ing system has been added to the PX-8
CP
1M.
This
is
known as MTOS
(Microcassette Tape Operating System).
It
means
that
CP
1M
can use the
microcassette drive as the equivalent
of
a disk drive. Because
of
the physical
differences in operation the use
of
a microcassette
is
slightly different from us-
ing a floppy disk
or
RAM disk. This
will
become obvious as you study the oper-
ation
of
the Microcassette drive.
b) Microcassette selection and use
Consult your Epson dealer for supplies
of
microcassette tapes.
You should ensure
that
the tapes you buy are
of
the correct type as there are
similar
size
cassettes which are not compatible with the PX-8 Microcassette drive.
Microcassettes are available in sixty-minute lengths (thirty minutes per side) and
thirty-minute lengths (fifteen minutes per side). These are marked MC-60 and
MC-30 respectively. Because a thirty-minute tape will store
10K
to
SOK
bytes
of
information per side, it
is
usually adequate for storage
of
your most fre-
quently used
data
and programs.
It
is
recommended
that
you use the shorter
tapes because it
is
often faster
to
change tapes (or flip one over)
than
to wind
to the end
of
a long one. In addition, shorter tapes are less likely
to
jam.
The
microcassette directory can only hold
12
file names, so
12
short
data
files
or
programs will leave a long length
of
unusable blank tape.
Some
of
your most important
data
will be saved
on
microcassettes, so it
is
im-
portant to care for them properly.
To
keep the tape clean, always keep it in
its protective case when it
is
not in use. Never let your fingers touch the tape
itself; the oil from your skin can contaminate it.
Be
sure
to
keep your tapes
away from magnetic surfaces. Proximity to a magnetic field can erase your tapes.
Magnetic fields are found in television sets and other devices
that
have trans-
formers
or
speakers. Dirty recording heads in your microcassette drive can cause
errors in reading and writing and can even damage your tapes. You should clean
them periodically, using a head-cleaning cassette, a cleaning kit (available where
you purchase your cassettes)
or
a cotton swab and isopropyl alcohol.
c)
Tape Insertion
To insert the Microcassette tape proceed as follows:
4-2
1) Press the
EJECT
key to open the microcassette compartment cover.
I1111
MICRO
CASSETTE
/' V
)(
(~/\I
fh~Y:/)
!/~
)1
REC
,g'~
c:::J
EJECT
~
§]
Fig.
4.1
2)
Insert a microcassette with the side to be used uppermost. This will have
the majority
of
the tape as seen through the window
on
the right
hand
side.
Fig.
4.2
4-3
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