Unlock Your Datasette

[Remzi]

If you don't want to mod your datasette,check out 1530USB Adapter also this USB Tape Interface.

This mod requires some soldering skills.

You will be able to load games to your C64 using a PC,phone,tablet or MP3 player.
You can backup your original cassette tapes to your PC.
You can record games to blank cassette tapes.



These instructions for the datasette with the board code HCT-4 94HB NP-090B
If you have a different board,post a picture of it.I will have a look if I have the same one.

LINE OUT



Line out mod is for backing up/dumping cassette tapes to your PC.You can save it as wav with Audacity or convert it to tap with Audiotap.
You need to plug this into your PC's microphone in port.If you have a Line-in instead you might need to lower the resistance.
You will need a 100nF capacitor and a 22K resistor.If you open up an old radio,PC speakers or any audio equipment,you can salvage these parts.

LINE IN for LOADING



Line in mod is for loading games to your C64 from an audio source.
You can plug in to your PC's speaker out and use the Audiotap or WAV-PRG  to load sotware to C64.

LINE IN for RECORDING



This mod is for recording games to cassette tapes.Straight solder on job.No components needed.
Plug this into your PC's speaker output port.

If you want all above mods on your datasette,there will be 3X3.5mm audio jacks coming out of it.
If you have a newish laptop with mic and speaker combined;



You can use a 4 pole 3.5mm connector for Line-out and Line-in for loading.But you still need another connector for the Line-in for recording.
A simple SPDT switch can be installed on the datasette marked as LOAD and RECORD.I will try to find other solutions to avoid drilling the datasette.

[whodan]

Thank you for your excellent description. I will make 3 audio female connector on the datasette.
But the 1530usb adapter is also a wonderful idea.I will cover it again with epoxy resin,to yuse it.

[whodan]

Thank you for your excellent description. I will make 3 audio female connector on the datasette.
But the 1530usb adapter is also a wonderful idea.I will cover it again with epoxy resin,to use it.

[nathan1974au]

2x mono female jacks would be nicer when drilled in the case!
 

[whodan]

Hello Remzi,

I hope, you had wonderful holidays and noew I can send you my expirience about USB1530 and the direct Connections in the
datasette without the USB Soundcard.

My tests with the USB soundcard were were closed positively. I tested the recording from tape to .tap and the recording
from .tap to tape. In both directions, I've got on my C64 a positiv result.

I also made the solderconnections on the pcb of the datasette and had problems.
First I don't want to go out of the datasette with jack plug cables. Jack plug sockets I cannot insert in the housing, because there's no
place to go out, where the housing has a straight surface.

I tried it with two jack plug sockets on cables, but I could not close the housing, because I didn't want to drill holes and the
solution to make a hole in the sealing of the Datasette cable I didn't want.

Bit I think the 1530USB is a very simple and very good solution to make the copies.
So I use this one.But thank you for the news with the soldering connections.

best regards

Wolfgang

[Remzi]

If you don't want cables coming out of your datasette or you don't want to drill holes,you can install a bluetooth adapter inside your datasette.I will write up the instructions when I find some spare time.

[Kenobi]

Hello, first of all, thanks for your excellent work for Commodore crew. I have my own one almost 25 yers :-) I want to try this mod for my Noris DR-1535 but I haven't skill to read schematics. I found on another forum your post with picture of DR-1535 board (attached bellow), it's the same as mine. Could you help me please with solution of soldering right ones pins of the board? Thank you very much. Martin.

[Remzi]

Hi Kenobi.Welcome to the forum.

Load and run the program Recorder Justage on your C64.





Solder your 3.5mm jack plug to the points on the photo above.
Do not use a capacitor or resistor.I have a similar board and it gives 1.7V at that pin.I don't think it can damage your audio source device.

Plug it in to a phone or tablet and go to the website

www.load64.com

Start the stream and adjust the volume to %80 on your device.

Check with recorder justage to see if you get a good signal.

[Kenobi]

Hi Remzi, thank you.
I tried as you adviced but nothing signal arrived to C64. My cheap multimeter at range 200V AC was able to get 3,4V at this pin before I solder cable with 3,5mm jack. I don't know if it is proper way to get relevant data with this type of multimeter due it's AC voltage with another sinus than 50Hz. Have you any idea how to solve it? Thank you for reply, Martin.

[Remzi]

I think I found the reason.Here is my board





My opamp is in the opposite orientation.So try this instead,





If you don't get any signal,try a 100nf capacitor.

P.S. There is no AC voltage on the datasette.5V DC is used on the board,6V DC powers the motor.

[Kenobi]

I'm not sure if is in the opposite orientation. I did make a better photos and do some "investigation" :-). Hope it's right but with schematics of opamp and his function I'm not sure yet. Can you look at this please and tell me if your previous suggestion is right? Thank you.

[Remzi]

I went through my tape decks and found the one with the same board as yours.After trying all the pins,I found the setup below works great.





Have a look at the video I made

[Kenobi]

Oh, it's great, thank you very much. I will try to get some 100nF capacitor but due Coronavirus emergency state in our country it is hard now. Most shops are closed. Thank's again I will post a result when I'm done.

[Kenobi]

Hi Remzi,
so mod is working now for me but still persist some issue. Sometimes the game was loaded fine, sometimes not. I found out that it is dependent on phone type and on sound quality of device maybe. Look at this video please and tell me if you think that signal is good. I saw some artefacts or noise. Can it be problem? What kind of adjustment can fix it? But I must thank you again, this is good step forward :-)

[Remzi]

You need to get those lines thinner same as the photo above by turning up the volume.
Turn off the bluetooth,WI-FI on your phone.Try the airplane mode.
Also place the datasette away from the TV.Turn off the fridge,don't sneeze and stop breathing 

I'm messing about with the website at the moment.You can use the links below

www.load64.com/a
www.load64.com/b