The Codemasters CD was a compilation of games from Codemasters which came on a Audio CD, bundled with a special connection cable to connect an Audio CD Player to the Joystick Port. Since the computer can't boot from the Joystick Port, it also included boot software on cassette. The Codemasters CD was announced for ZX Spectrum, Commodore C64, and Amstrad CPC.
However, only the The '''Spectrum''' and '''Commodore''' versions seem to have been actually released, but - as far as known - the Amstrad version wasn't ever released. According to the Oliver Twins (the makers of the CD), the '''Amstrad CPC''' hardware did exist, too. Though this seems to have been only an unreleased prototype. == Pictures == <gallery>File:TheCdGamesPackForSpectrum128.jpg|Spectrum 128 versionFile:CodemastersCDforC64.jpg|Commodore 64 versionFile:NoPicture.gif|Amstrad CPC versionFile:Inside the adapter.jpg|Inside of plug/cableFile:OliverTwinsCodemastersCD.gif|Info from http://www.olivertwins.com/File:CodemastersCdOriginalCable.jpg|Cable Connectors</gallery> == ACU writes about Codemasters CD == <gallery>File:Codemasters CD Gamespack p1.jpg|ACU of March 1990 - page 20File:Codemasters CD Gamespack p2.jpg|ACU of March 1990 - page 21File:Codemasters CD Gamespack p3.jpg|ACU of March 1990 - page 22</gallery>
== Schematic ==
|\
| C---------- Joystick.Pin6 (Fire)
The above circuit was rev-engineered by measuring the resistance between the cable pins, but without opening (=destroying) the moulded plastic connector that houses the original circuit - so far, it isn't fully confirmed if the original cable does really contain the above components (not to mention that multimeter tests can't reveal any additional small capacitors).
The material of the connector is still unknown, but if it's soft/elastic then it should be extremly easy to peal off the plastic with a knife and pincers, for revealing what is really in there.
'''You are welcome to add your own results here if you like to combine research with some minor destruction!'''
== Audio Signals ==
Below screenshots are showing some interesting sections of the Tracks on a Codemasters CD (screenshots are based on WAV files, recorded from the Spectrum version).
* Theoretically the audio signals should contain perfect '''rectangular waveforms''' - the tested WAV files did contain some '''analog dirt''' (the source of that dirt is unknown, either the original CD was mastered using analog equipment, or the CD-to-WAV conversion was done using analog sound input - or both).
The loader asked the user to choose to use kempston or sinclair joystick interface.
A dissassembly of the Spectrum loader reveals the following:
* For kempston:Bit 4 (joystick fire) (pin6 on a atari-style kempston port) of port &1f is data.
* For sinclair: Bit 4 1 (joystick fireright/key '2') (pin6 on amstrad's non-atari-style spectrum +2 joystick port) of port &1f f7fe is data.
For sinclairThe loader is patched according to the interface chosen and appears to be a modified version of the normal cassette loading functions in the Spectrum BIOS.It seems to load the standard tape data structure:pilot, sync byte, data bytes and checksum byte. The loader uses only 1 bit (mono).
Bit 1 The CD capacity is said to be "12 Megs" (joystick right/key '2'presumably meaning 12 Megabit = 60 tracks with 25Kbytes each) of port &f7fe is data.
The loader is patched according to the interface chosen and appears to be a modified Spectrum ROM loader.It seems to load the standard tape data structure: pilot, sync byte, data bytes and checksum byte. The cable is most likely to be mono, because only 1-bit is used for loading. No info if/how the stereo signal is used. The cable does reportedly contain a 1bit A/D converter, which is probably a single transistor or so (so it's mono, not stereo?). The CD capacity is said to be "12 Megs" (presumably meaning 12 Megabit = 60 tracks with 25Kbytes each). It is more quite probable that the Amstrad loader is similar to the Spectrum loader:
1. The CPC has same CPU as the Spectrum
2. The CPC already has a number of loaders based directly on the Spectrum ROM loader, so a conversion of this loader to CPC would be easy.
== Links ==
* httphttps://wwwworldofspectrum.kjthacker.f2s.comorg/docs/audiocd2.html - DIY - '''caution:''' has a review about the disclaimer on that webpage says that it is '''not''' based on the real Codemasters CD - so it may be totally incompatible to the original Codemasters CD - also, Kevin has confirmed that it's an '''untested''' and '''unfinished''' DIY projectSpectrum version
* http://worldofspectrum.org/ - has a review about the Spectrum version - which conflicts with the DIY info (the Spectrum review implies it contains a mono 1-bit A/D converter, not a stereo connection without A/D converter) (the A/D converter - if it does exist - might refer to something simple, like a transistor) * httphttps://www.olivertwins.com/ - according to this webpage, the Oliver Twins created "The CD Games Pack" in December 1989, for Amstrad CPC, Spectrum, and Commodore 64, published by Codemasters * http://www.speccy.org/trastero/cosas/JL/CableCD/CableCD.html Testing the wire of the CD Games Pack for Spectrum. Whether or not the Amstrad CPC version was actually released is a bit unclear. Did anybody ever see it for real? == Pictures == <gallery>File:TheCdGamesPackForSpectrum128.jpg|Spectrum 128 versionFile:CodemastersCDforC64.jpg|Commodore 64 versionFile:NoPicture.gif|Amstrad CPC versionFile:NoPicture.gif|Inside of plug/cableFile:OliverTwinsCodemastersCD.gif|Info from http://www.olivertwins.com/File:CodemastersCdOriginalCable.jpg|Cable Connectors</gallery>
* https://www.speccy.org/trastero/cosas/JL/CableCD/CableCD.html Rev-engineering the wire of the CD Games Pack for Spectrum.
[[Category:Compilation]] [[Category:Games]] [[Category:Vaporware]] [[Category:DATA Storage]]