Famicom Data Recorder Help!!

[zmaster18]

I just got my Data Recorder and some brand new Sony tapes to try out with it. I have tested everything with the tape recorder and so far everything works great. The last thing I tried was saving and loading program in BASIC V3. I can't get the dang thing to LOAD. Is there a certain trick to getting a tape to properly load?

[80sFREAK]

Cables? If you recorded something on the tape and can hear specific noise , when playback, then something wrong with cables or CD4069 in the keyboard dead.

[zmaster18]

Maybe I should get myself another keyboard soon to test. My keyboard does look a little beat up, so maybe the chip is damaged as well. I don't think it's my cables causing the problem.

Does the volume setting matter when saving or loading?

[P]

Make sure you type LOAD some time before you press play. Double check the translated manual to make sure you are doing everything correctly.

Yeah volume most likely matters. You might want to play around with the dial to find an ideal volume level that the keyboard can read as data.

[80sFREAK]

My keyboard does look a little beat up, so maybe the chip is damaged as well.

Ah, ok, there might be just PCB damage.

[zmaster18]

Later today I will check inside the keyboard and data recorder for some bad solder connections and see if caps should be replaced. I know my data recorder is able to receive the program data. I can hear the sound of the data and I can also record music from my computer to tape so I know my tape recorder should be fine. I really think it has to do with the keyboard or maybe the Famicom's extension port. I can test it on another Famicom though.

Is using the Data Recorder always this difficult? As for the volume setting, I put the dial at the middle mark. The wheel itself has a white line to mark the exact middle and this is the position I set it to when using save and load. Does noise when recording effect the readability of the file? I have recorded on unused parts of the tape cassette as well as recorded over the first part of the tape many times. Either didn't make a difference.

I also noticed the Family BASIC manual says not to place the Data Recorder so close to the TV because of noise. Does my flatscreen LCD TV emit noise? I'm also using AV for video output.

[80sFREAK]

Data Recorder is just ordinary tape recorder, nice looking, but i prefer taperecorder for MSX.
Noise, which you can hear right before "pilot tone", will not affect recording.
Manual related to CRT TV's, LCD has no magnetic fields around.

[P]

Is using the Data Recorder always this difficult? As for the volume setting, I put the dial at the middle mark. The wheel itself has a white line to mark the exact middle and this is the position I set it to when using save and load.

It's not supposed to be difficult, works for me every time. I'm using a Sony Cassette-Corder TCM-400.
There's a list among the Family Basic papers I scanned of what tape recorders are recommended. But really any device with Line-in and Line-out jacks should do.

You are using the Nintendo branded Data Recorder?

[zmaster18]

I'm using the official Nintendo one. Also, my cables are 3.5mm stereo cables (that I soldered together myself). Does this really matter? I'm going to order some 3.5mm mono jack cables this weekend.

I'm actually going to try using my headphones to listen to the output of the data recorder. I think maybe the output is too quiet or something.

[P]

Maybe if the cable is too long or badly soldered. My cables are about 2 m and not home-made (found them among electronic trash).

When I tried to listen to my keyboard via headphones I couldn't hear anything at first. Then when I listened really carefully maybe I heard some really faint noise, but I can't really tell if it was real or not (maybe my headphones were just not good enough). So it's supposed to be really quiet anyway.

[zmaster18]

I tried plugging in my headphones in the Data Recorder and I couldn't hear any sound. Then I tried plugging in the N64 microphone, which has a mono jack as well, and then spoke into the mic. That didn't work either. I think I need to shine up the contacts on the Data Recorder's jacks.


Now I just used a file to scrape off corrosion inside the output jack. I can now hear it with my headphones. I also tested the Data Recorder with another cable and the sound quality is louder and better. The cables I soldered together are garbage

It's still not loading. What else do I have to do? I can totally hear the program 'modem sound' on the tape so I know it's writing properly.

I just scraped the inside of the keyboard's jacks as well. First time I tried I got a ?TP ERROR! Then I turned up the volume and then it said LOADING!! Woohoo! It works now!

When the output cable is plugged in, is the speaker on the Data Recorder supposed to be muted? I notice that when I plug in the cable, the speaker volume gets a little bit lower, but is still relatively loud. When I had the volume set to load the tape, the speaker was playing the sound pretty loud... Is it supposed to be this loud?

[P]

Now I just used a file to scrape off corrosion inside the output jack. I can now hear it with my headphones.

I see, if you get more problems maybe you'd be better off using a newer recorder instead. Or replace the 3.5 mm jacks with new ones.
For the keyboard I guess replacing the jacks is the only way.

When the output cable is plugged in, is the speaker on the Data Recorder supposed to be muted?

Yeah speakers are normally muted on most devices when you are using the headphone jack for sound output. I'm sure you already know this though.

I notice that when I plug in the cable, the speaker volume gets a little bit lower, but is still relatively loud. When I had the volume set to load the tape, the speaker was playing the sound pretty loud... Is it supposed to be this loud?

I'm not sure what you mean? I set my volume to a normal level and keep it like that when saving or loading. I don't hear anything when saving or loading though, since the speaker is muted when loading and when saving you are not supposed to hear anything.

[zmaster18]

Just got my new cables in the mail today...They aren't working. I have a long 6ft stereo cable that works though. They are 1.5ft long and have a stereo jack, but that shouldn't matter. The tip on a mono or stereo jack is identical. There must be something wrong with the jacks inside the Data Recorder. Jacks like this actually have a switch inside and reroute where the audio goes depending on whether or not there's something plugged in. I think this switch is not getting fully pressed, so maybe I have to bend the pins to get a better connection.

Edit: I just tried it again and now it won't load no matter what I do! I really don't know what else to do at this point. The cables I bought do work though and I tested them when recording music to the tape from my laptop. It's just the stupid loading that's not working.

[P]

You could try and see if you can save/load directly to your laptop through an audio editor like Audacity.

[zmaster18]

I got new keyboards and they both work perfectly with my Data Recorder. I opened up my keyboard that wasn't working properly and noticed that the solder joints on the audio jacks were dull and one was cracked from the board. I reflowed the solder and it didn't help... The legs of the jacks also look rusted. Not much I can do now, except sell it as is.

For anyone interested, I'm selling a boxed BASIC V2.1A set and a V3 set with the V3 book. The 2.1A set will included my keyboard with the damaged jack however. It should be possible to load the program using a Famicom SD Station, which has the audio jacks built in.