When pennies count, the cheapest storage now is 'free' online, or Flash drives. But back in the 1900s, there was no USB and no internet. Even expensive hard drives were hard to find. The storage choice was music cassette tapes, cheap & plentyful everywhere. The ATARI home computer line had 3 Data Recorders based on Cassettes: The 410, the 1010, and the XC12 (XCA12, CA12, XL12 international branding). All 3 models operated at similar 600 bits per second recording & playback, all tapes interchangable between models. The models differences wre cosmetic, to match the model line of the computers they were used with. The 410 Cassette Drive fstyled in tan pplastic to match the Atari 400 and 800. The 1010 wrapped in Off white plastic with chrome accents matches the XL Line of computers. Fubctionally, they will run forward and reverse. Pressing the PLAY button will do nothing until a signal is sent from the attached Computer. Same action for record. Press PLAY & RECORD and nothing happens until the Computer sends the signal to start the motor. These devices are not designed as music recorders or walkmans playing cassettes. They are indeed Cassette based DATA DRIVES specifically engineered for saving and loading your data and programs.Read full review
Verified purchase: No
I've bought 7 Atari tape drives in the past none of them worked properly or not at all. I'm happy with this purchase with the Atari 1010 recorder money well spent ! Thank you!
Verified purchase: Yes