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disk drive compatibility

EyesOfShiva

EyesOfShiva

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Feb 6, 2022
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I recently got this Vic 20 and have not been able to get the official commodore data set. I was curious to know if any other cassette drives areIMG_20220225_144049_718.jpg compatible as i have a bunch of cassettes coming in the mail, any feedback will be appreciated.
 
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A normal tape recorder or one made for another computer system won't work. The commodore drive is digital with a custom connector
Any of the Commodore tape drives with the right connector will work which are the C2N and 1530 drives. The 1531 will only work with the connector adapter.
blog.hutchins1.net

Commodore Cassette Drives

Commodore Data Cassette Recorders
blog.hutchins1.net blog.hutchins1.net

Commodore datasettes are common on EBay for as low as ~$20 but due to their age they are unlikely to work until you replace the drive belt inside.
There's also a device called MP32C64 that will let you use a normal audio cassette player or any audio source.
 
Of course, there are also a few C2N emulators that work and make life so much easier.

But real hardware is always desirable too :)
 
He's getting real tapes, so a C2N emulator would be of no use. Wonder why those even exist..? I mean, why would anyone use a C2N emulator instead of an 1541 emulator? Were there ANY games released on tape only?
 
Timo W. said:
He's getting real tapes, so a C2N emulator would be of no use. Wonder why those even exist..? I mean, why would anyone use a C2N emulator instead of an 1541 emulator? Were there ANY games released on tape only?
Click to expand...

Well, when he has the tapes he can then save them back to an emulator, but I bet it would be actually easier to download a TAP file of them instead (unless they are unique). Just making sure they were aware of the options :)

As to why bother and not use a disk emulator, who knows.
 
EyesOfShiva said:
I recently got this Vic 20 and have not been able to get the official commodore data set. I was curious to know if any other cassette drives areView attachment 1238976 compatible as i have a bunch of cassettes coming in the mail, any feedback will be appreciated.
Click to expand...

Where are you from EyesofShiva? I have three official datasettes (VIC-20, C-64, and Plus/4) that I am ready to trash.
 
Another thing to watch out for is that many cassettes used a foam pad for the pad to hold the tape to the head. These foam pads are usually rotted and will make a mess of your tape if you try to play that tape. I recommend opening the cassettes up and look to see if it has a foam pad. If so, these can be replaced with a small piece of felt instead ( as is found in some cassettes ). Make sure the capstan is clean and that the roller is also clean. If either sticks to the tape, it will make a mess.
Of course, when opening the tape up, be careful to not unspool the tapes. When things are working well, do not store tapes that are rewound by fast forward or fast rewind. Always use the play mode to get a clean smooth wrap. Even tiny warps in the tape are much worse for digital than audio listening.
Dwight
 
Dwight Elvey said:
Another thing to watch out for is that many cassettes used a foam pad for the pad to hold the tape to the head. These foam pads are usually rotted and will make a mess of your tape if you try to play that tape. I recommend opening the cassettes up and look to see if it has a foam pad. If so, these can be replaced with a small piece of felt instead ( as is found in some cassettes ). Make sure the capstan is clean and that the roller is also clean. If either sticks to the tape, it will make a mess.
Of course, when opening the tape up, be careful to not unspool the tapes. When things are working well, do not store tapes that are rewound by fast forward or fast rewind. Always use the play mode to get a clean smooth wrap. Even tiny warps in the tape are much worse for digital than audio listening.
Dwight
Click to expand...
thanls for the advice i will definitely keep that in mind
 
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