Tape Playback Mode for real cassette flow
This release pushes the Mixtape experience closer to the physical format it is inspired by. With Tape Playback Mode enabled, playback now stops automatically at the end of Side A, and the display switches into a clear flip prompt for Side B. When Side B finishes, the tape loops back into the same ritual. That is the whole point: a cassette is not a random access playlist, and now Zenteek Player respects that.
I added this because one of the real use cases was more serious than nostalgia. Some people want to record Mixtapes onto actual tape, and continuous playback can get in the way fast. If you are doing unattended transfers, the player needs to behave like a tape deck, not like a streaming queue. Tape Playback Mode gives you that discipline.
Playback integrity stays intact
To keep the experience authentic, Tape Playback Mode is marked with a dedicated tape icon in the main display. If you touch the queue during playback, the mode exits. That is intentional. On a real cassette you do not rearrange tracks halfway through a side, and I wanted the software to preserve that same constraint instead of pretending it does not matter.
The result is more than a visual gimmick. It makes Mixtapes usable as a recording source, and it makes listening feel structured again. Side A ends. You flip. Side B plays. Then you are back at the start. Simple, predictable, and very much the point.
Inspect tapes without opening the editor
I also added a new tape information view so archived Mixtapes are easier to explore without editing them. The popup shows the track list, tape length, and both sides in a format that resembles a cassette cover, with SIDE A and SIDE B color coded to match the side view.
That solves the old problem where archived tapes were meant to feel immutable, but you still needed a way to check what was inside before pressing play. Now you can peek into the contents cleanly, without breaking the concept.
Why this update matters
This release reinforces what makes Mixtapes special in Zenteek Player. It is not just another playlist view. It is a format with structure, sides, and a bit of ceremony. If you have ideas or want to see something else in the Mixtape workflow, send me an email. I am always happy to push this concept further.