Datasette

From C64-Wiki

The datasette (or datassette) is Commodore's fancy name for a modified cassette tape recorder for use as a data medium; a data-cassette recorder. Commodore sold them under the model designations C2N or VC-1530, designed for use with the VIC20, C64 and PET and CBM 2000/3000/4000/8000/9000 models.

For the C16/116 and Plus/4 machines, Commodore marketed a third datasette type, the VC-1531.

A datasette is simple to use and a popular storage device amongst beginners. While datassettes are cheaper than a diskdrive, the datatransfer is very slow (~60 - 70 bytes/s), allthough higher trasfer rates can be achieved with fast loaders (max. 10-times more).

The datassette has its own cable permanently attached to it, carrying both data and the power needed for the unit. This cable connects to the Datasette connector (square; 12-pins, with underparts 8 : 4) at the C64. The datassette accepts standard cassette tapes, and a 90-minutes tape (45 minutes on each side) will hold on the order of 150 kilobytes on each side if no compression or fast loader is used.

Datasette 1530 C2N-B (old model for PET/CBM)	Datasette 1530 C2N-B (model 2 for VC-20)	Datasette 1530 C2N (model 3 for C64/128)	Datasette 1531 for C16/116 and Plus/4
Instructions Book for 1530 bzw. 1531