When you want to create Commodore 64 tapes, this window is shown.
Output format section:
- Fast: this will use the Turbo Tape 64 format, fast and well tested. This is the recommended setting.
- Slow: this will use the slow (kernel loader) format, built in the ROM of the Commodore computers.
WARNING: this loader is VERY slow and creates VERY long tapes. It is only
recommended to use it for very short input files only.
The average bit duration affects the speed of the Turbo Tape part. A zero bit will be 20% shorter than
the average, while an one bit will be 30% longer than the average. A shorter value means faster, but more
unreliable, loading. 263 is the recommended value: it will create programs compatible with the standard Turbo
Tape 64, a loader that proved fast and reliable since 1983. It is only recommended to use values
lesser than 263 when creating TAP files to be loaded by emulators: it is unlikely those programs will load
on a real datassette. Values greater than 263 will give a slower, but more reliable loading.
Raw mode will not write a fast loader before the program in fast mode (meaning that the program will
not be loadable with a simple LOAD, in order to load it you need to load a Turbo Tape 64-compatible loader yourself),
and will not write a header chunk with name, start address and end address before the data chunk in slow
mode. Only recommended to expert users. Everyone else, better keep this unchecked.
Machine lets you choose the model you intend to load the tape on. If you choose VIC20, only the slow option will be available.
Output to section:
- TAP file: can be used with many emulators, and can be put to an actual tape with many programs
(Audiotap, ptap, 64TAPVOC...)
- WAV file: can be played by every sound playing program, can be recorded on audio CD's... This button
is disabled if any of the files tapdecoder.dll and libaudiofile-1.dll are not present in the
same directory as the main executable (wavprg.exe). Those files are distributed with Audiotap.
- Sound card: the sound will be played right away from the sound card. If you have a tape recorder
whose input is connected to the sound card output, you can record the sound to a tape. This button
is disabled if the files tapdecoder.dll and libportaudio-2.dll are not present in the same
directory as the main executable (wavprg.exe). Those files are distributed with Audiotap.
Advanced options section: these settings will be ignored if output is a TAP file
- Inverted waveform: some sound cards invert the signal, that is they turn negative values of the
waveform into positive ones and vice versa. If your sound card is one of those, your Commodore will be unable to
load the tape. In these cases, check this box. If your C64 does not load the tape you recorded, try toggling
this box and start again.
- Frequency: the frequency of the output WAV file or sound. Note that this value must be supported by
the sound card, or the sound will be distorted. Otherwise, the higher the better. 44100 Hz is
recommended because is supported by virtually all sound cards.
- Volume: the volume of the output WAV file or sound. The higher, the better.
- Waveform: you can choose among square, triangle and sine waves.
After you chose the right values for the options (or if you are satisfied with the defaults) press OK. You will be
asked the input PRG, P00 or T64 file. If the T64 file has more than one entry, you will have to choose the
entry too. After that, if the output you chose was a TAP or WAV file, you will have to choose its name.
Then the conversion will start: press Cancel to stop it, or wait until the end.