Problems on TAP creation

[nbla000]

HI, I've discovered on Ebay my favorite games for Vic-20, Trout by Syrius in original cassette.
The game works well on my real Vic-20 but now i want to convert it in TAP file to preserve it and to share this game with the community because i don't find this game in any place.
I've bought an X1531 cable and an adaptor 1531/C2N datassette. Reading a lot of info i'm using MTAP v0.36 in RealDOS.
I launch these commands:
CWSDPMI
MTAP -b 10 -vicpal tapname.tap
the process finish successfully.
When i test it on the VICE the file seems unredable, there are a lot of LOAD ERROR etc etc, i've retested the entire process 10 times with differents datassettes/cassettes but nothing change, may be the cables+adapter that is not compatible with mtap? i need a 1531 datassette without 1531>C2N adaptor? any suggest?

[ral-clan]

HI, I've discovered on Ebay my favorite games for Vic-20, Trout by Syrius in original cassette.
The game works well on my real Vic-20 but now i want to convert it in TAP file to preserve it and to share this game with the community because i don't find this game in any place.
I've bought an X1531 cable and an adaptor 1531/C2N datassette. Reading a lot of info i'm using MTAP v0.36 in RealDOS.

Sorry, it's been a couple years since I used my 1530 to PC cable. It's a little foggy, but I remember I did get a lot of load errors. Finally I was able to make an error free copy of a tape....I believe I might have had to change the byte order or something. It was one of the settings available to MTAP. I had to play with the settings quite a bit to get it to work. Even then, occassionally I would get load errors.

But wait, I just re-read and understand you are using the Plus/4 1531 datasette. Didn't that one use a slightly different frequency or something?

[nbla000]

I don't use a 1531 datassette but a C2N (1530) datassette using the X1531+1531-C2N adapter, in any case MTAP support the 1530 and the 1531 datassettes and i don't think is a problem of frequencies because i know that it's possible to get Vic-20 cassettes with a 1531 datassette i'm sure.

[Mayhem]

Firstly isn't the game actually of US origin? Perhaps you need to specify VICNTSC in the command line instead of VICPAL therefore. Personally I've not actually tried seeing if it makes a difference though.

I use the X1531 cable plus a 1531 here and I get perfect TAPs made, give or take the occasional need to adjust the alignment slightly for a few due to weak signals. On the other hand I use a 486 native DOS PC. Are you running this through native DOS, or a DOS box in Windows? The latter is liable to be prone to interference (it certainly interferes with Star Commander).

As a last resort, send the tape to me and I'll do it for you

(and yes you're right, I don't have a copy of the game in GB20 so I'd like to include it. As I look at eBay every day, I'd be interested in seeing a link to the auction as I missed it somehow then myself)

[carlsson]

No idea about X1531 and MTAP, but using the old fashioned WAV way, I found that NTSC and PAL settings make a difference (or rather, software hard-coded for NTSC didn't load the program properly until I went into the source and modified the code).

[nbla000]

I've bought the cassette on UK and is PAL, in my real PAL Vic-20 works well with 3 differents C2N datassettes, using these 3 datasettes in native DOS and MTAP i've TAPs that doesn't work on VICE, my PC is a PIV 3200 Prescott MB ASUS with integrated parallel and midi ports, such i've tested a lot of other cassettes i think that or i'm very unlucky or there is a problem. The command it's correct and works well, i think that the problem may be on the Parallel port MODE (i've ECP 0378 DMA 03) must be EPP or bidirectional?
I use a X1531 cable+1531-C2N adaptor may be the adaptor a problem? i think that the adaptor only connect wires from the flat C2N connector to 1531 minidin connector but if may be a problem i may buy a 1531 Datassette.

I use the X1531 cable instead of the WAV way because in a lot of documents it's considered the best way and because i've no more cassette players (CD/MP3/IPOD......)

Mayhem sorry i've no more the ebay's link but i remeber that was a cassette lot without titles on caption and body and with only a photo where i've discovered trout and other sysius original games, so true lucky....

[Mayhem]

I can only really suggest getting a 1531 datasette and going native on the connection between the two. And make sure it's cleaned well and aligned properly if possible. I can't remember what the parallel port settings need to be, I'll check tonight on my machine. I have two parallel cards in my 486, one for the 1541 and one for the 1531.

[nbla000]

Last reports on this week-end:

I've done a MIDI-->PS2 adaptor to take power from the mouse port instead of the MIDI port but i've the same problems...

In real DOS using MTAP+C64+Datassette+XE1541 cable
and this command:
MTAP -b 20 -xe -vicpal file.tap
i've problems anyway, i've tested a lot of cassettes and changed all the LPT1 mode on BIOS (Normal/Bidirectional/ECP/EPP) but nothing

The XE1541 works well with the 1541-II / 1581 and Star Commander so the cable is OK and since i've problems with the X1531 and XE1541 i think that the problem may be the PC, the P4 3200 prescott 1GB ram may be too fast for MTAP?

Another question using the monitor of the TAPEIO.exe tool of the C64S emulator in DOS Mode seems that the waves are low but the real vic read all the cassettes that i've tried to dump anyone has a PrintScreen of the normal Waves?

[Mayhem]

My port settings for the second LPT port I use for MTAP is actually PS/2 so I guess that works, whatever it is. Maybe we can rule that out if you tried a PS2 adapter yourself.

(the first is for the parallel 1541 connection which is set to ECC)

I take it then that you are trying to run this through Windows, and not native DOS? Admitedly I've not tried MTAP that way, I did try StarCom and failed on the P4 PC I have, hence the continued existance and maintenance of the 486 I have for such transfers.

[nbla000]

I've used a laptop of my friend (PIII 500) and all is gone well, thus does a fast PC may be a problem?

HERE you may found these Vic-20 original games:
Chopper
Milliped
Multi-Tron
Star Force
Trout

Now the phase B:
I want at least for Trout to play these games to a Floppy but are protected, someone know how it possible to deprotect them (at least Trout) or there is a modified alternate version in other languages too?

[carlsson]

I successfully single-filed Chopper (elementary), Milliped and Multi-Tron. I'll try Star Force later, if noone else does. Trout loads, but I can't figure out how to start it? Does it require paddles?

[nbla000]

Trout is a very beautiful game, it's my best vic-20 game and i hope to play it via Drive 1541/1581 on my real Vic-20 the tape is too much important and i want to preserve it for a long-time....

When you see the Start Screen you must press F5 or F7 to load another part of tape and to play the game via Joystick, pressing F5 or F7 change the Trout Color, Red or Yellow, i don't remember if there is other differences....

[carlsson]

Space Force (wrongly mislabeled as Star Force) also single-filed.

Currently playing through Trout to find how complex it is. As you said, beautiful game with soft scrolling, large sprite-like characters, multicolour etc. Not sure how to avoid enemies once they come too close though.

It appears to load in a lot of chunks, and not always is there a tape header to get information from. It will take some more time to analyze.

[Bacon]

Space Force (wrongly mislabeled as Star Force)

When is something rightly mislabeled?

[carlsson]

In the case the software company thought their name is better than what the programmer himself calls his game. The software company may have means to skip the credits screen of the game, to not confuse the buyer.