Atari tape drives

[amiman99]

Hi,

 

1. Can some one explain it to me how the tape drive works in all 8bit Ataris?

2. Is it all analog or the signals are converted to digital,

3. I saw an "Audio Input" on SIO port, what is it for?

4. Can you build an interface to a generic tape player? Any schematics?

5. What is the command to load a program from tape drive, or save?

So many questions...

Thank you for any responses.

[Rybags]

1. When loading data, a circuit inside the tape drive converts the 2-tone information into logic 0 or 1 for output to the computer. When saving, the drive just writes to tape what the computer sends (2 tone sounds).

2. as 1 - effectively you could say the tapes are analog, the waveforms aren't exactly square.

3. The tape drive is stereo, one track for data, the other one can have independant sound. The computer just passes the sound through mixed with whatever Pokey and the keyclick is doing... you can't otherwise modify or monitor it.

4. I think so... also, there's a turbo tape modification that was popular in Europe to speed up the Atari tape drive.

5. For bootable games (most commercial ones), turn on computer holding Start and Option. CLOAD for most BASIC games.

[amiman99]

I was able to get atari 1010 tape drive from my local Goodwill store for $15. I downloaded some CAS files, converted them to WAV. Instead recording to a tape, I used my MP3 player to play back the WAV file to the tape player via cassette adapter. I worked great. I can store the atari games on the MP3 player.

[Rybags]

Yep, a number of people have done that sort of thing... makes them old casette adaptors useful again.

 

I think someone wanted to try taking it a step further... just have a CD feeding the direct logic levels (0/1)... don't know how far that got.

[amiman99]

Man...! It take a long time, brings back some memories...

My 7 year old son is not patient, he says its not working, and I told him "just wait.."

[sl0re]

Yep, a number of people have done that sort of thing... makes them old casette adaptors useful again.

 

I think someone wanted to try taking it a step further... just have a CD feeding the direct logic levels (0/1)... don't know how far that got.

 

I think they had it working (I think a webpage is still out there with the info since I read about it within the last year). CD drives for storing data for ataris.... but not in digital...