Tape Deck Tune Up on Amstrad CPC 464

[@garryadamson8507]

That head alignment tape looks so much better than the commercial one I've been using all these years. Definitely going to check that out. And Oh Mummy, I remember is well, transfers just fine from tape to disk as well from what I recall.

[@NoelsRetroLab]

Yes, that's the best one I found. It works great and you can see it changing the distribution in real time. Too bad I didn't have to do it for this video 😃

[@garryadamson8507]

@@NoelsRetroLab The commercial alignment tape I have instructs you to move the adjustment screw from one extreme to the other then split difference. At the extreme you get a beeping noise to indicate you hit it. Not the best way of doing it by any means.

[@TaberBucknell]

Another great video Noel. It’s remarkable how reliable compact cassette player mechanisms are given the number of moving, including sliding, parts they have. I will also mention cleaning the capstan and pinch roller as these are key parts of the tape drive (also covered in a previous comment).

[@NoelsRetroLab]

Thanks! I'm not sure I would call it exactly reliable 😃 They do fail an awful lot! But I suppose it's because they have so many moving parts, like you said. Yes, good point about cleaning the roller and the capstan too.

[@OtreblaMaslab]

What a fantastic guide to the CPC tape deck! So many important tips here preserved for the ages!

[@NoelsRetroLab]

Thanks so much!

[@moterov4]

Good video, I take note of the pause trick. I would add, that in my case the SW301 was very dirty (35 years accumulation), the same or more as the main power switch, like in your video. Its function is to close/polarize the coil circuit of the playback head, connecting 1 pin mechanically to ground. When it is dirty, acts as a resistance or false contact and introduces random noise in the circuit. So the tapes, especially the turbo, sometimes load and others do not.

[@NoelsRetroLab]

Yes, good point! I've seen that once and that also reminds me that I've seen the leaf switches for the motor current get so corroded that they didn't conduct and so the tape deck appeared completely dead.

[@gertsy2000]

'Ohh let's look at the pause...Yeah check it out..! stops perfectly!..' Luv it Noel.

[@NoelsRetroLab]

Thank you! I was originally going to skip fixing it, but I'm glad I did it in the end 😃

[@sonic2000gr]

Oh Mummy... The music is still stuck in my ears after all these years ;) It was a fun and easy game, and my brother's favorite too. Had Roland in the Caves too, but it was frustratingly difficult. And I did have an azimuth alignment tape back in the day as well. I remember it was sold complete with a mini screwdriver and instructions on setting the azimuth. A crappy game was also included on the flip side!

[@104d_3rr0r_vince]

A friend gave me his CPC a few years ago. He was in a terrible condition. The volume wheel missing, and I replaced it with a cola zero cork :-D Fits like a glove.

[@ed731pdh]

Tape counter reset plastic is brittle at best. Fixed one by shaping a piece of staple metal into the required shape, then drilled 1mm holes in the body of the original broken unit, fitted and superglued to tack into place.

[@damianbutterworth2434]

THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I`ve just got an Amstrad and was trying out the tape desk. Fast forward and reverse work ok but play did not. I see you have to press load on the computer for the play button to work. You have saved me stripping it down lol. I owe you one.

[@HAGSLAB]

I've never used or seen an Amstrad myself, but I have to say that they look really cool. I like the black case and green and red key colors. :D

[@NoelsRetroLab]

Yes, the 464 had an awesome color scheme. I like the 6128 better as a computer, but the 464 wins in style.

[@WacKEDmaN]

CPC was a very colorful machine... even the on screen color palette was some of the best in the 8-bit era

[@robsmall6466]

The CPC has multiple graphics modes. If you get the chance check out anything in Mode 0 on a real CPC monitor. Very colourful. Good examples include Gryzor, P47, Turrican 1 and 2, Savage, Super Cauldron, Prehistorik 2, Rainbow Islands, Robocop and many more

[@magicknight8412]

A fiddly job fixing up these tape decks! only done it once and really dont want to again :)

[@NoelsRetroLab]

Haha, I totally get it. I don't want to use them most of them time, but once in a long while, it's kind of magical (and nostalgic).

[@BertGrink]

Good job, Noel. In particular the way you fixed the Pause function; had i been tasked with it, I would probably have considered using a self-tapping screw + a washer, but i think your solution is more reversible, in case the proper parts should show up.

