e the result in your fave sound editor.   
   Also listen to the recording to check if something is winching!   
      
   CLEAN AS A WHISTLE   
      
   Another problem to be solved is the software and hardware with which you   
   play your master WAV files.  Many media players apply some softener like   
   oversampling or re-sampling if your sound card operates at another sampling   
   rate than your WAV file.  If something like that kicked in, the difference   
   between the CBM file leader recorded with a datasette and the re-sampled   
   one in your WAV is clearly audible.  Both should give you a clean,   
   high-pitched ear piercing with no funny patterns in it.  On Linux try the   
   command-line tool "play".   
      
   When in doubt (and who wouldn't be) make WAV files with 44.1 kHz sampling   
   rate - all sound cards can handle it as it's also what audio CDs provide.   
   The latter are the ideal solution if your OS cannot be coerced into playing   
   cleanly or if you want to delegate making copies to some company.  If they   
   don't know about computer recordings, send them an audio CD and insist that   
   they play it with a regular audio CD player, not on a computer!   
      
   PILOTS AND LEADERS   
      
   With the bits and bytes rambling on you'll see a steady signal in your   
   editor just like you want it.  But when you zoom in on the first pulses you   
   recorded you'll notice that the universe is still sneaking up on you - the   
   recorded wave is not centered in the middle as the sudden start of it gives   
   rise to a low frequency sine wave.  That's why tape data is introduced by a   
   pilot, also known as a leader or whatever other name they have for it below   
   the Alps.  It's a workaround to let the signal settle before the real data   
   starts.  The same goes for the end of a block, which is why there are   
   usually also trailers in order to not spoil the last bit.  If you're in   
   desperate need for small pauses, better fill them with the pilot of the   
   next block instead.   
      
   QUALITY ASSURANCE   
      
   Something that's not tested doesn't work.  Just a regular test of your   
   recordings on a real machine is OK.  But if your stash of tapes is large   
   enough you can write a steady sine tone onto them, record them back to your   
   computer and spot future breaking points in a sound editor (like the drop   
   out shown in the beginning of this article).  Such things are normal at the   
   very start of a tape.  If they occur in the middle of the tape, a game may   
   miraculously load one time but not another and then again it does.  One day   
   it'll quit for good at one of those spots.  If you have the option to sort   
   those tapes out, that would really add to your charms.   
      
   WHERE TO GET TAPES   
      
   If you see audio cassette tapes in an electronics store, they're probably   
   the last ones you'll ever see.  Cut-to-length ferric tapes are available   
   from Tapeline Ltd (UK) to be found at tapeline.info.  They're also much   
   cheaper than anything you find in a store.  Plus:  they work.  They also   
   have the right labels and cases.  At the moment they only have thin C120   
   type tapes that tend to scramble up in a datasette right away, or, if they   
   played through on both sides, are meant to last.  As said before:  expect   
   half of them to say "Auf Wiedersehen!" in your datasette.  A little bit   
   annoying but still cheap.   
      
   To make the retro computing community happy, Tapeline is currently trying   
   to source the thicker 18µm C60 type tapes.   
      
   TO BE CONTINUED...   
      
   In the next part we'll bang together a TAP file containing a CBM file, so   
   you can get started with your own turbo loader.  Until then:  have fun   
   bringing your favorite retro hits to the real thing yourselves!   
      
      
      
   *************************************   
              REVIEW: JAM IT   
                 C64 Game   
   *************************************   
      
   Youtube video   
   www.youtube.com/watch?v=mva4h1n5Dwc   
      
   Website   
   throwbackgames.itch.io/jam-it   
      
   Jam It is to be released on cartridge as well as disk and tape and of   
   course the usual digital download.  Check out the following sites for how   
   to obtain a copy and more info.   
      
   * C64 disk & tape - www.psytronik.net   
   * C64 cartridge - www.rgcd.co.uk   
      
   THIS IS A VERY SLICK PRODUCTION!   
      
