Trouble loading System tapes

[BassGuitari]

I've been converting some .CMD files to .CAS (using CMD2CAS) to use with PlayCAS on my 16K Model I. Some load successfully, some don't.

The particular problem I'm having with the ones that don't load correctly is that the computer acts like it's loading correctly--the asterisk steadily flashes on and off--but then one of two things happens, depending on the program: 1.) either the computer doesn't return to the *? prompt after the audio file is over, forcing a restart, or 2.) entering the "/" command at the *? prompt simply restarts the computer to the "Memory Size?" prompt.

I'm having trouble diagnosing the problem and Google hasn't been much help. PlayCAS tells me the program's System command and whether the dump is good or not (they are), so I don't think that's it, but I suppose it's possible. A problem with the conversion from .CMD to .CAS, maybe? I read a tip to convert to .LCAS instead of .CAS, which I tried, but I get the same problems.

I'm not trying to load programs that require more than 16K, so RAM size shouldn't be the problem, either.

Just a very, very, very picky volume setting, maybe?

[Turbo-Torch]

Volume and many other things. I have to keep my cassette deck about a 1' away from my Model III, otherwise programs won't save/load.

Real data cassettes are a must.

If the programs were originally on cassette and someone converted them to run on disk, they'll have to be converted back somehow. Many of the cassette based programs came with instructions on how to convert them over to disk.

If the programs were originally disk based, I don't think there's any simple way to make them work with a cassette based system.

Some programs, such as Dancing Demon, need a poke command (16913,0 I think) before it would load off cassette. I remember it wouldn't load and the sales guy at Radio Shack had the solution for us within a few hours.

 

Lastly, what are your Model I's specs? Most cassettes had a different version on each side. Some will have Level I and Level II and others Level II and Model III. If you're downloading them, it's often impossible to tell what version you're getting. If you have a 16K Level I system, you're really limited on what you can run.

[BassGuitari]

Lastly, what are your Model I's specs?

16K Level II.

 

Specifically, I'm trying to run Adventureland and Rear Guard. A 16K Level II system should support cassette versions of both of those (definitely Adventureland, at least; I'm fairly certain the tape version of Rear Guard ran in 16K also).

[Turbo-Torch]

I see Adventureland was available on tape for Model I 16K and Model III 16K...are you sure you have the Model I version?

Rear Guard was available on Tape and Disk. If you downloaded the program, did the site specify it was the tape version? If it's a CMD file, odds are you got the disk version.

I'm not familiar with cmd2cas but from what I just looked up, it seems like a very basic utility and not something that will convert a complex program originally designed to run on a disk operating system.

[BassGuitari]

I see Adventureland was available on tape for Model I 16K and Model III 16K...are you sure you have the Model I version?

Not anymore, I'm not. I don't know how to tell. I didn't even think there was a difference, actually.

 

Rear Guard was available on Tape and Disk. If you downloaded the program, did the site specify it was the tape version? If it's a CMD file, odds are you got the disk version.

I'm not familiar with cmd2cas but from what I just looked up, it seems like a very basic utility and not something that will convert a complex program originally designed to run on a disk operating system.

None of the sources specify whether it's the tape version, but in many cases if there is a disk version, it will have a .DSK extension. It seems to be a crapshoot--I've successfully done tape loads with .CAS conversions from .CMD files, and then sometimes not.

 

So it's starting to sound like I've simply been starting out with the wrong files. Which is easy enough, except now finding the right ones is going to be a pain since every site has the same files. They may not even be archived.

[JamesD]

The Model I cassette interface is known to be finicky.
Companies sold hardware add ons that improved loading, and one magazine published an article on how to build a meter to check voltage levels so yo know if you have the volume set right on the tape player.