Tape Master Pro [Commodore 64]

Current version: V5.1, 21st April 2025 (See devlog for updates)

If you are looking for a good tape turbo source where you can make your very own IRQ tape loader projects through your PC. Then I strongly recommend: C64 TapeTool by Martin Piper. 

Tape Master Pro is an easy and very useful non commercial tape mastering tool for your Commodore 64. It allows you to create a tape master on your disk and then after a basic load and run master your own runnable game productions to tape.  All you need is a disk (image) that contains a relocated loading music, a bitmap and a C64 game runnable from BASIC. 

Create, and design your own tape loader, from a series of options, and then save a runnable master to disk. After you have finished, load in the master files you saved from disk, and write the music, picture and game to tape in a few minutes.  

If you like the good old Ocean Freeload and other cool loaders you'll love this.

Tape Master Pro V5.1 has the following cool and some optional features:

• Simple and presentable menu system, with varied options.
• Write your very own loading text also set the colour characters for it.
• Load in your own single loading sprite, set its position and edit the flashing colour.
• Select one of many loading bars/stripes modes to suit loading your production. These also include thin stripe columns and classic multicolour loading.
• Options to allow open borders and / or draw the loading bitmap during loading.
• Options to allow music fade-out after mastering to tape
• Loads hi-res  (OCP/Art studio) or multi-colour (Koala Paint) loading bitmaps according to options set.
• Embeds Space/Fire prompt after loading has finished on shorter programs - in order to give music chance to play for a longer period of time.
• Smart load error detection. - The border will turn red and stop tape indicating any load errors. This prompts you to rewind the tape slightly and press play instead of switch off the C64 and try again.
• Plays music from $E000-$F000 (TMP Version 5.0 / v5.1 only). The tape loader can play music from Future Composer, Sid Factory 2, Goat Tracker, CheeseCutter, DMC players, EMS V7.03 all the way to the Dutch USA Team's Music Assembler. 
• Loader PAL/NTSC compatible music speed. 

Before using this tool you will need the following:

• A Commodore 64, with 1541 disk drive (or 1541Ultimate 2(+)) or Ultimate 64 (Alternatively you can use CCS64, VICE, or DENISE)
• A Koala Paint multicolour bitmap or OCP Art Studio hi-res bitmap. 
• A short piece of music that is up to 4096 bytes (or lower) and is relocated at $E000 but does not go over $EFFF.
• A Commodore 64 game of your own, with a basic SYS run address. BASIC programmed titles should work, but will require a cruncher with BASIC support to be used first (Stoat and Tim's 2mhz Time Cruncher V5 is a good example).
• A working C2N Tape Deck (or you can use VICE/CCS64/Denise or Ultimate Capture Save to Tape)
• Patience - Relax while the tape mastering takes place :)

Credits:

Tape writing and turbo loader code: Martin Piper (Used with permission)
Editor and additional programming: Richard Bayliss
2025 The New Dimension as Public Domain software

Screenshots of games loading are examples of loading schemes available.