[@NoelsRetroLab]

That would also work (plus the spring, of course). I didn't think of it, but it's good to have a large bag of tricks. You never know when you'll need them!

[@BertGrink]

@@NoelsRetroLab Plus the spring, of course! hehe

[@jasedobson2793]

Thanks Noel for the Azimut Locator program, I needed that!

[@NoelsRetroLab]

You're welcome. It's the best of that kind of program that I was able to find.

[@ElectronGordo]

Wauuu I have never seen that before, this tool for checking the tracking out. Great soft.

[@NoelsRetroLab]

Yes, it's the best I've found for that. 👍

[@mrtiff99]

Totally forgot about your channel, great to discover it again. Your Amstrads looking good!

[@NoelsRetroLab]

Glad you're back! 😃

[@antonjoly9601]

Great vid Noel! CPC remains king of retro. And to say, Neil from RMC also released a CPC video at almost exactly the same time! Is this CPC day? :) You guys rule

[@NoelsRetroLab]

Yes, I saw that! I think both Neil and I have a soft spot for the CPC in our hearts 😃

[@WacKEDmaN]

@@NoelsRetroLab hard not too when we grew up with them as our daily driver!.. if it wasnt for the CPC, Neil, yourself, and myself would never be here doing this! :P

[@bruwin]

And GadgetUK just repaired an earlier model of the 464 as well. Nice seeing some Amstrad content all at once.

[@nutsnproud6932]

When I was at school I had a ZX81 then Spectrum. I adjusted the tape heads with the science lab oscilloscope wired to the mono headphone cable. Tapes loaded perfectly after that. I know not everyone has a scope.

[@NoelsRetroLab]

That's actually a great idea. I use the oscilloscope a lot. Why didn't I think of that?? 😃 What are you looking for with the oscilloscope, highest possible amplitude? Or were you looking for a particular shape (well-defined square for example).

[@nutsnproud6932]

@@NoelsRetroLab I just went for the largest amplitude that was not distorted.

[@mantetudekieneres]

Muy buen video como siempre. Como curiosidad yo tambien pensaba que el segundo cabezal era para grabar, pero no es asi, es solo para borrar. Graba el mismo cabezal que reproduce.

[@WacKEDmaN]

nice tips Noel.. i remember amstrad action had something about the azimuth in one of the mags.. IIRC it was a basic program that would read a pure sinewave... i remember playing with the adjustment on mine, but just ear-balled it!.. coz i never had a way of putting a pure sinewave onto a tape! also the white head is just for erasing (its an electromagnet!)... it wasnt needed for exporting programs out with one of the cassette adapter to headphone jack..

[@NoelsRetroLab]

Thanks! Yes, this azimuth program is also a type-in. Maybe it's the same one, or if not, a very similar one.

[@WacKEDmaN]

@@NoelsRetroLab from what i remember its quite different...IIRC there was a image of a sinewave.. no graphical output from the tape being played, just showed some numbers below the image... btw...that little notch in the case between the cassette door and the buttons.... is for adjusting the azimuth with everything in place! (altho.. lookin at it..it seems to be on the other side (left) of the head?!)

[@AugustoIFRJ]

Very good tips Noel, thanks for share!

[@NoelsRetroLab]

Glad it was helpful!

[@markretro3612]

great vid... i brought some plumbing o rings for that tiny wheel.. love the reset arms.. blu tack on the screwdriver for that horrid screw by the speaker ..i find the audio mod works well but will require decent input source with high gain.. also it will load OTLA loaders (30 seconds to load instead of 8 minutes) alternative audio mod is the read head but tape adapter works well

[@NoelsRetroLab]

Exactly, plumbing rings are good for that wheel. Although I find that they aren't manufactured with a lot of precision, so some of them have uneven widths. Still, it's worth buying 20 of them and throwing some away. Good tip about the blue tack for the screw!

[@psteier]

Great stuff and hints again for repairing the tape drive. I like your T-shirt selection. Are those original shirts, or did you remade them by yourself?

[@NoelsRetroLab]

Thank you! No, none of the shirts are original. I just had them printed myself from high-resolution logos (which sometimes I had to re-create by hand).

[@psteier]

@@NoelsRetroLab this is great. I think, I need some Amstrad related shirts now... ;)

[@Testacabeza]

What a beautiful computer.

