Re: Having a look at two ZX-81s

From	gmc@metro.cx (Koen Martens)
Newsgroups	comp.sys.sinclair
Subject	Re: Having a look at two ZX-81s
Date	2026-05-14 15:07 +0000
Organization	Sonologic AB
Message-ID	<10u4ofh$4ue$3@nntp.sonologic.net> (permalink)
References	<10tt49a$27u5$1@nntp.sonologic.net> <10tv7q2$1utt8$1@dont-email.me> <10tvj5k$30dm$1@nntp.sonologic.net> <10u2eej$2sir0$1@dont-email.me>

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IanJ <SPAMian_jones_01@yahoo.co.uk.invalid> wrote:
> Koen Martens <gmc@metro.cx> wrote:
>> I tried various tools to convert .p and .txz files to audio, but
>> just couldn't get it right. Maybe the caps on the input circuitry
>> have gone bad, messing up the signal.
>> 
> There's an android app, PlayZX, that can generate a suitable audio
> from tap/tzx files.

I've used that on my ZX Spectrum before, works great indeed, although
I had to boost the audio from my phone with a headphone amp, otherwise
the signal would be too weak.

The ZX-81 is particularly sensitive to getting the level exactly right,
even back in the day it was nearly impossible to get the output of
the tape recorder just right. I'm going to measure what the ULA
is seeing sometime with the oscilloscope, see if I can figure out
what's wrong.

> It wasn't long however before the loading times became frustrating
> enough that I bought myself a SMART card for my zx spectrum which
> can load games in seconds from a microsd:
> https://retroleum.co.uk/spectrum-peripherals

This I can imagine :) I've got something similar for my C64. I haven't
looked if something like that is available for the ZX-81.

Cheers,

Koen

-- 
Software architecture & engineering: https://www.sonologic.se/
Sci-fi: https://www.koenmartens.nl/
Retrocomputing videos: https://retroscandinavian.eu/

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Having a look at two ZX-81s gmc@metro.cx (Koen Martens) - 2026-05-11 17:39 +0000
  Re: Having a look at two ZX-81s Pierre <null@void.net> - 2026-05-12 12:52 +0000
    Re: Having a look at two ZX-81s gmc@metro.cx (Koen Martens) - 2026-05-12 16:06 +0000
      Re: Having a look at two ZX-81s IanJ <SPAMian_jones_01@yahoo.co.uk.invalid> - 2026-05-13 18:04 +0000
        Re: Having a look at two ZX-81s gmc@metro.cx (Koen Martens) - 2026-05-14 15:07 +0000

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