A friend of mine has aquired a CPC464 but cannot get any noise out the tape deck, all seems to work fine but no sound at all. I heard about a sound mod, anyone care to explain, or even know what could be wrong here?
Do a keyboard sound test (DEL DEL DEL), test also with jack.
If game run and keyboard sound run, it is just a link between tape and speaker that was removed (see 464 schematic > tape port sound)
On some machines, do plug a jack shut down speakers (I don't know if it is the case with Amstrad)
Nothing loads at all, no matter what, he's getting sound out of it, just no data/noise out the tape player
Need more info: Does the keyboard work ok? Does the tape turn properly? Can it record? (save a prog and play back on a normal tape-deck to test this).
Bryce.
Keyboard works, tape turns but ill check with him on the saving of progs, ill report back
http://amstrad.eu/modules/smartsection/item.php?itemid=102 (http://amstrad.eu/modules/smartsection/item.php?itemid=102)
Last time I saw a 464, I plug my mp3 player on it...
It's encouraged encoding tapes to mp3
It's just to know that some games did pause tape, as fruity frank during apple display, so that you have to play 2 times the fruity frank mp3 in order to load it
If it is a CPC 464 Plus no sounds of tape are released. Is it the white CPC?
Quote from: freemac on 21:25, 17 December 11
It's encouraged encoding tapes to mp3
I tried that, but didn't succeed. Could never get it working. Finally I thought that maybe the mp3 just needed a special kind of encoding I didn't know about, so gave up.
The sample rate would need to be pretty high to get a CPC to understand it (improves the high frequency clarity). So the MP3 file would be rather large, but there's no reason why it shouldn't work.
Bryce.
Following on from Bryce's comments, I found a guide on the internet a few months back (http://www.cpctech.org.uk/docs/cdtconv.html (http://www.cpctech.org.uk/docs/cdtconv.html)) about using VOC files to load tape software that works for me. To summarise, I download the CDT file, use playtzx to convert it to a VOC file (I tend to use 44100Hz sample rate but the example shows 22050Hz and then play the VOC file using Goldwave with the tape connection plugged into my headphone socket and the tape mod of my 6128+. The only thing I found was I needed the windows and GoldWave volumes turned up to 100%. Attached it a picture of it loading Batman.
Quoteand the tape mod of my 6128+
You added "tape drive management" components into your 6128PLUS ?
Quote from: MacDeath on 14:47, 19 December 11
You added "tape drive management" components into your 6128PLUS ?
Alas it wasn't me, the downgrade(?) was there when I bought the machine a few months back but I thought I should try it out to make sure it worked. :D
It's in the wiki http://cpcwiki.eu/index.php/DIY_Plus_Tape_Socket (http://cpcwiki.eu/index.php/DIY_Plus_Tape_Socket)
I did that diagram for someone here a while back, it's a very easy mod to do. Whoever did the mod on beakers CPC did a really nice job of it, very neat.
Bryce.
Seems to work very well :D
Just to check, that wasn't also the best place to mount the USB Mouse internally was it?
Yes, it probably was the only place in fact.
Bryce.
Quote from: Bryce on 15:04, 21 December 11
Yes, it probably was the only place in fact.
Do'h! :'( What's the solution, unsolder the USB connector and mount that on the case then use wires back to the USB Mouse PCB that I can locate in another section of the case? A bit cheecky but if you're still building them and that is the solution, would it be possible to supply one with the USB not connected unless that's going to cause an issue testing it before you send it out of course?
Beaker
I'll see if I have a panel mountable USB socket lying about. If I have I'll use that with a few short flyleads, or if not a standard socket on flyleads. Electrically, there's no problem having the socket far from the PCB.
Bryce.
Quote from: Bryce on 23:13, 21 December 11
I'll see if I have a panel mountable USB socket lying about. If I have I'll use that with a few short flyleads, or if not a standard socket on flyleads. Electrically, there's no problem having the socket far from the PCB.
Cool thanks :D . Sorry for being a pain in the arse.
Beaker
Quote from: MiguelSky on 21:33, 17 December 11If it is a CPC 464 Plus no sounds of tape are released. Is it the white CPC?
