Saving adventure tapes to disk

[musicanic]

(Also posted on 99er.net)

I have recently resurrected my TI99/4a after some 30 years, and have now added a new PEB plus disk drive a 32k Mem. I have started copying my old Basic and XBasic programs to disk but I also have a few adventure tapes which work with the adventure module. Does anyone know a way of copying these onto disk to save the laborious (and unreliable) process of loading via tape recorder. I have Xbasic and should soon have the new XB2.7 module, so could utilise assembler if necessary. Surely someone has already done this ??
Thanks from the UK - are there many TIers still in the UK?

[Fritz442]

Try this...use editor/assembler cart and option 3...then START

Use 'ADVXFER' file as I have had better luck with that one.

It will copy either way, CS1 to Disk or Disk to CS1.

But you still must use the recorder.

AdvCopy.zip

Edited August 6, 2015 by Fritz442

[Shift838]

have you checked the FTP site to see if the adventure games are there already. You could transfer them to a disk on an older PC so that the TI could ready them via TI-99PC.

 

Or you could use a null modem cable (i prefer this method) and MagicFM.

 

There is a program called TI99DIR that can open disk images, convert V9T9 files to TI Files and then you can xfer them at a blazing speed of 9600bps!

 

Lots of adventure games like the entire Scott Adams series and tons more files on the ftp site (ftp.whtech.com)

[musicanic]

Thanks to Fritz and Chris, but I am still a bit green on some of these things. I don't have RS232 on my 99/4a yet so I can't connect to anything else. I have considered getting the Lotharek SD card disk emulator which would at least allow me to transfer DSK images from PC to 99/4a. There are several styles of this unit but I guess they all do the same job - any advice on which is best, or just go for the cheapest? I don't have an "older PC" with floppies, my other machines are all modern PCs (although I do have a ZX81 and an Amstrad 4386 with Win 3.1, but neither are of much use here). I don't have a modem, just broadband at 150MB. Chris mentions "the FTP site" - which site is that, where do I find it?

Finally, I've seen V9T9 mentioned but looking at it, it requires ROM images on the PC and again I am not sure yet how to get them transferred.

So, at the moment I feel like one of Chris's idiots, so please educate me and save on the bullets!

Thanks,

John

[Shift838]

Thanks to Fritz and Chris, but I am still a bit green on some of these things. I don't have RS232 on my 99/4a yet so I can't connect to anything else. I have considered getting the Lotharek SD card disk emulator which would at least allow me to transfer DSK images from PC to 99/4a. There are several styles of this unit but I guess they all do the same job - any advice on which is best, or just go for the cheapest? I don't have an "older PC" with floppies, my other machines are all modern PCs (although I do have a ZX81 and an Amstrad 4386 with Win 3.1, but neither are of much use here). I don't have a modem, just broadband at 150MB. Chris mentions "the FTP site" - which site is that, where do I find it?

Finally, I've seen V9T9 mentioned but looking at it, it requires ROM images on the PC and again I am not sure yet how to get them transferred.

So, at the moment I feel like one of Chris's idiots, so please educate me and save on the bullets!

Thanks,

John

 

the FTP site i mentioned is 'ftp.whtech.com' Tons of files there. If you have an older PC that then you can use the TI-99PC to write actual TI Floppies on the PC and you can then insert them on your TI. This program is also on the FTP site. in the Root you will find a text file called SiteList, it is fairly up to date and you can download that and search.

 

As far as the Lotharek is concerned they all do the same thing. Just depends if you want to easy mount it in the PEB or other enclosure. If so then go with the one that is on the 5.25 footprint. Also on the Lotharek (at least on the 5.25 mounting version) you can emulate both DSK1 and DSK2 at the same time! The cheaper version I believe does it to.

 

I would definitely recommend an RS232 card if you can find one as that will make it much easier and if you decided to put the TI on the internet (yes it can be done) all you need is a UDS10 device. I recommend a TI RS232 card though, not a CorComp as we have seen issues using the UDS device. This device is like a modem that hooks up to your RS232 card and then to the internet. It takes standard AT commands and you can dial out over the internet to IP addresses of comoputers that are still running BBS via TELNET. There is a bbs called HeatWave that runs off a Myarc Geneve 9640 that is accessible from TELNET.

Edited August 6, 2015 by Cschneider

[musicanic]

Thanks for those words of wisdom, Chris. I will check out the ftp. I have been keeping an eye open for the RS232, so will stay on that - could be fun. I think I will go for the Lotharek device anyway.

Expect more queries in due course!

[ti99iuc]

I think I will go for the Lotharek device anyway.

 

Musicanic ! good choice it is a nice device ... really...

 

instead about the cassette you need to convert, could you write here the titles ? maybe we could help you to know if already done or not

[musicanic]

 

Musicanic ! good choice it is a nice device ... really...

 

instead about the cassette you need to convert, could you write here the titles ? maybe we could help you to know if already done or not

Thanks Fritz, I have now ordered an HXC from Lotharek. The original adventure tapes I have found so far are Pirate, Strange Odyssey, Savage Island 1 & 2 and Ghost Town. I think I have others but not yet found. However, I looked on the ftp.whtech.com site and found all these and others so I have downloaded them. I should be able to get them transferred to the TI using the HXC and then saved onto floppies. I want to use the original machine rather than a PC based emulation.

I will report back on progress.