TASPUNCH -- (Long shot)

Blue Jinn

Blue Jinn

Rider of the ARPocalypse
Anyone know if this can still be found anywhere or if the guy who wrote it exists in the netosphere? I have teh demo version which can be found different places, but it's shareware.

Being able to do an automated punch in has some appeal, and I don't mind wiring a cable for it. I have the necessary ancient PC for it too.
 
It's basically a remote for a MSR-16 or TSR-8 (or MSR-24 I imagine) that gives software control over the transport. I have a remote already, but the other selling feature was the ability to automate a punch in.
 
I’m sure you know this, but you can automate punch in and punch out with features built into the TSR and MSR series, but only one point at a time.

I haven’t looked into TASPUNCH since around 2005, and at that time the guy was still selling it. Now the links I have from back then in my TSR-8 folder are all dead.

The creator’s name is Mark Mitchell from Carrollton, Texas. His last know address was:

Mark Mitchell
P.O. Box 111116
Carrollton TX 75011

I don’t know if that’s current.

The last phone number I have for him is 214-352-3895. I don’t know if that’s current either, but it appears he was still in the Dallas Metropolitan Area in 1998.
 
if someone has a copy of taspunch (demo is fine), can you please send it ? or the link ? i am looking for that readme file. Looking to findo ut what are the commands for the tascam serial port for these recorders.
 
fgonza2 said:
if someone has a copy of taspunch (demo is fine), can you please send it ? or the link ? i am looking for that readme file. Looking to findo ut what are the commands for the tascam serial port for these recorders.
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I have the demo. PM me with an email address and I can send it to you.
 
PM sent. If there is enough interest to control the tascam machines both serial and parallel interfaces i am willing to write the software and develop maybe a HW module to interface
 
fgonza2 said:
PM sent. If there is enough interest to control the tascam machines both serial and parallel interfaces i am willing to write the software and develop maybe a HW module to interface
Click to expand...

On what platforms? A timecode-based punch-in facility would be very handy to have, assuming it doesn't interfere with the sync facility too much...
 
can you elaborate more details ? what would be the usage model ? i am targeting Mac and iOS for now, then Windows. I wanted to take a look at Taspunch or any other source that has Tascam's serial commands documented. For the older parallel interfaces that is not a problem. On timecode punch in, you mean use SMPTE to program punch-in-outs based on the timecode ? of course i am just scoping this for an initial prototype.
 
If you are writing for mac I'm guessing it could also be ported to Linux? I'm interested. Files sent. For some reason I couldn't find the zip file. Let me know if your ISP rejects the .exe and .dll files.
 
i didnt receive it. From what i've read somewhere the key data was in the readme files that included some of the info on teh commands. But i may be wrong. i'll resend the email as a PM. I want to finish the hardware interface first. Linux is doable, but my initial priority will be MacOS
 
Blue Jinn said:
@fgonza2 emailed again as a zip file. Didnt bounce back. let me know if it's good.
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it's good thanks. Unfortunately there was no info on Tascam serial commands. But i have another idea on how to get them from the remote of my TSR8. Will keep you guys posted with any updates.
 
Cool, sorry, although you might be able to reverse engineer it somewhat and see what command signals are sent for the functions and decode it that way.

I don't know much about it, but I'm pretty sure the Tascam 848 remote will also work with the MSR/TSR decks using Accessory Port (don't remember which one) The service manual for that might also help.
 
thanks, will look that up. reverse engineer maybe the only option here. I wonder if Tascam may share this information.
 
Could you maybe intercept what TASPUNCH sends and receives and analyse the protocol that way?

EDIT: One way might be to reverse-engineer the ROM from the deck. The MSR-24 and ATS-500 both have EPROMS which can be downloaded into a computer. But you'd have to be damn good at 6800 assembler for that.
 
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fgonza2 said:
I wonder if Tascam may share this information.
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It can't hurt to ask. There really isn't any reason for them to not. They sell the service manual which has full schematics, and those ports are there for a reason.
 
i just contacted tascam with the questions about the serial protocol on the Accesory 2 port. Lets see if they reply. I only have TSR8s, not MSR16 ot MSR24, so i have some questions to help me out:

1. Does the MSR24/MSR16 remote connects to the Accessory 2 port in the back ? or somewhere else ? (the TSR8 has a special separate remote port)

2. One option is to use the Midiizer MTS-1000 to reverse engineer it. I have one, but i dont know if it will cover all the commands.

3. Can someone post a picture of the MSR16 & MSR24 remotes including the connector ? does anyone has a schematic of that connector or the MSR24 page where the remote connector is detailed ?

If someone has an schematic of any of these remotes that will be very helpful too. Also a picture of the internal PCB will help to give me some idea of the ICs used


Thanks.
 
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jpmorris said:
EDIT: One way might be to reverse-engineer the ROM from the deck. The MSR-24 and ATS-500 both have EPROMS which can be downloaded into a computer. But you'd have to be damn good at 6800 assembler for that.
Click to expand...

Oops, the A807 uses a 6800. The MSR-24 uses a PD7554 microcontroller, which I can't find a datasheet for. Without knowing the instruction set, it's going to be verrry hard to disassemble.
The ATS-500 uses a HD63B03YP, and there is a datasheet for that which seems to list the opcodes and workings of the microcontroller. A complete disassembly of that ROM may yield some details since the device is able to identify the model via the serial link. But it wouldn't necessarily be enough to allow for a punch-in program.
 
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