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What's the "REM" plug on the cassette interface for pocket computers?

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barythrin

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My quick googling hasn't found the answer yet. On the external printer/cassette interface I have for one of the TRS-80 pocket computers has 4 plugs on the front, power, REM, MIC, then EAR. REM->EAR have a bracket implying they're all for the cassette interface. What's REM? I was hoping I could get away with just mic and ear for transferring data to the unit (if it works). REM has a slightly smaller looking hole with just metal not rubber surrounding like the other two connections have.
 
Remote - contact closure to start and stop the cassette motor; you're obviously not using a portable cassette deck ;-)

You can probably get away with ignoring it and starting/stopping manually.
 
I seem to recall contemporary documentation often reminded users using the REM functionality to still remember to hit "stop" on their cassette decks when they were done using them, because merely stopping the motor didn't disengage the capstan from the pinch roller. And leaving it engaged for a prolonged period had the potential to both damage the tape and to dent the roller.

So... yeah, don't worry about not using the REM plug.
 
On some sytems you could actually control this using commands such as "motor on" or "motor off" (TRS-80 Color Computer BASIC, IIRC). In that way, instructional software could mix software or data segments with spoken audio, which could be routed through the TV/monitor speaker.
 
There's another twisted use for the motor relay, as it usually makes a "click" noise when switched on/off, it can be used to make some kind of SFX. Not recommended of course, I don't have the slightest idea of how many times a common relay can be switched before it stops working...:bomb:
 
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