Hacker News new | past | comments | ask | show | jobs | submit login
First attempt at restoring Magnetic Scrolls backup tapes (strandgames.com)
49 points by Isofarro on May 26, 2017 | hide | past | favorite | 7 comments



I love this kind of thing! I recently did something similar, perhaps lower level, with some ZX Spectrum tapes from 1990. Saved them to wav (miraculously, they didn't stretch or snap!), literally fixed broken bits by hand (https://plus.google.com/u/0/+GabrielGambetta/posts/fcXkKmD8d...), and managed to recover my first "game", TOP CAT (https://plus.google.com/+GabrielGambetta/posts/8RkT5K2KR18).

But my real challenge is much more interesting. I have a few tapes with more of my very early software... but they were stored using an extremely proprietary device, invented in my country, so essentially nobody knows that it exists (http://www.worldofspectrum.org/infoseekid.cgi?id=1000510). I have the raw tapes, but I'm not sure how to get started, even. Probably try to interpret bits and trying to find strings. Exciting times ahead!


They're recovering Magnetic Scrolls from some actual magnetic scrolls. There's something beautifully poetic there.


Yeah, the game seems fitting.


nice idea. I'll use that in the blog!


Hi everyone, Strand here; We're BAKING the tapes now. check it out. https://strandgames.com/blog/tk50-tape-baking


What a fascinating project! The tooling source code sounds like a pretty awesome find as well. Wish you guys the best of luck and thank you for documenting your efforts!


I salute your effort! Best wishes.




Consider applying for YC's Spring batch! Applications are open till Feb 11.

Guidelines | FAQ | Lists | API | Security | Legal | Apply to YC | Contact

Search: