Editing Tapuino / Tape Emulation Mods

{{Infobox hardware
| name           = Tapuino / Tape-Port Emulation Mods
| image          = [[File:Tapuino_oled_v1_top.jpg|260px]]
| caption        = '''Tapuino OLED v1.5''' assembled on a single 5 × 7 cm PCB
| type           = External solid-state replacement for Commodore '''Datasette'''
| developer      = Andrew Beer (“Sweetlilmre”) – original Tapuino design<br />Community forks: Arananet Reloaded, OpenC64 Tapuino, Tapuino OLED, Tapuino W, etc.
| first_released = April 2014 – public GitHub release of Tapuino v1.0 firmware
| latest_release = Tapuino firmware v2.01 (Feb 2023)
| operating_voltage = 5 V DC (drawn from cassette port pin 2)
| application    = Commodore 64, 64C, SX-64, VIC-20, C16/+4, PET* (with adaptor) – any IEC-less CBM 8-bit that uses the '''1530/1531 Datasette''' interface
}}

The '''Tapuino''' is an open-hardware, Arduino-based device that emulates Commodore’s 1530 '''Datasette''' mechanism, allowing cassette images (‎*.TAP*, ‎*.PRG*, ‎*.TCRT*) stored on a micro-SD card to be loaded, saved, and fast-forwarded with perfect digital fidelity.  
Because it plugs into the cassette port rather than the serial IEC bus, Tapuino is an attractive solution for VIC-20 owners and for C64 software that was never released on disk.

== History ==
* '''2014-04 – Tapuino v1.0''' published on GitHub; Arduino Pro Mini + 16×2 LCD shield, push-buttons and SD-module.
* '''2015-02 – Hackaday write-up''' brings wider attention; hundreds of DIY units are built.
* '''2016-17 – “Reloaded” & OLED forks''' replace the LCD with a 128×32 I²C OLED and move to an Arduino Nano for native USB flashing.
* '''2019 – Tapuino-W''' adds ESP-8266 Wi-Fi so images can be pushed over the network.  
* '''2022 – Tapuino v2.x''' firmware rewrites the loader to support '''Turbo-TAPE''' fast-loaders and arbitrary sample rates up to 100 kHz.

== Hardware Overview ==
{| class="wikitable"
! Variant !! MCU / Clock !! Display !! Media !! Notable Features
|-
| '''Tapuino v1.0''' || Atmega328P @ 16 MHz || 16×2 HD44780 LCD || micro-SD || Through-hole shield stack
|-
| '''Tapuino OLED''' || Atmega328P || 128×32 OLED || micro-SD || Smaller 5 × 7 cm PCB, rotary encoder option
|-
| '''Tapuino Reloaded''' || Atmega328P (Nano) || 128×32 OLED || micro-SD || All-SMD, USB update, protected 5 V regulator
|-
| '''Tapuino-W''' || ESP-8266 (NodeMCU) || 128×64 OLED || micro-SD / Wi-Fi || HTTP file upload, OTA firmware
|-
| '''OpenC64 Datasette Saver''' || STM32F103 || 0.96" IPS || micro-SD || Adds over-current & brown-out protection
|}

=== Electrical Interface ===
The Tapuino connects to the six-pin '''cassette port''':

* '''+5 V''' (pin 2) – powers the MCU (≈70 mA peak with OLED).  
* '''GND''' (pin 1)  
* '''MOTOR''' output (pin 5) – emulated by polling; Tapuino ignores the line or gates file play.  
* '''READ''' (pin 4) – 0/+5 V pulse stream generated by DAC/bit-bang at original 300 baud or turbo rates.  
* '''WRITE''' (pin 3) – edge-captured and stored as WAV-like data when user presses “Record”.  
* '''SENSE''' (pin 6) – always pulled low (tape present).

Opto-isolation is optional; most PCBs use 74HC14/LM311 to shape the READ line back to digital logic levels.

== Firmware & File Support ==
Current stock firmware (v2.xx) recognises:

* '''.TAP v0/v1''' images up to 64 MB.  
* '''.PRG''' files auto-wrapped in a minimal TAP header.  
* '''.TCRT''' (Tapecart) container – load *instantaneously* via turbo @ 38 kBaud.  
* Partial experimental support for '''TurboTape''', '''SpeedDOS''', '''Vorpal''' timing.

Menu navigation is via four push-buttons (Next, Prev, Play, Stop) or a rotary encoder; long-press on STOP enters settings where motor-sense polarity, turbo-boost and LCD contrast can be tweaked.

== Building Your Own ==
A DIY Tapuino can be completed for '''US$15–20''' in parts:

; Mandatory
: * Arduino Nano (ATmega328P)  
: * micro-SD module (5 V tolerant)  
: * 0.96″ monochrome OLED (I²C)  
: * 74HC14 Schmitt trigger + 2N3904 for READ shaping  
: * 6-pin edge connector or sacrificial Datasette cable

; Optional
: * Level-shifting buffer for WRITE  
: * Protective polyfuse on +5 V line  
: * 3D-printed enclosure

Gerbers for multiple boards (Reloaded, Mini, Slim) are on GitHub under CERN-OHL-S or GPL-2.0 licences.

== Usage Tips ==
* Hold '''Play''' at power-on to enter fast-loader patch mode – needed for some turbo loaders that poll the keyboard.  
* Keep SD cards formatted as FAT32 with 8.3 filenames; deep directory trees slow the directory parser.  
* You can '''record''' real tapes: insert blank SD, press ➤⏺ combo and start the physical tape in the Datasette.  
* For VIC-20, set *AUTO-PRG offset* to $1201 so PRG files auto-run after load.  

== Alternatives & Related Projects ==
* '''Tapecart Micro-SD''' – cartridge-sized STM32 design streaming PRGs at 38 kBaud.
* '''Casduino / ArduiTape''' – WAV player on Arduino Nano feeding READ line with pure analogue audio.  
* '''Super‐SCP TapeCart Deluxe''' – CPLD-based loader with 2 MB internal flash.  
* '''Pi1541 “Tape Mode”''' – Raspberry Pi emulates both IEC disk and cassette via GPIO add-on.

== Limitations ==
* Will not power a '''real''' Datasette motor; cannot be daisy-chained.  
* SAVE speed is limited to original 300 baud even in v2 firmware.  
* Very long turbo loaders (>100 kB/s) may exceed the 16 MHz timer resolution.  
* C16/+4 require a €3 1531-to-1530 passive adaptor due to different pin-out.

== See Also ==
* [[Commodore 1530 Datasette]]
* [[SD2IEC & IEC-2-SD Adapters]]
* [[PLA Replacement Options]]

[[Category:Commodore 64 Modifications and Enhancements]]
[[Category:Commodore Systems]]