Tapuino, the $20 C64 Tape Emulator

(I can't paste any links since they will trigger moderation, so posting again.)

Hi inagy! I spoke to you via the comments on my YouTube video. I look forward to seeing your Tapuino built and working!
Thanks! I've just ordered the parts on eBay. Hopefully they will arrive soon.

Awesome news!

I seem to remember reading somewhere that wiring the output from a datasette to the input of another wouldn't work without inverting, although I may be wrong!
I think you are right. On c64tapes (dot) org wiki you can read the following in the analyzing_loaders article:
NOTE about the Hardware: a thing to point out is that during a SAVE operation, on the WRITE line of the Datasette port, “pulse length” is intended as the time distance between two consecutive low-high transitions. During a LOAD operation, pulse length is the time distance between two consecutive high-low transitions, since the 6526 READ line triggers on negative edges. In other words, the signal from C2N to C64 is the negative version of the one from C64 to C2N. That's why tape duplication hardware consists in an inverter (with a bjt and 2 resistors used in a common emitter scheme): the signal from the C2N performing LOAD, intended for being sent to C64, needs being inverted before being sent to the C2N doing the SAVE operation.

Ah that would explain the circuit in the picture, I was wondering what the transistor was for.

It would also be a cool idea to add the ability to read cassettes into tap files directly on the tapuino, although at this point we may be asking too much from the little Atmega chip lol

Saving from the C64's RAM to the SD card already works. I don't see why it would not work when the deck sends the signal not the C64. It's the same thing if we consider the protocol, it's just a different source.

Yes this would definately be possible. I think that building an adapater from vero board and a Datasette connector might work, the track size looks like it might fit.
Then we would be in business.

As far as the code goes I've got the repeat functionality in but that has caused some other unexpected changes that I have to work through in the display code.
I'm going to change all the timing based stuff to use the new system timer that is in and that should fix the issues.
 
New build is up with repeat. Please test it out :)
Play with the timing values in config.h if the repeat or ticker is too fast or slow.
Make a backup of your current build, I haven't tested this out too much.

Enjoy
-(e)
 
I've started looking up the components in local stores.
Am i correct that the buttons have to be momentary switches? So these are not on/off switches which are locking into either position by pushing them once; contact is only made while you are holding them.
Also i will go with the mountable buttons stephenfalken is using. As is see these has only two legs instead of 6 which are mentioned in Peter's build. Is this correct?
 
Yes, the switches / buttons must be momentary. The ones I used have 4 legs, but that is just for mounting purposes.

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Stephen: had a chance to test yet? I'm going to work on being able to name the save files next.

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Hi mate I haven't had chance yet but might get round to it tomorrow! Been a bit busy.

Look forward to tryin it though!


Stephen: had a chance to test yet? I'm going to work on being able to name the save files next.

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Good stuff ☺I've been speaking to a mate of mine and he might be able to help me build one of those tape to tape copier boards. I'll let you know how that goes. If anyone reading this has one for sale I'd love to buy it...

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I've seen that article and instead of doing all the mods, if you have that form of Datasette, we could wire an alternative connector for the Tapuino that matches that pin out and then add conversion in software.

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Hi, I've been thinking about this some more and if I can build a male connector out of copper board then we should be able to plug the Tapuino into the C64 with a dual cable and plug another datasette into the Tapuino. I'll try and prototype this, only problem is that I don't have any tapes to test with! ☺

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I've seen that article and instead of doing all the mods, if you have that form of Datasette, we could wire an alternative connector for the Tapuino that matches that pin out and then add conversion in software.

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Yeah I was thinking about the possibility of altering the PCB connections to that internal Datasette port so that power, sense and write are hooked up. The only problem is that I have no idea how to figure out if the signal is inverted correctly as its supposed to be! I might have a play this weekend if I get time, as I have a datasette like the one in the article with the internal port.

Regards
 
I would suggest waiting a bit till I see if I can easily build a male connector, then you won't have to mod anything ☺ I wonder what the pitch is on those old ISA connectors is an if it would match.

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Not completletly related but how long it took for you Peter to receive the parts from the TxHang shop? Also which posting method did you choose?

Hope you guys find an easy way to make the PCB edge connector because i'm looking for such thing for the cartridge port as well.
 
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Standard posting and about 2 weeks iirc. But that is to Africa so it might be quicker for you.

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Thanks! Standard posting is not the free one as far as i remember. So then i think i have to wait at least a month. :(
 
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Mine was the free postage, which I thought was standard so you should be OK! ☺

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Okay, we will see. Hopefully you are right :)

I still have to figure out what wide by DIP socket means.

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dip-sockets.png
Left is wide, right is standard. Wide is twice the width of normal.

I've been making progress on a way to make the edge connector:
c2n-card-edge-male.png
This PNG if printed to size is a pretty good match for the C2N card edge on the C64.
I'm planning to:

  • Print this onto a plastic sheet
  • Cut out the purple rectangles to make the sheet a template
  • Place the sheet on some copper clad board and paint the cut-outs with something like nail polish
  • Dump the board in acid until the unmasked copper is dissolved
  • Drill holes for solder points

If this works, it should be an easy to make connector, and then the write-to-datasette functionality is just wiring and software.
(the green block in the image is the cut-out for the polarizing slot on the female connector and the thin purple lines mark the width of the board)


-(e)
 
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Thanks for explaining! Like the PCB idea. Hope it works as you expect it. :)

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Hi mate.

Sorry for the delay, been messing with other things and since I needed to update the write line on my Tapuino I was kinda putting it off till I had enough time!

Anyway got it done tonight and also updated it to your latest code!

To test the write support I first did a BASIC save with a two line program (10 print "blah blah" 20 goto10) which saved and loaded just fine. The I loaded up a game from floppy (Jet Set Willy) and used Action Replay to freeze and save the program to tape. I first went for the 'SuperTurbo' option which saved fine, however it wouldn't load back, it got to the end of the file and just waited on the blue screen.

I tried the same again but this time just using the 'Turbo' save option, which saved and loaded back just fine!

FYI, I am using a Kingston 16GB Class 4 SDHC card (slow by todays standards I guess).

Repeat function works fine! I adjusted the repeat timer to 100ms since I like it to move fast when looking for a specific game, I can press singularly to browse through each titles!

All in all it's working great!!!

Regards
 
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