[@Androx74]

nice video this cpc 464 seems a very nice system, i was near to buy one for 57€ yesterday but when i was going to buy it on ebay it was already sold, damn :P

[@NoelsRetroLab]

It's not a rare system so I'm sure you'll find others for a good price. Definitely worth it!

[@ITGuyinaction]

🤘😁🤘 P.S. When I was a teenager, this computer was treated like Rolls-Royce - expensive and luxurious.

[@GORF_EMPIRE]

Another fine and thorough job!

[@NoelsRetroLab]

Thank you as always!

[@GORF_EMPIRE]

@@NoelsRetroLab Not at all.... thank you for providing good retro saving information!

[@Peneck]

Gran trabajo como siempre! Los vídeos pasan volando.

[@stevesrover]

I hadn’t wondered what the Amstrad loading tone was like until today. Pretty Spectrum-like. Interesting.

[@NoelsRetroLab]

That's giving me an idea of making a video comparing loading tones and why they are that way. Hmm... 😃

[@stevesrover]

​@@NoelsRetroLab It may sound bizarre but that's something I'd be interested in for sure. The Speccy had quite a few different approaches and baud rates. I was amused by the beepload, which aped the Beeb and Electron and was great for not crashing if it missed a block. Some of the Gremlin and later Vortex games would load loading screens piecemeal in strange ways. I gather a C64 could turn off the tone and play music. Ataris take forever to load from tape. I've never heard an Apple ][. I wonder what other computers sounded like.

[@joebloggs4845]

i had the chunky keyed 464 back in 1984 very rare to find you have the later amstrad

[@TheMalMeninga]

23:17 Super Robin Hood! My favourite ever game!

[@NoelsRetroLab]

Really??? Can you believe I have never played it? I need to remedy that right now!

[@WacKEDmaN]

Ghost Hunters for me! the speech sample was so bad...but soooo good at the same time! :P

[@gamerdude0]

Brilliant video, I will give your Azimuth alignment program a try, thank you for that. Abu Simbels Profanation failed to load on my CPC 464.

[@NoelsRetroLab]

Yeah, give it a try. It's a great program!

[@SomePeopleCallMeWulfman]

Roland in the Caves was my first game for the CPC, and it took me literally 35 years to find out that it had multiple levels.

[@NoelsRetroLab]

Wait, what??? It does???? Dang! I thought I had managed to escape the cave when I was a kid, but I don't remember the cave changing afterwards. I was probably so exhausted that I totally blanked out the rest 😃

[@Novabug]

I like that azimuth locator test tool. I have the original azimuth alignment kit, I replaced a couple of heads. It appears that its only as a DSK file, have you a CDT so I can transfer that to a cassette Noel? Cheers. Great work as always

[@raidersan2]

Hi Noel, great work as always... Thanks for the knowledge and entertainment. I try to download that azimuth tool you use but I can only find a DSK file through the link you provided. How do you convert that to a tape format?

[@ncot_tech]

It now seems really odd to me that tape games used to "waste" time loading a title screen, when they could have loaded 30 seconds quicker.

[@NoelsRetroLab]

It's a tradeoff I suppose: Do you want to spend 1 minute + 10 minutes loading the game while looking at a cool loading screen, or do you want to spend 10 minutes loading the game staring at a black screen?

[@bricerive]

Great video. I'm in the middle of a similar job on a 464 and it's helpful to see how you do it. Also, didn't know about the azimut program. Not sure how it works. Need to look at that more closely. Cheers

[@NoelsRetroLab]

Glad it was helpful! I'll add a link to the azimuth program in the description in case that helps. Cheers.

[@toxotis70]

@@NoelsRetroLab yew, please! Also it would be nice to show us how to replace both belts if needed.

[@MrMark00024]

Hi Noel, great vid. I am having same issues with mine so going to give this all a go. Do you have a link or contact for anywhere that has those tape deck counter buttons. Mines sames as yours, all snapped. Thanks.

[@NoelsRetroLab]

The 3D model is available on thingyverse, but I had Gee-k print them for me (gee-k.net).

[@MrMark00024]

@@NoelsRetroLab That's great thanks.

[@alexwierzbowsky]

Nice repair, as always! I only don't get how that pin with a "hook" on one end holds inside the plastic tube. Did you "unhook" it from the bottom?

