[GUIDE] How do I get my .wav files onto my MZ?

charminator
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Re: [GUIDE] How do I get my .wav files onto my MZ?

Post by charminator »

Does anybody know a car-AUX adapter ( for a sharp mz80k ) which also supports recording ?
I am looking for a good way to backup all my discs ...
Collecting -K- since 1978

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slaanesh
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Joined: Sat Nov 20, 2021 7:14 am

Re: [GUIDE] How do I get my .wav files onto my MZ?

Post by slaanesh »

So I recently got an MZ-721. Very happy with this computer - love it's limitations which tends to bring out the best in your imagination and creativity.

Anyway, I can't get this computer to read from the external tape connector though the Internal cassette unit is no problem (but I have to use cassettes, or the cassette converter but I don't have one yet).

So here is what I've done/tried:
  • Converted MZF image of S-BASIC and converted it to a .WAV file. ie. mzf2wav.exe -i 0 -t 0 -c -b 44100 s-basic.mzf s-basic.wav
  • Connected my self-made mono audio cable (about 80cm long) going from PC output to the read jack of the MZ.
  • Removed the built-in MZ tape unit
  • Jumper pins 1->7 and 2->8 so that ext-read goes to read and ext-write goes to write.
  • Use my PC's audio player to "play" the WAV file.
  • Adjust volume to various settings. Try again.
  • Ensure no graphic equaliser options are set. Try again.

Nothing seems to load. I've tried other MZF files too. Tried different options with mzf2wav.exe.
Any suggestions would be appreciated.
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mz-80a
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Re: [GUIDE] How do I get my .wav files onto my MZ?

Post by mz-80a »

I don't know about mzf2wav as I only use MZFStudio, but I think inside the MZ-700 there is something to switch the polarity for the tape output. Might be worth looking for that.
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hlide
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Re: [GUIDE] How do I get my .wav files onto my MZ?

Post by hlide »

"mzf2wav.exe -i 0 -t 0 -c -b 44100 s-basic.mzf s-basic.wav". Add -p (polarity switch) and try it again.
hlide
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Re: [GUIDE] How do I get my .wav files onto my MZ?

Post by hlide »

And you must connect SENSE pin to GND pin too.
slaanesh
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Re: [GUIDE] How do I get my .wav files onto my MZ?

Post by slaanesh »

re: SENSE
Right otherwise it's left floating

I'm pretty sure I added the bitrate 44100 as well in my attempts as I read that the hardware was fussy about the waveform and 22050 wasn't sufficient.
But I didn't try reversing polarity on the motherboard or in the mzf2wav software. I'll give it a try.

Are you the same hlide that wad developing for various handhelds including GP2X?
slaanesh
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Re: [GUIDE] How do I get my .wav files onto my MZ?

Post by slaanesh »

Well reporting back as I couldn't wait to try this.... it works!
The missing bit was connect SENSE -> GND.

So to read a WAV from the external read connector:

PIN 2 (Ext Read) -> PIN 8 (Read)
PIN 5 (Sense) -> PIN 9 (Ground)

If you want to record as well:
PIN 1 (Ext Write) -> PIN 7 (Write).

I didn't need to reverse polarity with mzf2wav or the hardware switch.

Woot! Thanks for the help!
hlide
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Re: [GUIDE] How do I get my .wav files onto my MZ?

Post by hlide »

Well I have a donated GP2X from that time to help Zoddt about porting some emulators on it. Since your question is a little vague, I cannot ascertain I'm the one but that nickname hlide being not common at all, you're probably talking about me.
hlide
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Re: [GUIDE] How do I get my .wav files onto my MZ?

Post by hlide »

Why you need to connect SENSE to GND. With the internal tape deck, you'll get a display prompt asking for you to press [PLAY] because the monitor is waiting for SENSE being 0 which is set to 0 when you press [PLAY],[REWIND] or [FORWARD]. With an external tape system, you haven't that line SENSE so you need to set it to 0 permanently to avoid the display prompt which blocks you. SENSE = 0 is needed as well for recording.
slaanesh
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Re: [GUIDE] How do I get my .wav files onto my MZ?

Post by slaanesh »

Thanks for your help and I hope all this info helps someone else in a similar position.

Just curious - what would MZ-711 users do to use external tape drives? By default they have no built-in cassette unit, so I'm thinking there *must* be a dongle of some sort over the tape connector by default?
Similarly, if MZ-721 users want to use the external connectors, what were the expected to do? Basically what I did? It seems like a strange process to get those external connectors to work as expected.
Pity there isn't a switch on the back that can do all this without having to do the jumping of pins and removal of internal cassette unit.
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