German Magazine - Type-Ins - Computronic

Mike · Post by **Mike** » Wed Mar 16, 2011 1:22 pm

16KVIC20 wrote:I would like to type some in at the very least and save them to tape.

I don't get it.

I mean, all the hard work's already been done by tokra - namely typing in the programs. He made them available in the most compact way, as a 1:1 memory dump, i.e. a *.prg file.

You seriously want to: load them into VICE, export them as text data (in a way orion70 described), and then *type* them in once again on the real VIC-20 just to be able to save them to tape?

Besides, you'll be show stopped on the two listings as soon as you get to the quoted numbers in angle braces (like {221}). These correspond to characters typed in with the C= key, though the detokenizer used here is not very helpful to indicate, which key should be pressed together with C=.

16KVIC20 · Post by **16KVIC20** » Wed Mar 16, 2011 1:35 pm

Well I did say I was going to try Orion70's method of turning them into WAV files and recording them. I haven't got a SD device, nor will I likely get one.

Also consider this, typing in a program is part of the 8 Bit experience, and i may even learn something from it. I am the first to admit though that I would probably prefer loading it in reality though.

Mike · Post by **Mike** » Wed Mar 16, 2011 1:48 pm

Also consider this, typing in a program is part of the 8 Bit experience, and i may even learn something from it. I am the first to admit though that I would probably prefer loading it in reality though.

Thank you, I have had enough of this part regarding the 8-bit experience.

Seriously, if you want to relive this in a hardcore way, just try (re-)typing in DEFENDER, here you find the listing scans.

Mayhem · Post by **Mayhem** » Wed Mar 16, 2011 2:57 pm

Easier way though, given most programs are multi-part:

- add PRG files to a virtual disk image using DirMaster or similar (what I did for using them in GB20)
- boot up Vice, attach the disk image
- create and attach a TAP file in Vice
- load each file in turn and then virtually save it to tape in Vice
- repeat for each file needed per program

You could just do it for one TAP, so you'd have the entire Computronic library, in order.

16KVIC20 · Post by **16KVIC20** » Wed Mar 16, 2011 9:58 pm

Thanks Mayhem.

16KVIC20 · Post by **16KVIC20** » Wed Mar 16, 2011 9:59 pm

Mike wrote:
Also consider this, typing in a program is part of the 8 Bit experience, and i may even learn something from it. I am the first to admit though that I would probably prefer loading it in reality though.
Thank you, I have had enough of this part regarding the 8-bit experience.

Seriously, if you want to relive this in a hardcore way, just try (re-)typing in DEFENDER, here you find the listing scans.

I haven't got defender, so could be useful.

orion70 · Post by **orion70** » Fri Mar 18, 2011 1:10 am

The way indicated by Mayhem is very similar to mine. 16KVIC20, if you succeed in transforming TAP files into WAVs and they work with a regular VIC, it would be great if you could describe here how exactly you did it - I'd like to re-create some tapes for my 8-bit, hardcore, slow-loading experience (or just for the fun of it

).
In particular, I have found some TAPs here, which I'd like to put back on cassette tapes, because I have the magazines - of course being Italian it's mostly pirated stuff

.

16KVIC20 · Post by **16KVIC20** » Fri Mar 18, 2011 4:43 am

Hi Orion70. I will definitely be giving this a go. At the moment we have the builders in, for the next few weeks, so don't expect anything too quick.

I can't speak Italian, but I do have A Level Spanish and French, which means I can read some Italian, and take a pretty good guess at some of the rest of it. There is also some that I don't understand too, but I'll give it a go.

orion70 · Post by **orion70** » Fri Mar 18, 2011 9:35 am

Thanks! Take a look at the Edicola64 website, there's some funny stuff also (better: mainly) for the C64. I'm at your disposal should you have problems with the Italian text

.

16KVIC20 · Post by **16KVIC20** » Wed Apr 06, 2011 7:11 am

orion70 wrote:In theory, you could:

1- Open the game(s) with xVIC (VICE)
2- Create a new TAP image and attach it
3- Save the game(s) into this new TAP
4- Convert the TAP file to WAV via existing software tools

I've never tried this way, but nothing more than a tape recorder is needed..