[@NoelsRetroLab]

Thanks! As soon as the pin goes all the way through, the spring tries to move it up and the bottom of the pin hooks to the side of the tube (unless you're pulling perfectly straight up). And since nothing else pushes it down, it's hooked there permanently.

[@gregskuza7166]

Hi Noel, I followed your instructions and added line in which works perfectly but having a working deck inside my CPC I wonder how could I connect my external tzxduino to record on the actual tape from external input? Great video!!!

[@somosdeamstrad]

Hi Noel, my 464 is always making background garbage noise when the volume is up. Interestingly when it plays a melody or starts loading from the cassette this noise disappears. I am going to give a good cleaning to the volume wheel but I think it may be due to something else. I was thinking about a capacitor in poor shape. Have you ever seen something like this before? Thank you

[@NoelsRetroLab]

Yes, start with the wheel because that's the easiest thing. But I've seen that happen with really bad capacitors in the tape deck. Once you replace those, the noise is probably going to go away. Watch out because I think one of them doesn't have any polarity (you can skip that one).

[@RockTo11]

Do you use and Amstrad Plus computers? I really want to get mine running again. I think the tape deck is the main part that needs to be fixed. Similar to this model I hope.

[@mikeaudioadventures]

Hi Noel thanks for the video. I have just done the same thing with my 464 but after reassembling it the power light is not on and though the tape drive has life there is no display, any ideas what it could be? Annoyingly it was fine before I did the maintenance work!

[@rastislavzima]

Thanks for the tip how to clean power switch, I have one which have problem switching on, now I know how to open it. :-)

[@NoelsRetroLab]

Glad to help. Yeah, that's not instantly obvious how to do it, but it's easy once you know the trick. It's a very common failure in CPCs actually!

[@orvillekidder9901]

Use a 3d printer pen to fix the counter's reset button. The plastic in the pen can adhere better than adhesive.

[@SidebandSamurai]

Noel, really great material. I never got to play with an Amstrad, they look like really great computers. Are Amstrad computes based on an arm processor?

[@NoelsRetroLab]

Thank you! No, Amstrad are Z80 based, like the TRS-80, ZX Spectrum or MSX computers. You may be thinking of the Acorn Archimedes (I'd love to get my hands on one of those, but they're hard to come by!).

[@johnsonlam]

Oh I missed the cassette sound so much, I used to play my Apple ][ games by loading cassette tape when I was a child. I didn't hate the analog high pitch at all, I always turn the speaker on. Not sure it's useful or not, when tape not loading or error, cleaning the rubber wheel will help to improve the clarity, guess the rubber stick all the loose powder on the tape.

[@NoelsRetroLab]

I have fond memories of the high-pitched noise as well. It got to the point that I could tell what kind of data was being loaded by the sound of it (loading screen vs. code vs. graphics). Happy to hear it, but happy to have better/faster loading systems as well.

[@BertGrink]

Yes, the pinch roller (AKA ther rubber wheel) tends to collect loose dust from the tape which creates a hard and shiny surface. One solution i have used successfully (on an audio tape deck) is to use some very fine grit sandpaper and gently rub it up and down all along the circumference of the rubber roller. Also, i consider the loading sound an essential part of the retro experience too; even when i run an emulator on my PC! 😅

[@ΓιώργοςΠαρασκευάκης-ν7ε]

at 7:30 pitch roller needs replacement and capstan needs cleaning too!!!! how do u adjust azimuthium correctly ? i am asking as a zx spectrum +2 owner (back then 1986 and now(lol) 2011) i played with this screw back then as a kid but i didn't know the correct procedure ty in advance!!!!!! exellent work

[@jameshindle784]

Where did you get that shirt? I want one seriously, love my amstrad 464

[@shaunpenn9509]

Hi, quick question for you if you don't mind. I have a 2nd amstrad that works, it loads tapes but the sound just sounds a little off or slow when loading, it can load games but fails with error a or b, sometimes at the end of the tape or straight from the begining. Is there a way to tune the sound of the tapes loading?

[@xu83]

I need that tape!! Where can I buy azimuth casete to fix my amstrad cpc 464??

[@retronexusnet]

Hi Noel, would it possible that you share the 3D files for the counter-reset replacement you showed? thank you!

