464 tape stop

johnny · 00:01, 20 February 10

hi,
It's my first post, and my english is no excellent

, so please, forgive me.
I've just bought my first cpc. It's Schneider CPC 464. I recorded some games to the tape (wave files) and I tried to load it. But CPC has loaded only 2 blocks and stops. Exactly in the same place after second block. I tried to do with the cassette adaptor, and the result was identical. On monitor "ready". I tried load game from third block, and cpc loaded block 3 and 4 and stopped with ready on monitor. What's wrong?
thanks for all answers

nocash · 08:09, 20 February 10

The motor should stop after loading - that is an intended feature of the hardware, not a problem.
What exactly did you save? I guess, by "wave files" you mean BASIC programs or so? What do you mean by Ready? No error message? The screen is cleared and ONLY Ready is displayed? Or is the command you typed still visible. And WHAT did you type, LOAD or RUN? And after Ready, did you type LIST or RUN to list or start the program?

johnny · 09:16, 20 February 10

When I bought this machine (my first time with cpc) I recorded game GALACTIC (via sound card in wav to tape recorder) When I tested this tape the game has loaded normally. It's more than 2 blocks. After that I was decided to clean accurately cpc. It was dusty. After assembly effect "2 block and stop". To load GALACTIC I type load" then computer PRESS PLAY AND ..., game is load, first block, second block, and datacorder do little "click" and stop. On monitor ready with cursor - I can type. I tried with 2 different cassetes and cassete adaptor too. Effect still the same.

nocash · 13:16, 20 February 10

You have cleaned the cpc because it was dusty???

Didn't you see all those big bold warning messages, saying the computer contains sensitive electronics - DO NOT CLEAN?

nocash · 13:58, 20 February 10

> To load GALACTIC I type load"
Either type RUN" to autostart, or type LOAD" - but then you need to type RUN manually once when the tape stops. I guess forgot that detail in the cleaning process. Dunno why people are cleaning computers anyways!

mr_lou · 14:11, 20 February 10

Instead of typing LOAD"GAME" try typing RUN"GAME"

Or as nocash says, simply type RUN"
That'll make the CPC load the next game on the tape.

johnny · 15:43, 20 February 10

I clean computers very carefully. I've never damage those. My pc's, atari's, commodore's are still alive

And it's good looking

Now i see my cpc is ok.
When i loaded game with run" all blocks loaded normally and GALACTIC runs.
I tried load" because I have hope to save the game in datacorder. Maybe I need to use any copier? Can you recommend anyone?
thanks for help

Devilmarkus · 17:08, 20 February 10

Hi johnny,
would be nice if you register

So your postings dont need to wait for approval...

Cheers,
Markus

johnny · 17:15, 20 February 10

Hi chief,

I'm registered now ...
So much fun with verification ...

Devilmarkus · 17:21, 20 February 10

Quote from: johnny on 17:15, 20 February 10
Hi chief,

I am only "Schief" (german)

Nice to see you!
Have fun here

Cholo · 18:50, 20 February 10

Quote from: johnny on 15:43, 20 February 10
I tried load" because I have hope to save the game in datacorder. Maybe I need to use any copier? Can you recommend anyone?
thanks for help

Well, only unprotected programs can be easily copied. Most commercial programs are protected so they usually need a lot of "manual" work to make a copy. Basic programs and cracked games can be easily be copied tho.
If you need to make a backup of something unprotected from tape to tape i suggest using JL-copy:
http://tacgr.emuunlim.com/downloads/filedetail.php?recid=1668
(not the rom version of cause)

JL-copy is also available on AA coverdisc no. 22:
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Amstrad-Action-Covertape-No-22_W0QQitemZ160375647632QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_VintageComputing_RL?hash=item2557222d90

johnny · 19:12, 20 February 10

I've downloaded jl-copy. How can I record it to the tape? My cpc is 464.
How to extract files from dsk container? Which tools can help me?

Cholo · 20:59, 20 February 10

Ah yes that is a bit comlex thing to do.
Here is a Wav of JL-Copy instead:
http://share.cpcwiki.eu/790305

You can play it back from pc or cd-r/player and onto a tape recorder. Or play it directly with one of those cd-to-tape car-adapters like:
http://www.play.com/Electronics/Electronics/4-/10502032/Accessory-Agents-Stereo-iPod-MP3-Cassette-Adapter/Product.html

Not that you need it now but Managedsk is a good program to handle files on Dsk.

