A Miniature, Low Cost Magnetic Tape System for Programmable Games

As microprocessors become more widely used in consumer products of ever-increasing complexity, there has arisen a need for a low cost magnetic tape peripheral. Such a peripheral is used to store both programs and data. A new, re-entrant tape cartridge about the size of a book of matches, capable of storing in excess of 500,000 bits of data, will be described. Its mating transport is 1" x 3" x 1 and has only three moving parts. Data encoding schemes requiring minimal electronics and operating over wide tape speed fluctuations will be outlined. While designed as a self-clocking, single-track digital system, the MicroVox Digital Data Storage System can be equipped with a second track for audio effect. This paper describes bulk program tape duplication techniques and unique system configuration to minimize "bootlegging." Finally, it reviews several current applications.