SAVING sound?????

[yerzmyey]

Yo.

The topic appeares again, I suspect but new people came to the Forum, so maybe somebody will be able to answer/advise.

I realize the ZX81 has a very low signal from the tape port.
I know it's much quieter than Spectrum.

However my question is: HOW silent can it be???

I'm an owner of three ZX81 machines. All of them do the same: nothing is audible while saving.
Assuming it's impossible I bought independently 3 devices with identical damage - I must do something wrong.

There were two kinds of tape-recorders in 80s:

1) With automatic recording level

They were making louder all incoming silent signal by themselves.

2) With manual recording level

If the incoming signal was too low, You was able to make it louder by a knob/potentiometer.

I say the PC is contemporary equivalent of the second type.
Making the incoming signal max. loud I should be able to hear something.
But I don't.


Is it possible the ZX81 works OK only with the first type of tape-recorders??


.

[sirmorris]

The '81 will work best with manual level control, as some automatic systems can pollute the signal, but they should still work.

You should have the '81's signal going to a MIC input, not a LINE input as I'm sure you know. If you're recording on the PC you need to make sure that the inputs are set up correctly in the mixer. This is an art by itself

I'll try later and see if I can make anything work.

C

[yerzmyey]

Actually it's a pretty good question.

I utomatically assumed that the tape-ports are the same like in Spectrum.
Are they?

MIC = audio OUT (for SAVE programs)
EAR = audio IN (for LOAD programs)

????

I had no problems with loading via EAR and I didn't save on tape before: I use emulators for coding and real hardware for games and demos.
However I still would like to do experiments with Z80 sound so the tape ports are most required in this case.
Also if I had to save anything from ZX81, it would be useful too (hahahha).

[siggi]

Are they?

MIC = audio OUT (for SAVE programs)
EAR = audio IN (for LOAD programs)

Yes.

For details about "mic" and "line" input levels: see

http://harada-sound.com/sound/handbook/input.html

So your tape deck should have a "mic" level input, otherwise you would need an additional preamplifier.

Siggi

[yerzmyey]

So your tape deck should have a "mic" level input, otherwise you would need an additional preamplifier.
Siggi

Ah. It might explain the thing.
I got used to use LINE-IN in the hi-fi hardware (or PC) and I should have use Microphone input.
OK then - that's what I will do next time while testings.

I will take a look into source of the Z80 music programs for ZX81.
If they work with the Microphone input of PC, then I will try to change them and make another music on "soundless" ZX81, haaaaahahahahhaaaa!! (evil laughter ).

[yerzmyey]

So - this is what I hear fom my ZX81 while saving:
http://zx81.republika.pl/zx81.mp3

I connected it into Micophone pot of PC and put the mixer recoding volume to max.

Now, if You listen to the MP3 and set Your own volume max - You will hea some saving noise but it's totally silent.

Any ideas?