Chapter 4
How to load tape software
Subjects covered...
Using tape instead of disk
Loading Spectrum +3, Spectrum +2 and Spectrum 128 software
Loading Spectrum 48 software
Abandoning loading
This chapter describes the loading of commercially available
pre-recorded tape software.
(For a description of the loading, saving, formatting, etc.,
procedures that you would use during BASIC programming, see chapter 6
and chapter 8 part 20.)
Using tape instead of disk
So far, you have seen how to load software from disk. To use tape,
first set up the +3 system so that your cassette unit is connected to
the TAPE/SOUND socket at the back of the +3 (details of connections to
this socket will be found in chapter 10).
Spectrum +3, Spectrum +2 and Spectrum 128 software
To load Spectrum +3, Spectrum +2 and Spectrum 128 software (a game, an
utility program, etc.) from tape, carry out the following
instructions...
1. Set up and switch on the system so that the opening menu appears on
the screen...
+-------------------------------------------------------------+
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| _________________ |
| |_128_+3__________| |
| |//Loader/////////| |
| | +3 BASIC | |
| | Calculator | |
| | 48 BASIC | |
| +-----------------+ |
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| (C) 1982, 1986, 1987 Amstrad Plc. |
| Drives A: and M: available. |
+-------------------------------------------------------------+
2. Make sure that no disk in inserted in the drive.
3. Press the ENTER key to select the option Loader from the opening
menu. (If you don't know about selecting menu options, refer back to
chapter 2.)
Now skip to the section ahead entitled 'Loading from tape'.
Note that when you select the Loader option from the opening menu, the
+3 knows that you wish to load from tape (instead of disk) by
automatically detecting the absence of a disk in the disk drive. If a
disk is inserted, the tape will be ignored.
Spectrum 48 software
To load Spectrum 48 software (a game, an utility program, etc.) from
tape, carry out the following instructions...
1. Set up and switch on the system so that the opening menu appears on
the screen...
+-------------------------------------------------------------+
| |
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| _________________ |
| |_128_+3__________| |
| |//Loader/////////| |
| | +3 BASIC | |
| | Calculator | |
| | 48 BASIC | |
| +-----------------+ |
| |
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| |
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| (C) 1982, 1986, 1987 Amstrad Plc. |
| Drives A: and M: available. |
+-------------------------------------------------------------+
2. Select the option 48 BASIC from the opening menu. (If you don't
know how to select a menu option, refer back to chapter 2.) The
opening menu will disappear and the following message will be
displayed at the bottom of the screen...
+-------------------------------------------------------------+
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| (C) 1982 Amstrad |
+-------------------------------------------------------------+
3. Now press the J key once, followed by the " (double quote) key
twice. The screen should look like this...
+-------------------------------------------------------------+
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| LOAD ""[L] |
+-------------------------------------------------------------+
When you see this message, press ENTER.
Now skip to the section ahead entitled 'Loading from tape'.
(If the screen does not correspond to the above picture, then you may
have selected the wrong menu option or pressed the wrong key. In this
case, press and release the RESET button (at the left-hand side of the
+3) and carry out steps 2 and 3 again.)
Loading from tape
1. Insert the software tape into your cassette unit and make sure that
it is rewound to the beginning.
2. Play the cassette. As loading commences, the border colour will
flash and appear striped, indicating that the program is being 'read'
from the tape. If your TV's volume control is turned up, you will also
hear a varying high-pitched tone. Again, this is an indication that
the program is being read.
Most commercially available software cassettes take a few minutes to
load. Initially, the program name may appear (toward the top left-hand
corner of the screen) possibly followed by various other displays or
messages (these will differ from program to program).
When the program has loaded, stop the cassette. The software is then
ready to use.
When you have finished using the software and wish to use the +3 for
something else, press and release the RESET button (at the left-hand
side of the +3). Always remember that whenever the RESET button is
pressed, everything in the computer's memory (RAM) is cleared. You
should therefore always make sure that you have completely finished
with any program in the +3's memory, before you press the button.
Abandoning loading
If, while loading software from tape, you wish to abandon the loading
operation, then simply press and release the RESET button. The +3 will
return to the opening menu.
NOTE - Holding the BREAK key down while loading Spectrum +3, Spectrum
+2 or Spectrum 128 software will return the +3 to the opening menu;
holding the key down while loading Spectrum 48 software will return
the +3 to the 48 BASIC mode.