Plug a stereo output to a mono input, the "mono emulator"

I want to plug my 8 bit computers tape port (input) to my new stereo cassette player another stereo set as my smartphone, a mp3 player, my raspberry pi in order to play games.

The idea is simple, plug all ground/mass conection together and stereo right and left signal to mono one.

To connect the stereo source to a computer with a homemade port, i.e. ZX Spectrum +2A or Commodore 64's tape unit, I make a cable with two male connectors, one stéreo and another mono, like this:

But If I want to make an adapter to an Amstrad CPC6128 or MSX tape cable the connections will be the same but mono connector will be female.

If I want to record in tape I need to this cable two times.

Also I can make a specific adapter for new smartphones (CTIA connection) or for my raspberry. At this cases we change the male stereo connector for an 4 contacts jack where most external connection will not be connecter (MIC or Video signal), ground will be the next connection.

If you use a very old mobile (OMTP connection), ground and MIC are swapped.

SuperTuxKart: unlock all tracks and karts

SuperTuxKart is a race karts game similar as Mario Kart and one of my favorite games because it's addictive and allow a lot of interesting things.

Now we see a tick to unlock all tracks and karts, we need edit a file with and editor than keep the original format of the file (I use jEdit).

This is the full path of the file:

$HOME/.config/supertuxkart/0.8.2/players.xml

we need change these strings:

true ► false

none ► hard

And that's it, you can already enjoy all the karts and tracks, including those that are blocked without needing to get the milestones.

Open alternatives to privative software (XII): GIMP, the graphics editor

You need GNU/Gimp if you need edit a photo or any image.

The GIMP is a very powerfull tool, at least as much as the most well known and you needn't pay a lot of money for a licence and you have the guarantee than it's open source.
Anyway, as any other software, you need a good manual or a course to learn of the possibility.

Some of its feautures:

• Multisystem: there are Windows, Mac (now full native), GNU/Linux y much more other unixes versions.
• Most GNU/Linux distros includes GIMP installed of included in their official repositories.
• Can import from or export to almost all graphics format.
• This is open source and also free software, you needn't pay expensive licences.
• You can do a lot of things with layers, make an animated GIF, images for different scenarios, etc...

Sice 2.8.x version was launched you can work in an unique window or not.
This version requires a pentium 4 processor at least and Windows version must be runned al least in Windows XP with service pack 3.

If our computer hasn't the minimal requirements (our PC must be older than 15 years old) we can use the older versions. They have most of the feautures with less requirements.

You can see professional possibilities and works in youtube, these videos will surprise you.

Original article

• Alternativas al software propietario (XII): GIMP, editor de imágenes.