[@NoelsRetroLab]

Absolutely! I should have added it to the description but I forgot (just did). Here it is: www.thingiverse.com/thing:3340706 Cheers!

[@retronexusnet]

@@NoelsRetroLab super nice! Thanks!

[@d2factotum]

Thatgame Roland in the Caves looked suspiciously similar to one called Bugaboo the Flea I remember playing on my Spectrum many years ago...

[@NoelsRetroLab]

The original name was The Flea (La Pulga). Later there was a sequel and maybe that's the one that had the name Bugaboo? Not sure, but they're certainly all related 😃

[@d2factotum]

@@NoelsRetroLab I just looked it up-according to Wikipedia the Spectrum version came first, and was ported to the Amstrad to take advantage of the Roland character on that platform. I guess they renamed it to Bugaboo the Flea for its UK release because they felt just The Flea didn't sound cool, or something!

[@dalekman9999]

do you have the specs on that spring used for the pauce button?

[@ΓιώργοςΠαρασκευάκης-ν7ε]

at 4:05 better change it .......... it will fail again..... nice video - exellent work!!!!!

[@NoelsRetroLab]

The volume wheel? Usually there's no need to change it, it's just that dirt gets in there and prevents it from making good contacts.

[@ΓιώργοςΠαρασκευάκης-ν7ε]

@@NoelsRetroLab ok!

[@pvc988]

1:54 I think, that grease that you removed from the switch was its lubricant.

[@NoelsRetroLab]

Probably. That explains why it gets all dirty and stops making contact after several years. I don't think it needs it at all. Or maybe the purpose of it was to prevent rusting which would stop it from working even before the gunk. That could be it.

[@marklola12]

Hi wonder if you can help..I was given link to this video by someone on cpcwiki Today 2 games came in post and neither loaded so assumed dud tapes but I then tried some of my other games and they did not either apart from 1, the first dizzy game got to the loading picture screen then cut off to black screen, treasure Island dizzy both copies either said error b or the main screen stayed on and the tape carried on winding till it ran out...the title of the game did not even show. Other games were the same only 1 loaded Roland in time but it seems that was a fluke. It was all ok last time I used it. I have ordered a cassette tape belt incase it is that. BUT I wondered if I need to align it like in your video, I wondered could I use one of those car cassette tape adapters that I use to load some games from my phone with this software if I download the dsk

[@8BitRetroJournal]

Do people ever try those cassette adapters to get audio in from a phone?

[@NoelsRetroLab]

Yes, and they do work. But since the case already has a hole, I'm going to put an audio jack to feed sound data directly, and then maybe play around to see how fast we can go 😃

[@8BitRetroJournal]

@@NoelsRetroLab I just tried OTLA on my ZX81 and sped up a 16K program load-time from 341 seconds to 13 seconds...mind blown.

[@atzefatze]

The solution to keep the spring in position looks not that save. After some uses it may plopp out. How about using a plastic cover cap or a rivet? Just an idea...

[@NoelsRetroLab]

You're limited to something very similar to the original piece. Something very thin needs to hook at the end of the tube, and it needs to flare out enough to keep the spring in place. A wider cap would be ideal, but I don't have anything remotely like that.

[@OTuit]

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

[@ΓιώργοςΠαρασκευάκης-ν7ε]

if u have a small failure belt it will cause some games not to load and u will suffer(lol) adjusting azimuthium until u load a game .. i had this issues as a kid (lol) took half a day to load some games what days back then!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@NoelsRetroLab]

Yeah, if the problem is the belt and you start adjusting the azimuth... you're in for a world of hurt! 😃

[@TimToolman]

The game you tried at the end looks just like bugaboo on the zx spectrum. Not sure who copied who..

[@NoelsRetroLab]

It is the same, just re-branded for Amstrad.

[@theannoyedmrfloyd3998]

You need a utility to copy those cassettes to disk. 😉

[@NoelsRetroLab]

That's how I started learning hard-core assembly programming back in the 80s. Copying tapes to disk, then breaking copy protections, etc.

[@farerse]

Hi what accent do you have? Dutch??

[@NoelsRetroLab]

It's an odd mix of several accents, but my native tongue is Spanish 😃

[@farerse]

@@NoelsRetroLab wow I would have guessed dutch or surrounding countries, thanks for your uploads