ABOUT THIS FILE.

This document comes with each version of TAPWAV, a command line TAP to W
AV convertion tool by Luigi Di Fraia.
CONTENTS.
Here You can find informations about TAPWAV.
I.
II.
III.
IV.
V.

OVERVIEW
OPTIONS AND COMMANDS
EXAMPLES
VERSION HISTORY
TIPS

I. OVERVIEW.
TAPWAV - Version 2.2 by Luigi Di Fraia, Jul 2002.
Windows long filenames support by Giuseppe Mignogna.
Thanks to Fabrizio Gennari and Mike for testings/suggestions.
This MS-DOS utility will convert tapes in C64 .TAP format (used by some
C64 emulators) to 8-Bit Mono .WAV files so that you can play them on your PC and
record back to tape to play them on a real C64.
II. OPTIONS AND COMMANDS.
TAPWAV.EXE [<option>] <TAP filename[.TAP]>
Options are:
-f <freq> to specify sampling frequency of output. Default is 44100
Hz.
-r to reverse samples in output file. Default is DON'T reverse.
-b to force long pulses being handled as blanks. Default is no forcin
g.
-ntsc to use NTSC timing. By default PAL timing is used.
The "-r" option must be used just in case your Souncard reverts samples
(in which case your tapes won't work without using this option).
The "-b" option is "experts only". Don't use this option if you are not
sure it's needed, neither if WAVs you generated seem not to work - in which case
you may contact the author.
The "-ntsc" option doesn't comply with documented Hakan Sundell's TAP fo
rmat (which uses PAL timing), but it was added since Mtap from Marcus Brenner ca
n use NTSC timing to generate TAPs. Don't use this option if you are not sure it
's needed, neither if WAVs you generated seem not to work - in which case you ma
y again contact the author.
III. EXAMPLES.
C.

tapwav -f 32000 ChainReaction.tap

O.

TAPWAV - TAP v 1 to WAV Converter V2.2 by Luigi Di Fraia (Jul 2002).

Tap source: ChainReaction.tap.
Tap Data size: 579389 bytes.
Writing to file: ChainReaction.Wav.
Output WAV Parameters

Sampling Frequency: 32000 Hz.

WARNING: A LOW SAMPLING FREQUENCY MAY CAUSE DISTORSION.
Sample-direction: normal.
Using PAL CPU timing.
Target Load Time: 4:13.
WARNING: Maybe due to: 1.disturbs or 2.a low sampling frequency,
421867 pulses may cause aliasing during D/A conversion.
C.

tapwav rygar.tap

O.

TAPWAV - TAP v 1 to WAV Converter V2.2 by Luigi Di Fraia (Jul 2002).

Tap source: rygar.tap.
Tap Data size: 566045 bytes.
Writing to file: rygar.Wav.
Output WAV Parameters
Sampling Frequency: 44100 Hz.
Sample-direction: normal.
Using PAL CPU timing.
Target Load Time: 3:40.

IV. VERSION HISTORY.

V2.2: 16 Jul 2002 - Using square waves.
V1.35: 05 Jul 2002 - Long pulses can be forced to blank signal.
V1.34: 27 Jun 2002 - Volume is now variable, higher for longer pulses.
- D/A conversion aliasing warning introduced.
V1.1 : 16 Jun 2002 - Added custom options.
V1.0 : 15 Jun 2002 - First Release
V. TIPS
To record a WAV file to tape you need a tape recorder and a WAV player.
The latter is easy to find (under Windows the MS Media Player itself is enough but I would suggest to find one under MS-DOS and work under MS DOS itself), but
for the recorder, you should note the following things:
1. a mono channel recorder would be better. In case you just have a ster
eo one, it's enough (-better-) to record right channel (I found some tapes where
there was signal just on the right channel - or it was mainly in that zone and
I couldn't detect its width with a stereo player);
2. set the player volume on your PC at a medium level, then set the outp
ut volume of your recorder to zero (to avoid hearing the wav file while recordin
g it) and a recording volume low (half volume should fit);
3. if your recorder has a VU Meter, you can adjust these starting settin
gs to optimal ones during recording. Just be sure that when data is sent (keep w
atching for 20-30 seconds about) your VU Meter indicates at least -3db and doesn
't exceed +3db about. In case you don't read such a range, adjust your player vo
lume and when ok, restart recording from the beginning.