Playing ZX Spectrum/C64 Games from CD on Original Hardware?

[Cauterize]

It is possible before anyone says it isnt...

ftp://ftp.worldofspectrum.org/pub/sinclair/games-inlays/Compilations/CDGamesPackThe.jpg

Click Here (Then pick CD Games Pack, The) (http://www.worldofspectrum.org/compilations.html)
or
Click Here (http://www.clive.nl/detail/23580/)

Basically CodeMasters released a Comp of games on CD with a cable to plug from your CD Player into your ZXSpec/C64 to load up the games.
This was to eliminate load times and allow storage for much more games.
If im not mistaken, the cable used was a simple Stereo cable with a Male Jack on each end, i could be wrong

Now ive been looking into this, well trying, and there is next to nothing i can find on the net, unfortunately.
The Game/Disc/Iso's distrobution isnt allowed according to World of Spectrum.
However its not this Disc im interested in...

Does anyone know how this disc works and if it is possible to recreate a similar disc using Disk/Tape/ROM Images.
As i would love to be able to make a CD full of my old ZX Spectrum games and be able to chose from them with a quick load time, and play them on the original hardware.

I thought with it being doing before, maybe someone has worked out how to create your own discs and use them...

Any information will be greatly appreciated :)

[Mayhem]

My mate Kenz quite simply burnt a load of WAVs of Speccy games to CD, plugged the CD walkman into the Spectrum and managed to load them that way :)

I figure they were TAPs or similar, cos it took the normal amount of time to load as a tape did heh.

But that's using normal technology... both CD packs I have for the C64 (the Codemasters and Rainbow Arts) use custom hardware of sorts:

http://www.mayhem64.co.uk/photos/photos22.jpg

The Codemasters version has a cable that plugs into a stereo and then into a joystick port to load (weird but it works). The Rainbow Arts one has a custom dongle that plugs into the C64's cassette port and tricks the computer into thinking the signals coming from the CD player are like a tape.

[Cauterize]

Thanks for the reply Mayhem.
How would i go about converting ROM/Tape images into WAV/Mp3 format? Is there some software available?
Also what cable would be required for the CD Player to the Spectrum? a standard double ended male jack stereo lead?

The CD Sets youve got are awesome, id love to get hold of them at one point myself. And god knows how that device works thru the joystick port!!! Typical Codemasters though, finding wierd ways for their games to run!

[Mayhem]

Not sure about the conversion process tbh, you might have to directly source some tapes recorded as WAVs to begin with. A normal lead that you'd use to connect a tape player to the Spectrum should be good enough on the CD player. I think that's how Kenz did it, probably should go ask him heh...

[Cauterize]

Ive found a way how.
A standard lead into the Audio port didnt seem to work for me, so i ordered this off eBay:

http://i14.ebayimg.com/03/i/08/57/31/69_1.JPG

After reading various forums, this works.
It also can be used for Commodores, Amstrads and MSX i think. Basically any Tape based system!

To convert the Tape images to Wav i used Tape2Wav:
ftp://ftp.worldofspectrum.org/pub/sinclair/tools/pc/tape2wav.zip

So basically from now on, i think i can run all ROM Images on C64/ZX :) Ill record my results once the Tape player thing arrives :)

[googlefest1]

so you insert the tape thing into the casette drive and load the games with a cd player -- in wav format?

[googlefest1]

sorry about the double post i would have used edit


are you converting tape images that you find on the internet? with the tape2wav program? or do you connect a tape player to an imput on a sound card and play the tapes? OR can both methods be used?

[Mayhem]

You can do both, but the quality of a TAP is going to be much better than trying to sample it directly into a WAV.

That device looks to be quite useful. Isn't how Kenz did it afaik (he directly connected the CD walkman to the Spectrum) but would probably also work for the C64.

[Cauterize]

You can do both, but the quality of a TAP is going to be much better than trying to sample it directly into a WAV.

That device looks to be quite useful. Isn't how Kenz did it afaik (he directly connected the CD walkman to the Spectrum) but would probably also work for the C64.

Heres to hoping it arrives tomorrow :)
(Especially after Rainbow Islands took a good 15minutes to load!!!)

