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C2N Datasette won't work

R

Raven

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Mar 7, 2009
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Location
DE, USA..
I have a C2N with no software for it, so I haven't tested it until now. I've had it hooked up but never tried to do anything. Anywho, I decided to see what happened if I hit play on an old data tape I have around, hoping that perhaps it has data from when I had a C64 as a very young child. Anywho, I put the tape in, connected the C2N, turned on my C64. I typed "LOAD", hit enter, and tried all the buttons on the C2N - the only one that did anything functional was eject. The other mechanical features (play going down with record, stop making the play button jump up, etc.) all worked too, but no function, and no SAVE light when trying to record. As well, the tape wheels don't spin. I read on a site that checking the +5v line is a good thing to do, but I didn't do that yet (I'd have to locate my voltmeter).

Anybody have some input on this?
 
You could try to restart the computer, then press down Play, Rew or other key to see if the tape is moving. The computer will enable motor control when you LOAD or SAVE, but otherwise it should give continuous power to the Datasette. If the tape moves, you have a hardware fault in the C64. If it doesn't, you either have a problem with the 5V line or simply a dead C2N.
 
The tape doesn't move no matter what I do. I checked the unit on my C64 and my C64C, so it's probably the unit. I seem to recall having it light up and function at least to some basic degree though, in the past... what might have happened? Can I service the C2N?
 
You could check the cable for breaks, but I have a memory of the motor sometimes giving up the ghost. I don't know about the availability of C2N's in the USA, but over here in Europe they're very common and usually is something you throw in for free when you sell a C64. Only rarely you need to pay money to obtain another one. That said, you could have a look around if someone has a C2N to swap before you pursue advanced servicing, although of course it can be fun to try to repair it.
 
I got mine for free from cgrape2 (cost of shipping) as well as my C64C and a few other goodies. :D

Maybe I'll hunt down another sometime soon. Luckily I wasnt actively using it yet, so it's no loss until I find some games or T64 images that won't work on disks.
 
Cass units are very simple. Also, it had a little use while comparing against a deck or a boombox, so the motor is likely to work forever.

Plug it into a commodore and listen to the motor. If it runs but the tape doens't, then is likely you have a belt issue.
If you can't hear the mootor running, take the cass unit apart and check the motor
The motor is on the upper rigth. It take two wires, red and black.
Since motor supply is appart from the electronic supply (cass unit uses 5V regulated for the board and 6,4V non regulated for the motor) even if you made a mistake, you cannot damage the board of the cass unit.
With the cass unit unpluged from the C64, you can apply 6V CC to the motor (be carefull to apply the positive to the red and the negative to the black). But 5V or 7V is the same, this motors have an internal regulator. If the motor runs, the problems is the cable. If not, the motor is died.

Anyway motor is a very cheap and common boombox motor. The motor is 6V clockwise. You take it from an audio cass player which runs on 6V and uses a clockwise motor (counterclockwise won't work).
replacing it is very easy, only two screws ... but you will need to solder ... The worst thing is the speed adjust.
But you can bring the unit to a technician together with some comercial tape (a game). Since tapes have a pilot tone (around 3Khz) recorded at the begining, it is possbile to adjust the motor speed in order to get this. Any technician with an scope will be able to do this adjust in seconds.
 
What is the different between a clockwise and a counterclockwise motor? I can only assume that it's the placement of the brushes, but I'm not sure. It seems as though even if the brushes were slightly different you could still reverse the motor. Am I wrong?

Kyle
 
In the motor, the difference is the rotation direction. Like the clock or against it.
Internally, motor and circuit board (there is an electronic board inside the motor) are the same but, internal connection betwen circuit board and motor core is straigth in one and cross in another.
Any CW motor can be turned into a CCW cuting a pair or traces on the motor PCB and soldering a cuple of wires. The same to turn a CCW into a CW.

Pedro
 
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