• Please review our updated Terms and Rules here

How to connect a cassette recorder to an IBM 5150?

Ruud

Ruud

Veteran Member
Joined
Nov 30, 2009
Messages
1,390
Location
Heerlen, NL
Hallo allemaal,

At the moment I'm trying to repair a 5150 motherboard and noticed the relay. So far I didn't pay any attention to the cassette interface but having a meeting of collectors soon I decided to have a look at it and to see if it is possible to show it at the meeting. So I googled and the best info I could find was on Wikipedia. It should be enough to create a cable but I would prefer some more "for dummies" like information, just to be sure.

Many thanks for any help!
 
The IBM PC's cassette port uses the same pinout as Radio Shack TRS-80 computers.

http://gtp-tech.com/ebay/ccr81-cable.htm

data-cable-schematic-mm.jpg
 
Except that the TRS connectors are 3/32" and ⅛" like on old cassette recorders. ;)
 
KC9UDX said:
Except that the TRS connectors are 3/32" and ⅛" like on old cassette recorders. ;)
Click to expand...

When it comes to audio jack/plug sizes, 3/32" and 1/8" are used interchangeably with 2.5 and 3.5 mm, respectively. (The 3.2 mm on the diagram above is a typo.)
 
I know that the original IBM diagnostics program was available on cassette. I often wonder what else by IBM or aftermarket was available.
 
Only one published program is known for sure to exist. The "Diagnostics for IBM Personal Computer 1.02" Cassette version is archived and out there.

An early IBM product list lists a cassette version of Microsoft Typing Tutor, but no surviving copies have turned up.
 
The disk version of Avalon Hill's Galaxy could save game information to cassette making it the only program to do that. Of course, AH's early games were all BASIC so one of them might be runnable with Cassette BASIC.

I seem to remember that someone recently converted a self booting game to load off cassette which would be more interesting than Diagnostics but I can't remember the link.
 
For most people, the only use the cassette port ever got was using the motor relay to generate a clicking sound:

 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top