Azimuth Head Alignment Kit

AZIMUTH HEAD ALIGNMENT KIT

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Have you ever purchased a game, only to find that it wouldn't load when you tried to play it at home.



The most common reason for loading difficulties is the bad alignment of the tape head of the cassette deck.

The AZIMUTH TAPE HEAD ALIGNMENT KIT, enables you to re align your cassette deck simply and quickly.



No technical skills are required. By following the Step by Step picture guide the total operation and test may

be carried out in minutes.



All the software, instructions and necessary tools are included in the kit, which also includes a complete

version of the PLAYERS top selling arcade game JOE BLADE, for you to test on your newly aligned tape deck.



This kit contains:

Azimuth tape alignment cassette, with a full version of JOE BLADE on the flip side.

Special Azimuth screwdriver.

Full instructions.





INTRODUCTION



1.1 LOADING PROBLEMS

With the influx of large memory software on the market today and with most software houses developing their fast

loaders, program loading reliability suffers. This is due to the loading systems increasing the baud rate in

which the program is put onto the tape. This in itself calls for a much more critical setting of the tape head

on the cassette deck.



1.2 HAVE YOU EVER RETURNED A FAULTY TAPE?

Many owners who return tapes to retailers are in fact returning perfectly good recordings. The problems lie

with the tape recorder. The common answer by many is "Well all my other tapes work". This may be so, but from

experience, as you will see when you set up your alignment, the tolerance can be more than a 360° turn of the

adjustment screw to obtain a "Possible load setting". This package is designed for you to carry out this

adjustment yourself and is explained stage by stage. Once you have carried it out you will realise the

simplicity of the operation and will be able to use the package when required.



2.1 WHAT IS THE AZIMUTH ANGLE?

A tape head basically consists of two magnetic poles with a gap between them. The gap should ideally be

perfectly perpendicular to the direction of tape travel. The difference between this gap and the perpendicular

is called the Azimuth angle.



2.2 WHY SHOULD WE SET THIS ANGLE CORRECTLY?

If a magnetic pulse on the tape goes past a perfectly aligned head, then the electrical signal received from the

head is very clear to the computer and the program will load without error. If the head is slightly unadjusted

(out of alignment), the signal received from the head is not clear and appears "smudged" over a longer time

interval. The computer will be unsure as to exactly when the signal occurred and so timing errors will be

introduced. This can result in data being read incorrectly from the cassette (loading errors). If the head is

a long way out, pulses may appear "smudged" together and data will be lost (the program will never be recognised,

the tape will appear blank, but it is not). Both these problems are more critical at a high speed rather than at

low speed and a tape recorder that is capable of loading programs at the normal Spectrum speed of 1500 baud may

have trouble coping with programs using fast loaders.



2.3 WHY SHOULD I USE THIS TAPE?

The Azimuth angle varies by a small amount from tape to tape due to differences in cassette casing. This

cassette is designed to be as accurate as possible in this respect and will be only slightly different from

other good quality tapes. It has been professionally recorded to the very highest standard. Imitations or

copies will not give the same result.



2.4 THE AZIMUTH ALIGNMENT TAPE

This special tape has a standard baud rate loader, but its special feature is a counter 0-2999 written at 2000

baud rate, which is continued on the alignment side of the tape. On the reverse is a game called 'JOE BLADE'

which will act as a test to see if you have carried out the adjustment correctly.



3.1 CLEANING THE HEAD PRIOR TO ADJUSTMENT

Before carrying out the adjustment, one should ensure that the head is cleaned. This is best done with the use

of a cotton bud and Isopropyl Alcohol (available from any good chemist). This is best done with the tape

recorder's play button depressed, consequently revealing the tape head.



At this point identify the screw to be adjusted with the play button depressed. The adjusting screw on the head

is aligned with the adjustment aperture in the casing.



3.2 LOADING THE AZIMUTH TAPE WARNING

The screwdriver may only be inserted into the adjustment screw head with the cassette deck in play position.



Load the Azimuth program by typing LOAD"" then ENTER (LOAD is obtained by pressing 'J' and "" (by pressing

symbol shift and 'P' together).



