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General Category => Amstrad CPC hardware => Topic started by: protek on 08:23, 29 April 14

Title: Making a datassette lead for CPC6128
Post by: protek on 08:23, 29 April 14
I'm thinking about making a datassette lead. The connector and the basic idea is pretty straightforward but a few clarifying questions.

Does it matter, whether I connect remote to pin 1 or pin 3?
Pin 4: data input is ear and pin 5: data output is mic, right?
Title: Re: Making a datassette lead for CPC6128
Post by: Bryce on 08:27, 29 April 14
Remote should have two wires and needs to be connected to pins 1 AND 3, otherwise it doesn't work.

Ear and mic is as you stated.

Bryce.
Title: Re: Making a datassette lead for CPC6128
Post by: protek on 09:17, 29 April 14
Quote from: Bryce on 08:27, 29 April 14
Remote should have two wires and needs to be connected to pins 1 AND 3, otherwise it doesn't work.
Meaning that if you have a shielded wire, you connect the core to one pin and the shield to other pin, and nothing to ground?
Title: Re: Making a datassette lead for CPC6128
Post by: Bryce on 09:19, 29 April 14
No, the remote pins are the two sides of a normally open switch. Neither should be connected to gnd or a shield. Two normal wires should be connected to each pin.

Bryce.
Title: Re: Making a datassette lead for CPC6128
Post by: protek on 09:32, 29 April 14
Ok, thanks!  :)
Title: Re: Making a datassette lead for CPC6128
Post by: Bryce on 10:04, 29 April 14
Just to explain it in more detail, here's how the remote signal works. The CPC side is a software controlled relay with the two sides of a normally open switch going to the cassette port. Neither side of this switch is connected to 5V or GND (for a good reason), ie: a completely passive switch.
On the cassette player side, one of the wires going to the motor is "broken" and goes to the remote socket. Re-connecting them (with the CPCs relay) starts the motor. However, whether the cassette player "breaks" the positive wire or the negative wire is unknown. And more importantly, the motor voltage is unknown, it may be using a 9V or 12V motor. That's why the CPC side needs to be completely passive and definitely not connected to 5V or GND!

Bryce.


Title: Re: Making a datassette lead for CPC6128
Post by: pelrun on 11:25, 29 April 14
And then you do something silly like I've done, and wire up the cable so it treats the remote signal like an android headset button, so I can pause playback of tape files from my phone :D
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