May 08, 2008 5:45 pm

Re: Improving Timex/Sinclair Tape Loading

Post by sirmorris »

Sinclair games tape 1 - no hope for this.

Input at the top in yellow, output belue.

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Others though - outlook is good. In order we have 3Dmm, Zuckman, ZXAS
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NewFile3.png
NewFile3.png (8.05 KiB) Viewed 6249 times


It'll be interesting to compare to another working board.
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gammaray
Posts: 590
Joined: Sun Apr 17, 2016 2:44 am
Location: Texas

Re: Improving Timex/Sinclair Tape Loading

Post by gammaray »

That is a big difference. Is there a program to manually construct a file based on a human visually inspecting the original file and losing a week of his life.

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5-TS1000,UK ZX81<-Sheelagh, US ZX81, 2-TS1500/KDLX , 3-TS2040 printer, 2-TS2020 cassette decks, ZXPAND+AY, ZeddyNET, ZXBlast, UDG, ZX8CCB, AERCO, BUILDS/REPAIRS ZX Spectrum, ZX80 Minstrel, ZXMAX48 v1 v2, 2-TS-2068, ROM, 16kRAM
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XavSnap
Posts: 1940
Joined: Sat May 10, 2008 4:23 pm
Location: 'Zx81 France' Fb group.

Re: Improving Timex/Sinclair Tape Loading

Post by XavSnap »

:?
Windows...
http://dskcenter.free.fr/TO7/tutok7/

(note: a "ctrl+left click" can redraw a beep, directly on the wav on the top board of the window)
Xavier ...on the Facebook groupe : "Zx81 France"(fr)
Lardo Boffin
Posts: 2160
Joined: Sat Nov 26, 2016 2:42 am

Re: Improving Timex/Sinclair Tape Loading

Post by Lardo Boffin »

1024MAK wrote: Sat Feb 10, 2018 2:53 am
Lardo Boffin wrote: Wed Feb 07, 2018 11:31 am Stuff on its way to Mark and Sir Morris. Enjoy!
@Lardo Boffin
Box of bits has arrived! :D

Thanks 8-)

Mark
Hi Mark

Just wondering if you have had chance to look at my mess, sorry dubber attempt to see where I went wrong?

Many thanks

Lardo
ZX80
ZX81 iss 1 (bugged ROM, kludge fix, normal, rebuilt)
TS 1000 iss 3, ZXPand AY and +, ZX8-CCB, ZX-KDLX & ChromaSCART
Tatung 81 + Wespi
TS 1500 & 2000
Spectrum 16k (iss 1 s/n 862)
Spectrum 48ks plus a DIVMMC future and SPECTRA
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1024MAK
Posts: 5103
Joined: Mon Sep 26, 2011 10:56 am
Location: Looking forward to summer in Somerset, UK...

Re: Improving Timex/Sinclair Tape Loading

Post by 1024MAK »

Planned for this Saturday...

Been busy with work and snow clearing...

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.
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gammaray
Posts: 590
Joined: Sun Apr 17, 2016 2:44 am
Location: Texas

Re: Improving Timex/Sinclair Tape Loading

Post by gammaray »

What is snow?

Oh yes, I dimly remember snow in Texas in 1969, 1981, 1989, 1998.

We get it about once every 10 years whether we need it or not. And some people get their car replaced at the same time...
5-TS1000,UK ZX81<-Sheelagh, US ZX81, 2-TS1500/KDLX , 3-TS2040 printer, 2-TS2020 cassette decks, ZXPAND+AY, ZeddyNET, ZXBlast, UDG, ZX8CCB, AERCO, BUILDS/REPAIRS ZX Spectrum, ZX80 Minstrel, ZXMAX48 v1 v2, 2-TS-2068, ROM, 16kRAM
Lardo Boffin
Posts: 2160
Joined: Sat Nov 26, 2016 2:42 am

Re: Improving Timex/Sinclair Tape Loading

Post by Lardo Boffin »

1024MAK wrote: Fri Mar 02, 2018 3:14 pm Planned for this Saturday...

Been busy with work and snow clearing...

Mark
No worries. Know what you mean about the snow. Nearly three hours to do 25 miles. That will teach me to own a BMW. :cry:
ZX80
ZX81 iss 1 (bugged ROM, kludge fix, normal, rebuilt)
TS 1000 iss 3, ZXPand AY and +, ZX8-CCB, ZX-KDLX & ChromaSCART
Tatung 81 + Wespi
TS 1500 & 2000
Spectrum 16k (iss 1 s/n 862)
Spectrum 48ks plus a DIVMMC future and SPECTRA
User avatar
1024MAK
Posts: 5103
Joined: Mon Sep 26, 2011 10:56 am
Location: Looking forward to summer in Somerset, UK...

Re: Improving Timex/Sinclair Tape Loading

Post by 1024MAK »

So after looking at it for far too long, I discovered a big problem. It was staring me in the face.

So can anyone tell me what is wrong in this picture:-
CPC part number SC13781
CPC part number SC13781
(The IC pictured came out of the bag in the photo with the CPC part number).

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.
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