CoCo 2, will not play cassettes!

[Polybius]

I am having a problem with my TRS-80 Color Computer 2, it will not load cassettes. I just bought a new cable for it on Ebay, as i did not have one. The seller said it was made himself, it was hooked correctly into the cassette recorder, but when i try to load a cassette, it just sits there and does nothing, the motors do not run at all on the player with it hooked up, unless i hit play on the recorder, and it still will not load! any ideas?

[JamesD]

The computer can only turn the player on once you've pressed the PLAY or PLAY & RECORD buttons.
If you type CLOAD and hear a click from the computer, that is the relay to control the tape player.

The volume also has to be set right. I think the Radio Shack cassette deck requires it set to 8 but it's been a long time since I've used one.
Non-Radio Shack decks will require different settings and some may not work.

[Mr SQL]

If changing the volume doesn't work, verify the homemade cable can load a .wav CoCo game from your PC or iPod.

 

Your tape deck might also be a bit fast/slow, one way to find out is if you can save and load new programs but can't load existing CoCo tapes.

[Gamemoose]

First, lets test to see if your CoCo "hears" anything.

 

At the prompt, type in MOTORON:AUDIOON and press Enter. I hope my CoCo commands are right. This should allow both the motor on the recorder to be active (if the Motor wire is connected and without using CLOAD) and we'll be able to hear sounds from the tape over the TV speaker.

 

Then play your tape and listen for any computer tones. You may have to adjust the volume on the recorder to hear anything (6-8 is about right). If you don't hear a thing, put in any music tape. We want to see if sound is going through to the CoCo.

 

If you have sound, then try loading your program again. Adjust the volume on the recorder accordingly.

 

Hope that helps.

[static1701]

I have this problem with a COCO3. If I turn the audio on I can hear the .wav file faintly. This is the case even with it turned way up. The service manual says check R14 and C25. R14 is fine and C25 is ceramic and they don't usually go bad. This leads to IC8. Any one have any ideas? I bought it off ebay and I am thinking of sending it back because I need the cassette port to load drivewire.

[static1701]

I found the solution to the problem, my cassette port works! I replaced all the capacitors. Less than $10 and about an hour to do it.

[tlindner]

Bad/Old caps strike again! Argh!