Possible to use a tzxduino or tap dancer to play games into Lynx?

[cypher007]

Is it possible to play the Tap files into a Lynx using a tzxduino? Maybe converting them to wav then to tzx? Or using tap dancer to play them directly?

[BlackHole]

Yes, it is possible to convert Lynx TAP to TZX. I started coding a project to do so 6 years ago, but I never finished it

Eternal procrastination

[rcmolina]

@cypher007, there is a general workaround for unsupported native formats, so @blackhole and orhers go with no pressure. I explain this procedure in my last youtube video for AppleII and others:

1) convert your file to wav, square wave is almost a must to get later good results. This wave should not have a very high sampling freq to be error free. 11KHz is good, but with 5,5Khz you get a half size file. Obviously, this depends on freqs used on your file.
2) get your 8 bit voc, I use Audacity for this but other like ffmpeg or sox sould be ok.
3) Use DIRECT utility to resample and get a tzx with id15.

I can focus on some tests if you want cause I have lynx core for sidi and zxuno, but this has been verified for other computers as Sharp mz, etc

Ps. Other procedures possible, with Natalia Pujol tools, etc.

Regards,

Rafa

Is it possible to play the Tap files into a Lynx using a tzxduino? Maybe converting them to wav then to tzx? Or using tap dancer to play them directly?

[Mike]

I have a version of my utility that outputs square waves but it's still work in progress. I'll look into the tzx format too but I've never used tzxduino so I need to read up on it.

I am also thinking about transfers via the joystick interface - but that's for another thread. (I haven't managed to get serial input via the serial port working - only serial outputting).

[jltursan]

3) Use DIRECT utility to resample and get a tzx with id15.

I can focus on some tests if you want cause I have lynx core for sidi and zxuno, but this has been verified for other computers as Sharp mz, etc

Ps. Other procedures possible, with Natalia Pujol tools, etc.

I'm also interested in this subject, where can I find DIRECT utility or related Natalia tools?

I am also thinking about transfers via the joystick interface - but that's for another thread. (I haven't managed to get serial input via the serial port working - only serial outputting).

Yep, it deserves a new thread...and I presume it'll turn into a hot one

Definitely I need more spare time!

[rcmolina]

@jltursan

DIRECT: you can get it in my github, but its not mine, it' from Tomaz Kac:
https://github.com/rcmolina/z802tzx3
or here:
https://github.com/rcmolina/AppleII_tools/tree/main/c2t

Maketsx: https://tsx.eslamejor.com/

3) Use DIRECT utility to resample and get a tzx with id15.

I can focus on some tests if you want cause I have lynx core for sidi and zxuno, but this has been verified for other computers as Sharp mz, etc

Ps. Other procedures possible, with Natalia Pujol tools, etc.
I'm also interested in this subject, where can I find DIRECT utility or related Natalia tools?

[BlackHole]

jltursan: Well, the "Direct Recording" (ID 15) block is way overkill, it's like embedding a WAV file into the TZX itself. Even the "CSW Recording" (ID 18) which could be about 1/10th of the size of ID 15 (since CSW only stores square pulses and can be gzipped), is also too much, and both of them completely defeat the whole purpose of TZX format itself. Those two blocks are designed to include chunks of data or strange modulations which are impossible to be defined with the other TZX blocks. That's obviously NOT the case of Lynx, as it has a simple structure that can be easily replicated with a standard ID 11 block with the proper timings.

Obviously, TZX creates square WAVs, but the couple of examples I sent to ron in 2014 were able to load even if they weren't sine waves. In those 2014 tests I was even able to create a Level 9 game TZX tape (I didn't send that one to ron because it wasn't complete: only had the first load of three), but however I spent too much time trying to create a reliable TAP parser, and didn't finish the tool. As I said above, my procrastination is to blame.

[Mike]

I can confirm that square waves work on real lynx hardware. I've done that with wavs.

[ron]

I think I remember that the trick is to use a hidden option in the step from .TAP to .WAV that what it did was use square waves.
And then from .WAV to .TSX use the -b15 option

[rcmolina]

For testing anyone else ... OK for me with lynx core and SiDi FPGA

EDIT: Using BlackHole timing for TAPE 5: 578 T-states

TAPE5
LOAD"AIR RAID"

TAPE5
MLOAD"ECHECS"

TAPE5
LOAD"JSW"

[cypher007]

Thanks all will have to do some experiments.