   I love the action replays in the game, where the players reverse then slow   
   go through the action, a very good and amusing effect.   
      
   SO WHAT THE HECK IS THIS!   
      
   Well Jam It, as you should be able to guess, is a basketball game where up   
   to 4 players can control the action with the help of the 4 player multi   
   adaptor from Protovision.  Fear not, one player can play against the   
   computer or a friend, with your computer offering a variety of difficulty   
   levels or play against.   
      
   The main game shows that there is only one basket and so you all have to   
   try and throw into this with all "teams".  It feels like school where they   
   could only afford one basket!  The gravity on the game is superb, the ball   
   feels heavy and the people seem to jump well and fall convincingly.   
      
   I am unsure about the running backwards with the ball, but Heck this bad   
   boy even has a cheerleading session at halftime.  (Grasp the bromine, not   
   that you will need it though)   
      
   And a prize giving ceremony   
      
   The Graphics were as good as I expected in the main game.  If you remember   
   Commodore's international soccer www.youtube.com/watch?v=CVqCpjpDabM (that   
   CRL managed to release on tape) then this improves on the quality, with   
   smaller sprites, and better animations.  The player you're controlling   
   (with the computer) flashes his shirt, and the manual goes into great   
   depths about how the various shots are achieved.  There is more than just   
   moving around and pressing the fire button; there is some real skill to   
   this game.  This is not just a game you pick up quickly and jump about, you   
   will need to read the manual to get the best out of the game.  Not that   
   this is an issue, but if you don't put in the effort then the game won't   
   work as well as you think, and you will be losing out on the quality and   
   gameplay.   
      
   Sound effects are ball bounces, some white noise for the shooting, and   
   crowd cheering.  The temptation to add a techno soundtrack during the game   
   happily hasn't entered the programmer's mind, thank goodness!  But what can   
   you add to a basketball game in the sounds department?  The crowd flashes   
   their cameras during key moments which is a nice effect, and the ceremonies   
   and presentations add some more interest.  When you score the winning team   
   gets a band of colour showing who won the point at the bottom of the   
   screen, but the stats are constantly shown on the right hand side, so there   
   is no question of who is winning.   
      
   The main title music is questionable, especially for basketball.  Although   
   I am not an expert on basketball music, it sounds more like a blues track,   
   but I may be missing the point somewhat.   
      
   I could make comments that the crowd are just purple outlines and not real   
   quality or realistic looking, but then I would be nit picking.  Had this   
   arrived after Commodore's International soccer it would have sold like the   
   proverbial hot cakes, and probable been a 10/10 in every magazine   
   available.  However, it is a very high-quality release that can hold its   
   head against any recent release.   
      
   The packaging and just the sheer options in the game, added with the   
   various NBA stats in the manual add to a high release, it's more attention   
   to detail.   
      
   SCORES   
      
   Graphics: 9/10   
   Sounds: 6/10   
   Gameplay: 8/10   
   Packaging: 9/10   
   Overall: 8.5/10   
      
   SUMMARY   
      
   Ok, the sounds could be better but this doesn't detract from the very high   
   quality and realistic game play, high quality packaging, manual, and   
   attention to details.  Overall an amazing release   
      
      
      
   *************************************   
          GROWING PAINS PART TRES   
     "The Envelope Addressor" (TEA) v1   
                 and v4.2   
            By Lenard R. Roach   
   *************************************   
      
   As I sat down in the genuine fake leather chair behind the keyboard of my   
   stock Commodore 128, the screen was already displaying the main menu screen   
   to my greatest Commodore BASIC program to date:  That of what has come to   
   be known as "The Envelope Addressor" v4.2, or its better known acronym,   
   "TEA 4.2".  As I looked at   
      
   --- MBSE BBS v1.0.4 (GNU/Linux-i386)   
    * Origin: Dragon's Lair ---:- dragon.vk3heg.net -:--- (3:633/280)