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Author Topic: Tape emulator vs HxC vs SD Card interface ? (Read 3726 times)

Offline JihemB

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Tape emulator vs HxC vs SD Card interface ?
« on: 2018.September.01. 12:40:52 »
Hi.

Sorry to land in this thread with questions that was certainly previously answered but, for example, the SD interface thead is 29 pages long !

I have a Enterprise 128 I would like to feed with programs (I only own the demonstration tape) so what could be the best option for me ?
 - Tape emulator (or real tape deck) ? Is there a way to make real tapes or to convert E128 tapes images into wav files I could play with a ArduiTape (portable wav file player) ?

 - HxC disc emulator ? Is there an affordable "ready-to-plug" interface somewhere (I already have a HxC) ?

 - SD Card interface ? I tried to contact the guy who wrote an article in 2014 about this but with no success. As previously mentionned the "SD Card interface" thread is 29 pages long, so is there an affordable "ready-to-plug" interface available that I could buy ?

Thanks in advance for your answers.

Offline tofro

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Re: Tape emulator vs HxC vs SD Card interface ?
« Reply #1 on: 2018.September.01. 14:57:31 »
I was in your situation some months ago and my favourite storage would have been the SD card interface. I have repeatedly tried to contact SzörG who used to make them, but he doesn't seem to produce them any more.

My second best choice was a disk interface, I now have one of pear's EXOS cards (here) and am entirely happy with it (Maybe not as happy as with an SD card, but happy enough). I use the EXOS card with a dual "real" floppy drive, but a HxC wouldn't be much different.

It would be nice if someone could be persuaded to produce a number of new SD card cartridges.

Tobias

Offline gflorez

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Re: Tape emulator vs HxC vs SD Card interface ?
« Reply #2 on: 2018.September.01. 15:12:44 »
There  are several ways to feed sound to the Enterprise Tape: input, but I don't recommend it to you unless you enjoy super-slow loads and squeaky chirps.....

As tofro suggest, HxC works perfectly on the Enterprise+EXDOS. Even there is a HxC Rom available to select disk images from the computer.

About SD-cartridges, no new batches since some years... The problem is, it is a private project from Szorg, and he hasn't freed the details so some other developer can build more units.

Offline John Fante

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Re: Tape emulator vs HxC vs SD Card interface ?
« Reply #3 on: 2018.September.01. 17:47:40 »
Hi.

Sorry to land in this thread with questions that was certainly previously answered but, for example, the SD interface thead is 29 pages long !

I have a Enterprise 128 I would like to feed with programs (I only own the demonstration tape) so what could be the best option for me ?
 - Tape emulator (or real tape deck) ? Is there a way to make real tapes or to convert E128 tapes images into wav files I could play with a ArduiTape (portable wav file player) ?

 - HxC disc emulator ? Is there an affordable "ready-to-plug" interface somewhere (I already have a HxC) ?

 - SD Card interface ? I tried to contact the guy who wrote an article in 2014 about this but with no success. As previously mentionned the "SD Card interface" thread is 29 pages long, so is there an affordable "ready-to-plug" interface available that I could buy ?

Thanks in advance for your answers.

I went with the interface from Pear and HxC. Works very well :-)

... I have also tried contacting Szorg but also without any luck. Would be great if he would release the project. Maybe a small bounty could get things going?!? :-)

Offline JihemB

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Re: Tape emulator vs HxC vs SD Card interface ?
« Reply #4 on: 2018.September.01. 17:49:07 »
Hi.
Thanks both of you for the answers.
I also regret the SD interface project is frozen for a while.

Following your advises I just contacted Pear to buy a EXDOS interface.

Meanwhile GFLOREZ, to feed my computer, do you know some TAPE-to-WAV Tools for the ENTERPRISE computer I could use with my ArduiTape ?

JihemB

Offline Zozosoft

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Re: Tape emulator vs HxC vs SD Card interface ?
« Reply #5 on: 2018.September.01. 20:23:48 »
There is a topic about creating WAV files.

Offline Dr.OG

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Re: Tape emulator vs HxC vs SD Card interface ?
« Reply #6 on: 2018.September.02. 05:54:29 »
I use a Gotek (similar to HxC, but much cheaper) with freefloppy firmware + a real 3,5" Sony FDD & Pear's EXDOS card clone V2, this config works flawless!

Of coure, I would be very happy if a new production run of SD card interface would start...
ÉN ekelek, TE keregsz, Ő gyeleg,
MI ákolunk, TI vornyáztok, ŐK lendeznek.