How to get files from DSK disc format to CDT/TZX/WAV format. Actually JL-copy can do that for you while inside a emulator. First run JL-copy from Dsk. Choose input as Disc and output Tape. Then Read the file you want from disc and when it starts recording the file back to tape, you can record it to wav using something like Goldwave or similar program.
Also there are a few tape format converter programs like tzx3wav (tzx = cdt format but just has been renamed so you can use the tool on amstrad cdt files easy).

johnny · 08:25, 16 March 10

OK, I saved some games with JL-copy. Now I see I need to copy blocks with the same names, for example first I copy 2 blocks "oh mummy", and then 18 blocks "mummy1". And it works.
But I can't to copy games: ARKANOID, ANTIRIAD, and more ...
First block named "arkanoid" is OK to copy (with JL-copy), second block named "! !" (looks like this) is quasi OK to copy - JL-copy load this block (very short block) and save this, and after that it doesn't read any blocks more. Arkanoid from wav file succesfully loads and runs through the cassette-adapter. How can I copy this wav to cassette with 464 datacorder?
I'd like to save some games on my original datacorder. It's better quality, and games simply load from my new casette without problems.
Thanks for new help.

Cholo · 19:58, 16 March 10

Well, looks like you got things going alright

Best would probably be if you somehow could somehow get you hands on a old cassette recorder. Like a small tabletop one, or even a small "radio-gettoblaster" with 2 cassette players/recorder. I think Sony was still selling those cheapy £10-ish tabletop-recorders a shot while back. Getting a tape-2-tape radio is a pretty safe bet (even if it dosnt have a jack in you can always use the adapter in the first player and record back on the other). Personally i got a brand new Sony walkman with jack in and build in microphone. Alas it does work but the build in mike cannot be shut off, even when recording from the jack in .. so i do get lot of background noise .. but still a working copy.

Anyways that would make thing a lot faster for you especially as you want to copy protected games. Arkanoid is indeed protected with speedlock and JL-copy cant cope with that at all. Im guessing that a good 60-80% of all the CDTs you will meet are protected, so you really need a way to copy direct to tape.

How to recognise a protected tape: instead of the "normal" block loading, it starts with just 1-2 blocks and the you get those odd noises that make the screen border "roll" with colour stripes. Note that some protections are so good that you may even have trouble recording back the game directly.

Antiriad isnt protected and you can use JL to copy it but its requires you to use the REC option. Only the first file is a block file with a name. The rest of the files are nameless RECords, and be aware that some of them are very small. So once you have make the copy of first block file, then press F to change from "file" to "rec" below in the menu. Then copy all the records one by one.

An idea: so what if you keep getting errors trying to copy a protected tape game and you really want that game on tape? Most disc DSK game online are actually cracked ones .. and many of them are actually cracks of the tape game, and then put on DSK to make it easier to play.

Like lets take Arkanoid. The first version i found had these files on the DSK:
- Arkanoi .bas
- Arkanoi0.dec
- Arkanoi1.scr
- Arkanoi2.bin

Note how they are numerized in what order they load. The BAS file is the Basic file loader (you can load"" and list that file too). Then the DEC file loads. Then the SCReen file loads and finally the Games BINary file. So to get this game to disc you can simply copy the files using JL-COPY in a pc-emulator and then save them back to CDT/WAV (or send the the signal to the amstrad adapter jack). I realise that this perhaps is a bit long way around and take a bit of work, but it works 99% of the time.

Tips on using JL-copy: When copying from tape-2-tape you dont have to fill in the names, as it works genericly. But to copy files from Disc (DSK) to tape you need to feed it the right names to load.

I just noticed that Markus has released a quite usefull tool here, that you might need:
http://cpcwiki.eu/forum/index.php/topic,605.0.html

Oh, and i got a few CDT uploaded here if you need (quite a lot of them are protected games tho):
http://www.4shared.com/dir/3596011/3b5f9dd7/sharing.html (Amstrad/tapes/cdt)

If you want all the CDTs in one go you can download them here in one file:
http://www.4shared.com/file/242593416/51dff7c1/AllInOne.html

Devilmarkus · 21:55, 16 March 10

Added your AllInOne file to CPCWiki flesharing!

http://share.cpcwiki.eu/307356

So it has no wait time and download speed restriction...

60 mb zip file with hundreds of CDT's:
http://share.cpcwiki.eu/186110

johnny · 07:36, 18 March 10

Thank you very much once again !
Splendid forum, excellent Cholo

News:

464 tape stop

johnny

johnny

johnny