Interactive Connector Diagram
Click or tap any pin in the diagram below to inspect its signal assignment, electrical specification, and wire colour standard.
Click any pin to view its signal assignment, electrical spec, and wire colour.
Used in Retro Machine Hubs
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Connector Specifications
Edge Pitch
0.156" (3.96 mm) with polarising keyway slot between Pins B/2 and C/3
Logic Supply
Pin B/2 = +5.0 V DC (powers the op-amp/Schmitt trigger inside the 1530 Datasette)
Motor Supply
Pin C/3 = ~+6.0 V DC (switched on/off by the CPU when Pin F/6 SENSE is grounded)
Modern Emulators
Tapuino (OLED .TAP player) & Tapecart SD
Full Pin Assignment & Wiring Reference
| Pin | Signal Name | Direction | Electrical Spec / Role | Wire Colour / SCART / Adapter Target |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A / 1 | GND (0 V) | GND | 0 V Common Digital & Motor Ground | Black / Bare Shield |
| B / 2 | +5.0V DC | Pwr | +5.0 V DC Logic Supply (powers 74LS14 & LM358 inside Datasette) | Red |
| C / 3 | CASSETTE MOTOR (+6V) | Out | +6.0 V DC Motor Drive (controlled by 6510 Port Bit 5 / VIA / PIA) | Brown / Orange |
| D / 4 | CASSETTE READ | In | 5 V TTL Square-Wave Data Input from Datasette (to CIA1 /FLAG or VIA CA1) | White / Yellow |
| E / 5 | CASSETTE WRITE | Out | 5 V TTL Square-Wave Data Output to Datasette (for SAVE) | Green |
| F / 6 | CASSETTE SENSE | In | Active-Low Button Sense (pulled to 0 V GND when PLAY/RECORD is pressed) | Blue |
Datasette Azimuth Alignment & Motor Transistor (TIP29) Check
From the 1977 PET 2001 to the Commodore 128, Commodore used a 6-position (0.156" / 3.96 mm pitch, keyed between Pins 2 and 3) PCB edge connector for the 1530 C2N Datasette. Top fingers (1–6) and bottom fingers (A–F) are tied together in pairs.
- Testing Pin F/6 (SENSE): When you press PLAY on a 1530 Datasette, a leaf switch inside the deck shorts Pin F/6 to Pin A/1 (GND), causing the C64 screen to blank and turn on the +6 V motor transistor (Q1/Q2 TIP29) on Pin C/3.
- Head Azimuth Alignment: Use the small hole above the PLAY key with a jeweller's screwdriver while running an azimuth alignment utility until the vertical stripes form crisp, tight bands.