TV And Tape Interaction

My cousin sent me some programs on tape for my Commodore 64, but they will not load unless I turn off the television set. I've done everything the Datassette manual suggests. Can you offer any advice?

Brian Dorsey

At first, this interaction seems most peculiar. How could your TV have anything to do with your cassette recorder? In fact, though, a television or monitor used with a computer is a primary source of magnetic interference. Although the magnetic field (which can emanate from the TV's transformer) may not erase any tapes or disks, the field can prevent the read head from reading the tape or disk. To solve this problem, move your recorder or disk drive at least two feet away from the television. It's also not a good idea to store tapes or disks within two feet of a television or monitor. And beware of stereo speakers, telephones, and any equipment with a transformer. You may also want to place the power supply boxes on the floor instead of on the same desk or table as your computer.