Classic computing fanatic and Commodore fan Jan Derogee has provide you with a novel solution to get your comedian guide repair: studying them from cassette tape on a Commodore 64.
“StripStream is a ‘easy’ software-only retro laptop venture for the Commodore 64,” Derogee explains of his creation. “StripStream runs on a inventory C64 PAL system together with a Datasette [cassette tape player]. The enjoyable a part of the StripStream venture is that it really works remarkably properly and that it makes use of 40 yr previous expertise for its playback.”
The Commodore 64, as is typical of computer systems of its period, used low-cost audio tapes as a storage medium. Software program — normally video games — was saved onto tape and slowly loaded into the pc’s 64kB RAM prepared for play. If the software program was bigger than might slot in RAM, subsequent sections can be loaded after the person was executed with the primary — creating so-called “multiload” packages.
StripSteam is a form of multiload program, however one which delivers its imagery as a steady stream of information — offered to the person as probably a whole bunch of pictures scrolling easily from the right-hand aspect of the display to the left. As every picture scrolls into view, being learn column-by-column from tape in a course of that takes about six seconds, the reader program pauses, stopping the tape motor till the person presses a key.
Photos are stored low-resolution and black-and-white to maintain loading instances low. (📷: Jan Derogee)
This steady knowledge stream storage format, Derogee notes, provides StripStream an attention-grabbing capability: semi-random entry on a serial storage gadget. “The tape will be stopped at any time, forwarded, [rewound], and began at any desired tape place,” he explains. “When began the info is sort of immediately correctly loaded from that time of the tape and with none noticeable delay the present knowledge is proven on display.”
Derogee has launched StripStream as a ready-to-run program file, in addition to two instance tasks in tape-image format — together with an editor program and person handbook, for these trying to make their very own StripStream tapes — on his web site. Anybody trying to make use of the software program on actual {hardware}, although, ought to word it is designed to be used with PAL Commodore 64 gadgets fairly than the NTSC variations launched within the US.
