Why do I need the "Switch side" command on a Tape Player?

[ASW]

I searched in various manuals, but I couldn't find an answer anywhere. Is it possible to create different folders with different music? But thennull, how to do it?

[MAXsenna]

I searched in various manuals, but I couldn't find an answer anywhere. Is it possible to create different folders with different music? But thennull, how to do it?

Because the player is old tech and doesn't support reverse play, so you have to open the player and turn the tape around to play the other side. (Just like flipping a record). My trusty old Sony Sports Walkman did have reverse play, loved it!

Sent from my SM-A536B using Tapatalk

[Raven (Elysian Angel)]

43 minutes ago, MAXsenna said:

My trusty old Sony Sports Walkman did have reverse play, loved it!

Witchcraft! Burn him on the stake!

Fast Forward until the very end and then take it out and flip it!

[Despayre]

AFAIK you cannot create different folders with different music, but you could write a little batch file or something to swap out the music for whatever you want. The location is: \Program Files\DCS World OpenBeta\Mods\aircraft\F14\Sounds\Walkman (obviously, your install path may be slightly different, but it's not in the savedgames area). As long as your replacement songs have the same names and format, it will play them, but you will have to replace them again on every update.

I keep mine in a separate folder, and every time there's an update, I run a batch file that resets various customizations including the songs. After pointing it to the directory I store my music in, the command I use is: 

copy song*.ogg "C:\Program Files\DCS World OpenBeta\Mods\aircraft\F14\Sounds\Walkman\" >nul

 

[ASW]

3 часа назад, Despayre сказал:

As long as your replacement songs have the same names and format, it will play them, but you will have to replace them again on every update.

I keep mine in a separate folder, and every time there's an update, I run a batch file that resets various customizations including the songs. After pointing it to the directory I store my music in, the command I use is: 

copy song*.ogg "C:\Program Files\DCS World OpenBeta\Mods\aircraft\F14\Sounds\Walkman\" >nul

 

I thought this feature was possible so that the folders I created would not be affected during the update. 

[Despayre]

21 hours ago, ASW said:

I thought this feature was possible so that the folders I created would not be affected during the update. 

I'm not saying you can't somehow, but that would be news to me. I suppose you could try setting the entire Walkman dir to Ready Only, that might do it, but I don't recall anything about being able to have multiple folders.

[draconus]

Folders - no, but you can have different set of songs on the B side with naming like BSideSong1.ogg.

Edited Monday at 10:34 AM by draconus

[MAXsenna]

On 7/26/2025 at 7:18 PM, ASW said:

I thought this feature was possible so that the folders I created would not be affected during the update. 

True, file and folders that are not part of the DCS core, while placed there, will/(should) not be removed during updates, and not break IC. However, they will be removed during repairs. I do this for user missions and campaigns.

@Despayre, your way of batch files are nice. Personally, I prefer adding any file to the core with mod managers. 

@ASW, have you considered making playlists by having mod packs in a mod manager? If you name them like @draconus says, you pretty much have full control. A almost betting you can even disable/enable them during flying for swapping out the tapes. That at least works with kneeboards.

I applaud HB for adding this nostalgic feature, though I have not, and I probably never will use it. Stopped messing with sound files ages ago. I use a Spotify plugin for VoiceAttack. Way easier to just make my playlists there, even if my MP3/Flac library is about 1TB. I cannot bother to convert them to OGG.  

Cheers! 

[Despayre]

3 hours ago, MAXsenna said:

your way of batch files are nice. Personally, I prefer adding any file to the core with mod managers.

Thanks, a large part of my day job includes programming and tweaking small things, so I just prefer not to trust other programmers when I don't have to. It's quick, efficient, and I know exactly what it's doing, but I don't "generally" have a problem with mod managers for ppl that aren't so inclined.  

Edited Monday at 02:12 PM by Despayre
typo

[ASW]

I rarely listen to music myself, but I recently liked one. I wanted to keep the original side of the tape and make my own side. Now I know how.

Songs on the B side with naming like BSideSong1.ogg.

[ASW]

8 часов назад, draconus сказал:

Folders - no, but you can have different set of songs on the B side with naming like BSideSong1.ogg.

does not work.

[FriedrichNix]

13 hours ago, ASW said:

does not work.

It does. But ... you have to understand how a tape player worked/works.
The B-Side is only playable after the A-Side is at the end, or you would have to switch sides and rewind the whole tape (or fast forward the A-Side).

Try this: Listen to one track on the A-Side, then press STOP, then press SWITCH SIDE and then press PLAY. You _should_ hear the last track of the B-Side (if there are 10 tracks on your B-Side).

Let me assure you, it works. I did it with my Tomcat as well.

Edited Tuesday at 08:52 AM by Griefhard

[Mr_sukebe]

Maybe this should be date restricted as Auto-reverse Walkmans didn’t arrive until 1982

[ASW]

18 часов назад, FriedrichNix сказал:

It does. But ... you have to understand how a tape player worked/works.
The B-Side is only playable after the A-Side is at the end, or you would have to switch sides and rewind the whole tape (or fast forward the A-Side).

Try this: Listen to one track on the A-Side, then press STOP, then press SWITCH SIDE and then press PLAY. You _should_ hear the last track of the B-Side (if there are 10 tracks on your B-Side).

Let me assure you, it works. I did it with my Tomcat as well.

 

12 часов назад, Mr_sukebe сказал:

Maybe this should be date restricted as Auto-reverse Walkmans didn’t arrive until 1982

I'm 51 years old and I had a walkman.) It was only now that I realized what they had done, just like in real life. We need to listen to the rest or rewind the tape to the end.)))

I liked this music.

 

Song1.7z

Song2.7z

Song3.7z

Edited Wednesday at 03:10 AM by ASW

[MAXsenna]

On 7/28/2025 at 4:12 PM, Despayre said:

Thanks, a large part of my day job includes programming and tweaking small things, so I just prefer not to trust other programmers when I don't have to. It's quick, efficient, and I know exactly what it's doing, but I don't "generally" have a problem with mod managers for ppl that aren't so inclined.  

Fair enough!  

 

On 7/29/2025 at 10:52 AM, FriedrichNix said:

It does. But ... you have to understand how a tape player worked/works.

 

On 7/30/2025 at 4:12 AM, ASW said:

I'm 51 years old and I had a walkman.) It was only now that I realized what they had done, just like in real life. We need to listen to the rest or rewind the tape to the end

The attention to details catches me off guard quite often.  

On 7/29/2025 at 5:05 PM, Mr_sukebe said:

Maybe this should be date restricted as Auto-reverse Walkmans didn’t arrive until 1982

Haha!  

[ASW]

On the F-4, the player works like a CD. CD appeared at the very end of the 80s. There is a DAT or video cassette in the F-4 DCS.

[ASW]

This tape recorder was my dream in the 80s. In the city where I lived, it was one in 70,000 people. It cost about as much as a new car, and the owner was considered a very rich man. He was allowed to travel abroad in the USSR!

I wanted to buy one for myself in 2022. There is one master in Ukraine who restores the equipment and appearance of the device. It looks like new, with all the stickers, but it's not destiny anymore.

He gave it away for $170 in perfect condition.

 

Edited 2 hours ago by ASW

[Mr_sukebe]

1 hour ago, ASW said:

On the F-4, the player works like a CD. CD appeared at the very end of the 80s. There is a DAT or video cassette in the F-4 DCS.

Does it skip under high G turns?

As for CD players, Sony launched the first one back in 1982.

The first Discman was in 1984