Ill post up my results.
I had no luck using a direct cable in... I tried it on my ZX Spectrum 48k, ZX Spectrum + and ZX Spectrum +2
Havent tried it on C64 yet though, or my MSX for that matter... Might be worth looking into :)

googlefest1 - I was using TAP/TSX Images off the World Of Spectrum site, they are perfect Rips/Images supposedly...
Also i listened to the created WAV file in iTunes and it sounded just like the old loading sounds, so i have high hopes for it :)

[googlefest1]

i havent tried it yet -- i will soon -- on both a zx spectrum and a C64 -- i need to get one of those tape things (as posted above)

[Cauterize]

Okay the device arrived, i will post my results when i get home with a full 'How To' Guide if it works :D

[Mayhem]

I found FinalTAP can also transfer C64 TAPs to WAV if need be here...

[idrougge]

I had no luck using a direct cable in... I tried it on my ZX Spectrum 48k, ZX Spectrum + and ZX Spectrum +2
Havent tried it on C64 yet though, or my MSX for that matter... Might be worth looking into :)

I've loaded a lot of MSX games directly from the PC sound card using WAVTOOL or similar programs. Karoshi corporation even distributes its games as WAV files. Same goes for the Laser 200. The only problem is adjusting the output volume. Some sound cards are too silent to work at all.

I have had no luck with Atari XE or C64 games, but luckily I have better options for those.

[Cauterize]

:D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D :D

IT WORKS :)

After a few trial and error runs ive got my Portable CD Player booting up Games!!!
It could easily be an Ipod or anything that plays audio!

Ive only tested it on ZX Spectrum but if its got a Tape drive im 99% sure it will work :)

So, here is the How To i Promised!!!

Cauterize's Full Guide To Booting TAPE Images on original hardware via a CD Player/Audio device

(Spectrum Guide! Ill try a C64 & MSX at a later date! However the principal is exactly the same i think)

Hardware Requirements:
Tape to Stereo Jack Convertor
(There are ways to do it without this, however this is the method i used and will be explaining)

1. Goto http://www.worldofspectrum.org/ and pick a Perfect TZX/TAP image of a game you like!


2. Download TAPE2WAV here:
ftp://ftp.worldofspectrum.org/pub/sinclair/tools/pc/tape2wav.zip
(Another Tape conversion software should be fine...)


3. Convert a Image to a WAV using TAPE2WAV.


4. Open the directory you saved it to.


5. Using Audio editing software such as Sony Soundforge (Basically any audio software that allows you to edit the volume)

Download link to Soundforge: http://www.sonymediasoftware.com/download/step2.asp?did=559

In Soundforge, drag & drop the WAV into the main window, then with that WAV selected, click on the top menu:

Process > Volume

I increased the volume by 5.8db on each image

Save the edited WAV file.


6. Burn the edited WAV file onto an Audio CD
(Burn as many as you like, just remember what track is what!)


7. Put in the Tape Device and plug it into the CD Drive

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v366/cauterize4/zxspectrum001Custom.jpg


8. Start the tape the standard way you would.

On a Spectrum 1, type Load "" and then press return.
Now press play on the Tape player, then turn on the CD Player and select the track you need. Press play on the CD Player and hopefully the game will begin to load.

On a Spectrum 2, Select Tape Loader
Now press play on the Tape player, then turn on the CD Player and select the track you need. Press play on the CD Player and hopefully the game will begin to load.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v366/cauterize4/zxspectrum002Custom.jpg

Here is an overflashed picture of my setup loading Chuckie Egg :)
Also tested Head Over Heels while i was typing this and it works flawlessly!

Are the load times faster? Well i dont think so.. Chuckie Egg was 2 minutes, i havent a clue how long it takes on the tape version im afraid.
However the plus side is you can fit quite alot on CD and it saves alot of hassle rewinding tapes and so on...

If this guide helps you at all, please leave me some feedback or such :)

Have fun!

Adam

[Cauterize]

just incase anyone is wondering why i used Soundforge and increased the volume on the files...

I found that the TAPE2WAV output files are way too quiet and will not load from my CD player!
You might be fine usign a different player, but i needed to increase the volume :)

[googlefest1]

Nice - Big thanks for the how to

I haven't tried this yet - im still working on getting the UK spectrum i have to work here in the US - but i will be trying this soon with a C64