I discovered that too. I don't like it. There's something comforting about being able to hear the tape noises...
Nostalgic, too!
Quote from: ralferoo on 17:24, 26 December 11
I discovered that too. I don't like it. There's something comforting about being able to hear the tape noises...
Then, the yours is a Plus one? One Point for me !! :P
Mate just tried saving a small program, played back in stereo, very faint sound and would not load back in. Its a standard CPC464 btw
This might seem brain-numbingly obvious, but have you cleaned the tape heads at all?
Bryce.
He has, and attempted to align, all the obvious fixes have been tried
Oh, those fatal words....attempted to align... That may be the reason it's so quite now...
What alignment method was used?
Bryce.
Cool tool to find good azimuth location for tape-head:
http://www.cpc-power.com/index.php?page=detail&num=6091 (http://www.cpc-power.com/index.php?page=detail&num=6091)
An actual azimuth cassette with the proper screwdriver, wouldnt pick up anything. One point thats maybe worthy of note is that when saving he heard a very faint data noise
It's difficult to analyse the problem much further without having the hardware, but it sounds like it needs someone with the right equipment and the CPC to take a look at it.
Bryce.
Is there no sound modification then? Im sure I read somewhere about it (of course I could be wrong)
Define sound modification? A hardware mod for the sound chip / cassette player?
Bryce.
If the CPC's sound is coming through okay then the sound amplifier chip, which according to the schematics I'm looking at is an LA4140, must be okay.
If you can't hear the sound from the tape deck and it won't load or save either, I'd replace the LA6324. A bog-standard LM324 should do the job just as well. Also check for dry joints or leaky capacitors on the tape deck PCB.
Not easy to do head azimuth adjustments on a mono deck, is it? Stereo decks are easier! I just hope the alignment isn't now shot to sh*t :laugh:
Im not sure about the mod, just heard about it somewhere because apparently (from what I have heard) the 464 is prone for it (allegedly)
Regarding Azimuth, correct me if im wrong but if it was fully tightened, isnt the old rule of one and half revolutions back usually in the right ball park?
Quote from: Macc on 16:29, 06 January 12
Im not sure about the mod, just heard about it somewhere because apparently (from what I have heard) the 464 is prone for it (allegedly)
Regarding Azimuth, correct me if im wrong but if it was fully tightened, isnt the old rule of one and half revolutions back usually in the right ball park?
I've never heard of a sound mod for a 464 so can't comment.
As for the azimuth adjustment, I guess it depends on the mechanism, and no two tape mechanisms are the same! Bear in mind that the range where it would actually work is pretty small, to a test tape is the only real way to do it.
The LA4140 only amplifies the signal going to the speaker. If it broke there would be no sound to the speaker, but the game would still load. The LA6324 amplifies the data stream going into the CPC. Either one of these could be damaged or both. It could also be a leaky capacitor (C315 or C318 are likely candidates) that's pulling the supply voltage to the Op-Amp down too low or transistor Q301 (Playhead pre-Amp). Another possible fault could be dirt on the Play/Record switch (SW301) which you should probably clean anyway just to check, because it's the easiest fix.
Bryce.
Quote from: Bryce on 17:05, 06 January 12
The LA4140 only amplifies the signal going to the speaker. If it broke there would be no sound to the speaker, but the game would still load. The LA6324 amplifies the data stream going into the CPC. Either one of these could be damaged or both. It could also be a leaky capacitor (C315 or C318 are likely candidates) that's pulling the supply voltage to the Op-Amp down too low or transistor Q301 (Playhead pre-Amp). Another possible fault could be dirt on the Play/Record switch (SW301) which you should probably clean anyway just to check, because it's the easiest fix.
Bryce.
Thanks Bryce, thats some food for thought, ill pass that information on.
Quote from: Devilmarkus on 16:37, 05 January 12
Cool tool to find good azimuth location for tape-head:
http://www.cpc-power.com/index.php?page=detail&num=6091 (http://www.cpc-power.com/index.php?page=detail&num=6091)
Hey, cool tool!
Btw, did we all have the same cassette with the chopper game on the reverse side? :)