QuadSix50 Posted July 14, 2008 Report Share Posted July 14, 2008 Folks, I don't think you can get any geekier than this. Retro reverse engineering: Reconstructing Apple I BASIC from a Cassette Tape If my wife ever found out that I found this SO sexy, she'd divorce me in a heartbeat and take the kids. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
luddite Posted July 15, 2008 Report Share Posted July 15, 2008 This is just edging me closer to buying an Apple I replica. Maybe we can be room-mates after the divorces Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Quadraman Posted July 15, 2008 Report Share Posted July 15, 2008 Am I the only one here who has ever actually loaded a program from a cassette tape? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
porter Posted July 15, 2008 Report Share Posted July 15, 2008 Am I the only one here who has ever actually loaded a program from a cassette tape? Certainly not, ZX-81, ZX Spectrum 48k and CBM-64. The CBM-64 was the most reliable probably because it was a custom made job, even though the shape was appalling (I preferred the look of the VIC-20 tapedrive). Also we had HP "desktop calculators" that used cassette tapes. Note, that's a huge calculator which covers the desktop and included an HP-IB bus. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
david__schmidt Posted July 15, 2008 Report Share Posted July 15, 2008 Yeah, but what about a shameless plug for over the cassette port? The same audio processing applies. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
QuadSix50 Posted July 15, 2008 Author Report Share Posted July 15, 2008 Am I the only one here who has ever actually loaded a program from a cassette tape? Definitely not. I've done it as a kid on a Commodore CBM (don't remember if it was a 8032 or 8096....probably the former) in Catholic grade school and when I had a Mattel Aquarius. I even had the chintzy thermal printer that was available for the Aquarius. So nyah! EDIT: I remember it being a CBM, but now after looking it up I really don't remember which model since they almost all look alike. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
QuadSix50 Posted July 15, 2008 Author Report Share Posted July 15, 2008 This is just edging me closer to buying an Apple I replica. Maybe we can be room-mates after the divorces Sure...just don't expect me to spoon. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
luddite Posted July 15, 2008 Report Share Posted July 15, 2008 Sure...just don't expect me to spoon. So, a full share of the rent then? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
luddite Posted July 15, 2008 Report Share Posted July 15, 2008 Am I the only one here who has ever actually loaded a program from a cassette tape? I have a Realistic™ tape recorder specially designed for computer use (it's exactly the same as any other except it lacks a built-in microphone). I've used it with varying results on my Apple IIs. Back in the day, I recall the agony of loading and saving programs on my brother's TRS-80. I think the fact that it wouldn't reliably save my colour bar demo programs was one of the reasons I spent the next 15 years avoiding computers at all costs. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
chris Posted July 15, 2008 Report Share Posted July 15, 2008 Uuuurgh... Unfortunately, yes. I have tried to load from cassette. It was horrible. Eventually I said screw it and recorded the cassette tape onto the computer - that worked much better. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
QuadSix50 Posted July 15, 2008 Author Report Share Posted July 15, 2008 Sure...just don't expect me to spoon. So, a full share of the rent then? OK, maybe a cuddle....I don't spoon so soon. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
sambapati87 Posted July 15, 2008 Report Share Posted July 15, 2008 This is up there on a 1-10 scale of geekdom. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
CaryMG Posted July 15, 2008 Report Share Posted July 15, 2008 ... I had a Mattel Aquarius. Holy Cannoli !! lol Me too ! 8^ ] My grandmother pickd it up in a type of "Surplus Store" -- where some guy buys overstock of different items & sells 'em cheap: it's called "Odd Lot"-- and gave it to me for my 6th birthday 'cause she knows I love tech stuff ! :b&w: Quote Link to post Share on other sites
QuadSix50 Posted July 15, 2008 Author Report Share Posted July 15, 2008 ... I had a Mattel Aquarius. Holy Cannoli !! lol Me too ! 8^ ] My grandmother pickd it up in a type of "Surplus Store" -- where some guy buys overstock of different items & sells 'em cheap: it's called "Odd Lot"-- and gave it to me for my 6th birthday 'cause she knows I love tech stuff ! :b&w: That's exactly where my parents got it too!!!! ROFL! I have to say as rudimentary as that system was, I did love it and wish it hadn't crapped out. If I ever find one again, I'm definitely buying it (I still have a few of the carts that go with it! LOL). Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Bunsen Posted July 15, 2008 Report Share Posted July 15, 2008 Ohyes. I can well remember doing tape loads and saves on an Australian clone of the TRS-80, among other machines. Sure...just don't expect me to spoon. So I suppose a fork's out of the question. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
QuadSix50 Posted July 15, 2008 Author Report Share Posted July 15, 2008 Sure...just don't expect me to spoon. So I suppose a fork's out of the question. Not if I'm feeling frisky. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
magnusfalkirk Posted July 15, 2008 Report Share Posted July 15, 2008 Am I the only one here who has ever actually loaded a program from a cassette tape? Nope, I started out with a Trash-80 (TRS-80) Model I Level II with all of 16k of memory, black and whiter monitor and a tape drive. Used it for about a year or so before I stepped up to an Apple II+ with 48k and a disk drive. Used an RF modulator and my portable color TV as monitor because I couldn't afford a monitor. Dean Quote Link to post Share on other sites
zeem Posted September 7, 2008 Report Share Posted September 7, 2008 I once saved a program from an IBM PC 5150's ROM BASIC onto cassette, loaded it back in, then listened to the recording. This was just so I could say that I've loaded an IBM PC program from a tape. I even had the chintzy thermal printer that was available for the Aquarius. I once had a mint, boxed four-colour pen plotter for the Aquarius! I never used it though... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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