knudsen@ihnss.UUCP (12/09/83)
(Re-posting; my host doubts this got sent) The Commodore approach to cassette recording (digital saturation) is good, but it's unfair to say that all computers using audio recorders have problems and lack features. The TRS Color Computer uses exactly the opposite approach--feed the analog recorder a pure sine wave instead of hitting its poor circuits with rectangular ppulses as some older machines do (yes, record circuits don't like pulses). Result: Coco tapes are VERY reliable, and are read back by a simple slicer with histeresis. (oops, hy--). Also the Coco names its files (tho only 8 chars) and can start/stop the motor under SW control, to allow files bigger than RAM to be processed, etc. Of course the Radio Shack salesman will tell you you must use their recorder; that's baloney, any cheap one will do....mike k