NOTE: Spectrum 128 and plus 2 users should enter 48k mode first as described in the computer manual.



Ensure that the sound is turned up when the counter appears to start counting. Insert the special screwdriver,

with pointer mounted as per diagram, into the adjustment hole and gently turn it clockwise until you hear

a bleep from the computer. At this point turn the screwdriver slowly anti-clockwise to stop the bleeping and

the counter should start counting up to 2999. Should it stop/start, turn the screwdriver slightly more

anti-clockwise until it counts up to 2999. Once this has been achieved, note the point at which it happened.

It is suggested that you use a matchstick as in the example.



3.3 NEXT STAGE

To start the counter again press the "space" then carry out the same procedure turning the screwdriver slowly

anti-clockwise to obtain a bleeping sound. Then bring it back clockwise to obtain the counter reading up to 2999

and make note again using a matchstick.



3.4 FINAL SETTING

The screwdriver should have remained inserted throughout this operation. You vyill now note the angle between

the markers. To obtain the optimum setting you will need to halve the angle between the markers, (note the angle

can be over 360°), therefore turn the screwdriver clockwise until the back of the pointer is in the centre of

the two markers. This will ensure the head is ideally aligned.



NOTE: The angle is the turning distance between the two extremes when the counter was reading 2999, and this

could be more than 360°.



3.5 TEST

Turn over the tape and load the test game JOE BLADE. This has been recorded at 2000 baud so if it loads then you

shouldn't have any problems with other fast loaders. To load JOE BLADE type LOAD "" followed by ENTER.



3.6 CASSETTE CARE

Having now carried out this adjustment you will appreciate the tolerance of the alignment and you will keep this

tape for future use to minimise the frustration of the past. Keep your Azimuth cassette stored in its box at all

times and do not expose it to excessively high or low temperatures. Do not store in a dusty environment.





SETTING YOUR AZIMUTH



1. Insert the screwdriver into the adjustment hole as shown with the Cassette deck in the play position, making

sure that the screwdriver sits firmly into the screw head.



2. First rotate the screwdriver clockwise until the counter reset chimes. Then gently turn the screw

anti-clockwise until the counter goes up to 2999 without reseting. This is one of the extremes within the

tolerance. Mark this position with a match stick as show. Do not remove the screwdriver and keep the pointer

facing this position.



3. To start the counter press the space bar. Now rotate the screwdriver anti-clockwise until the counter chimes,

then gently clockwise until the counter goes up to 2999 without reseting. You now have the other extreme, now

mark the position with another matchstick.



4. Now divide the angle between the two extremes remembering which direction the extremes are in e.g.



FIRST ANGLE SECOND ANGLE NOW HALVE THE ANGLE

1ST EXTREME 2ND EXTREME 1ST EXTREME 2ND EXTREME 1ST EXTREME



*-------------* *-------------* *-------------*

| / | | \ / | | \ / |

| | | | | ^ |

*-------------* *-------------* *-------------*



THE ANGLE TO BE HALVED MAY BE MORE THAN 360°



NOTE: These diagrams are only for guidance as the actual angles will vary from cassette deck to cassette deck.

Of course the position of the screwdriver pointer at the start of the operation will vary as well. However, it

is important that you halve the two extremes in the right direction when turning the screwdriver to find the

optimum setting.



Now, if the sequence has been carried out correctly your head should be aligned to the accuracy of 2000 baud,

which should handle all commercially available cassette programs.



To check this you should flip the cassette over and load the 'B' side, which is a free test game recorded at

2000 baud. If you experience loading problems you should clean the tape heads or carry out the alignment

process again in case of an error on your first attempt.





WARRANTY



If you damage your screwdriver then a good hardware shop or specialist tool centre should be able to supply you

sith another. If you have any difficulty in obtaining a replacement then contact Interceptor Software at the

address on the packaging.





WARNING: Although the majority of the loading problems are due to the Azimuth setting, which can be rectified

with this alignment tape. Other problems may be due to the tape mechanism hence the guarantee should be

exercised as tampering with it MAY invalidate the guarantee.





INTERCEPTOR SOFTWARE

Mercury House, Calleva Park Aldermaston, Berks RG7 4QW.