[{"TitleName":"Operation Alignment","Publisher":"Global Software","Author":"Marc Isherwood, Peter Green","YearOfRelease":"1986","ZxDbId":"0011971","Reviews":[{"Issue":{"Name":"Crash Issue 29, Jun 1986","Price":"£1","ReleaseDate":"1986-05-29","Editor":"Graeme Kidd","TotalPages":140,"HasCoverTape":false,"FlannelPanel":"Publishing Executive: Roger Kean\r\nEditor: Graeme Kidd\r\nTechnical Editor: Franco Frey\r\nTech Tipster: Simon Goodwin\r\nAdventure Editor: Derek Brewster\r\nStrategy Editor: Sean Masterson\r\nStaff Writers: Hannah Smith, Lloyd Mangram\r\nContributing Writers: John Minson, Jon Bates, Rosetta McLeod\r\nArt Editor: Oliver Frey\r\nArt Director: Dick Shiner\r\nProduction Controller: David Western\r\nProduction: Gordon Druce, Tony Lorton\r\nProcess Camera: Matthew Uffindell\r\nPhotographer: Cameron Pound\r\nAdvertisement Manager: Roger Bennett\r\nSubscriptions: Denise Roberts\r\nMail Order: Carol Kinsey\r\n\r\nEditorial and Production: [redacted]\r\n\r\nMail Order and Subscriptions: [redacted]\r\n\r\nADVERTISING\r\nInformation and Bookings [redacted]\r\n\r\nPrinted in England by Carlisle Web Offset (Member of the BPCC Group), [redacted]. Colour origination by Scan Studios, [redacted];\r\n\r\nDistributed by COMAG, [redacted]\r\n\r\nNo material may be reproduced whole or in part without written consent of the copyright holders. We cannot undertake to return any written material sent to CRASH Magazine unless accompanied by a suitably stamped addressed envelope. Unsolicited written or photo material which may be used in the magazine is paid for at our current rates.\r\n\r\n©1986 Newsfield Limited\r\n\r\nJULY-DEC 1985\r\nTotal: 93,356\r\nUK: 89,441"},"MainText":"GETTNG YOUR HEAD TOGETHER\r\n\r\nFollowing on from OPERATION CARETAKER - a complete computer cassette recorder care kit containing a head cleaning tape and alignment routine, Global have just released OPERATION ALIGNMENT for the Spectrum at £5.95.\r\n\r\nWithout doubt, faulty alignment of tape recorder heads is the major cause of tape loading problems - particularly if the program which is being loaded features one of the fancy hyper, mega or giga loaders favoured by software houses in the drive against piracy. Usually all that is needed is a tweak or two on the azimuth alignment screw that adjusts the playback head and all is well when the angle is restored to ninety degrees.\r\n\r\nGetting that correct angle can be a tricky business - the only really accurate way to do it involves an oscilloscope, but then not many folks have one of those lying around the front room at home. With experience, it's possible to play a program tape and twiddle with the adjusting screw, getting a reasonable alignment by listening to the sounds emanating from the tape recorder's speaker, but the nervous or unskilled can make a total botch of things using this rather ham-fisted method.\r\n\r\nGlobal come to the rescue with a program (that you might have to load in with a friend's tape recorder if your head is really wonky) that comes in a box with a dinky little screwdriver ideal for head twiddling. Once the program has loaded, sample data can be played into the computer and the tape head adjusted while you watch the effects of your twiddles displayed in the form of dynamic barcharts that give a readout of the status of the tape player in real time.\r\n\r\nTechnobabble aside, the package represents good value if you are having problems with tape loading errors and is worth keeping with the computer. After at while, you may find that using the package has trained your ear and the software can be dispensed with - don't lose that dinky screwdriver though!","ReviewerComments":[],"OverallSummary":"","Page":"74","Denied":false,"Award":"Not Awarded","Reviewers":[{"Name":"Franco Frey","Score":"","ScoreSuffix":""}],"ScreenshotText":[{"Text":"OPERATION ALIGNMENT had better not be checking out Cameron, our photographer, rather than the tape deck. Status: UGLY, no successes, lots of errors and a very dodgy speed of operation? No, that's not our Cam..."}],"BlurbText":[],"TranscriptBy":"Chris Bourne","ReviewScores":null,"CompilationReviewScores":[]}]}]