Hi Orion 70. I thought I'd give your suggestion a go. Unfortunately when I click on the download, I get a 404 error.

I have also tried downloading WAV - PRG and Audiotap. Unless I am being very thick (quite possible!) or have missed something there seem to be 2 allegedly different windows downloads for WAV - PRG, which seem to be identical in fact. They mostly consist of notepad files and internet links, and no way to make the program actually work. The Audiotap download, is the same files again for a third time.
I din't have much time to have a look, but so far this doesn't seem hopeful. I will give it another go when I get a chance. In the meantime, do you, or anyone else, have any ideas?

16KVIC20 · Post by **16KVIC20** » Wed Apr 06, 2011 8:06 am

Mayhem wrote:Easier way though, given most programs are multi-part:

- add PRG files to a virtual disk image using DirMaster or similar (what I did for using them in GB20)
- boot up Vice, attach the disk image
- create and attach a TAP file in Vice
- load each file in turn and then virtually save it to tape in Vice
- repeat for each file needed per program

You could just do it for one TAP, so you'd have the entire Computronic library, in order.

I gave this a go too Mayhem. Maybe I'm being thick here too. I managed to save the files for the Biathlon program "Duesi and Duesi 2". I exported them to VICE, and they showed up as 5 1/2 disc icons, as did many of my other programs. When I tried to attach them as disk images, I got an error saying that I couldn't do that. If I tried to autostart, I got a load of garbage and an undefined statement error. Can anybody point me in the right direction? All other programs in that format loaded fine, eg Hell Gate.

Mayhem · Post by **Mayhem** » Wed Apr 06, 2011 2:09 pm

Disk images have a suffix of D64. Get yourself a copy of DirMaster and perform these steps:

- Disk -> New -> D64
- File -> Import
- Locate the PRG file you want and hit OPEN (eg. DUESI.PRG)
- Repeat for every other PRG file you need to add
- Disk -> Save

Then attach THIS d64 file you've created into Vice.

16KVIC20 · Post by **16KVIC20** » Wed Apr 06, 2011 3:57 pm

Thanks Mayhem, I will try tofind time for this tomorrow. Anyway, I'll let you know when I've tried it. Thanks!

16KVIC20 · Post by **16KVIC20** » Fri Apr 08, 2011 2:02 am

I haven't been able to try the DirMaster technique yet, but I do have a bit of an update.

I found a Program designed for ZX Spectrum tape preservation which also seems to support .PRG files. I have been able to input .PRG files, and play them using the software as audio. All I need to do now is attach my Sony shoebox cassette deck with the cassette cable for my Spectrum +3 (stereo one end, mono the other) and record what is produced. Then the acid test, try loading the tape from the C2N into a real VIC 20.

No time to do it today, but I'll be reporting back.

16KVIC20 · Post by **16KVIC20** » Tue Apr 12, 2011 3:56 pm

A further update. I have used WinTZX, from this ZX Spectrum site: http://www.worldofspectrum.org/utilities.html

to convert .PRG files into wav files.

I connected my sony Shoebox tape deck to the headphone socket of my multimedia speakers using my Spectrum +3 loading cable(stereo end to the speakers, mono end to mic on the tape deck.)

In the WinTZX program, I browsed, selected a program, and then pressed the big green play button. I was asked where it should convert from, I always enter 0 to 0. I tried Turboload on Skyhawk, but it didn't work, but Skyhawk didn't work in normal mode either. The prompt will also ask Both, Kernel, or Turbo, deselect both, by clicking on kernel. Start the casstte running and then press the green tick button. It will then record. I was able to record and load "Abductor" and "Metagalactic Llamas Battle at the Edge of Time" in this manner. For all those in any doubt, I actually loaded these onto my real VIC 20, using a C2N tape deck and it worked fine. I cranked my sound card up to maximum volume before recording began.

The only weird thing is that when loading the "Found" message produced a rather garbled version of the program title name, usually combined with some of the keyboard graphics, but 2 games worked fine. 2 out of 3 ain't bad.