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Useing another computer as a tape drive replacement
What do you need:
1) A computer(Linux, MacOS, or Windows) with a sound card that takes audio input and audio output
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2) TI-99/4A cassete tape drive cable
3) your favorite programs in WAV file format
QUALITY MATTERS!
NOTE: For recording and for loading, you must use high quality WAV files.
Sound formats MP3, MMA, and M4A files are not of the same quality and will not work!
NOTE: Recording and playing software matter. Even if you play a high quality WAV file, some applications do not play the WAV as encoded.
NOTE: If you use Windows, the "Windows Media Player" application works for playing WAV files.
I had one game, "Hell's Halls", that worked better with Groove Music player.
How to load a tape drive WAV file:
1) Plug in the cassette interface cable into the DB-9 jack on the back of the TI-99/4A.
2) Make sure the red wire for CS1 is plugged into the microphone [input] jack on the computer.
3) Make sure the white wire for CS1 is plugged into the speaker [external] jack on the computer.
4) From the TI-99 computer prompt ">" type "OLD CS1"
5) From the PC, ready the WAV file you wish to load.
6) press ENTER key for the rewind [nothing to rewind]
7) press Enter key again, then play the file from the computer
You should see "READING" followed with "DATA OK"
Tape drive cables are still very common and can be easily purchased, but if you needed to create a new cable, here is the pin-out