looking for a CF7

[Gary from OPA]

Don't know why. -- But I grabbed one.

[Tursi]

They are long gone already

[GratedTopping]

So, I just bought one of these devices. I guess I didn't look/read enough/understand enough about it. Apparently, once it's in place, you can't use the PEB?!? How does one get files off of their disks, then????

 

I thought a main purpose for the thing, and what I wanted, was to copy my TI

files easily to the device and then just take that memory card to the PC for

easy-usage with a TI emulator.

 

Maybe I'm just missing something. I guess, if needed, I could try and locate an

external 5 1/4 drive that would work on the TI without the PEB...hope I don't

have to.

 

Anyway, if I can't get this to do what I want and I goofed up, I guess that I'll

be parting with it someday.

 

Are there any videos of folks using the device? Where's the best information or

a review?

[sometimes99er]

Are there any videos of folks using the device? Where's the best information or

a review?

Hope this will help you ... http://www.atariage.com/forums/topic/156995-cf7-for-ti994a

[+adamantyr]

So, I just bought one of these devices. I guess I didn't look/read enough/understand enough about it. Apparently, once it's in place, you can't use the PEB?!? How does one get files off of their disks, then????

 

I thought a main purpose for the thing, and what I wanted, was to copy my TI

files easily to the device and then just take that memory card to the PC for

easy-usage with a TI emulator.

 

Maybe I'm just missing something. I guess, if needed, I could try and locate an

external 5 1/4 drive that would work on the TI without the PEB...hope I don't

have to.

 

Anyway, if I can't get this to do what I want and I goofed up, I guess that I'll

be parting with it someday.

 

Are there any videos of folks using the device? Where's the best information or

a review?

 

Unfortunately, the CF7 is not a quick and easy way to port your software.

 

I ported my stuff over a few years back, and I had to do it using TI99-PC, a DOS software utility, with a 5 1/4" drive on the PC to do the reading.

 

Actually, I also had to set up a DOS PC to do the work, because any Windows OS past 95 doesn't allow the low-level routines necessary to read old disk formats. Which also meant I had to copy the finished files to a 3 1/2" disk to get to my actual PC. Fortunately, I only had to do it once.

 

I also found that the menu systems in TI99-PC were a little problematic, so I ended up just executing his utilities directly from the command line to do the conversion work.

 

The CF7 works very well for testing software written in emulation like Classic99. You can use TI99-Dir to copy files onto disk images quite easily. Just be careful because your modern PC will consider the CF card "unformatted" and may prompt you to format it.

 

Adamantyr

[sometimes99er]

I don't have a device, but I understood that the CompactFlash card could be taken out of the CF7 unit and put into a PC cardreader for easy file transfer. Believe TIDir is the PC software to use. Right Owen ?

 

But I guess it's more a question of getting stuff off of your old TI diskettes.

Edited August 23, 2010 by sometimes99er

[Opry99er]

Correct... One thing that makes it easy is the newer "nano-PEB" device. You can transfer everything from a PEB TI to the CF via straight rs233 serial connection. This was always the issue in the past--- "How can I use the CF7 to get my floppies to my PC?". Unfortunately, there was really no way to do it--- the opposite function was made incredibly simple using TI99Dir--- taking DLed TIFILES games or programs and making them into DSK images, mounting them into your CF card and running them on real hardware. Now--- with the new rs232-equipped CF7, (nano-PEB) the world is your oyster either way you want to go.

[Tursi]

How does that work? The PEB needs a computer attached to drive it... is there some trick I'm missing (or does the Nano Peb operate standalone?)

[Opry99er]

Tursi, I'm not sure exactly what your question is referring to--- but in re-reading my post, I neglected to mention using two terminal emulation programs or mass file transfer programs on two separate TI-99 computers is how it works. Run one on your PEB-equipped TI and run it on the nano-PEB.... Just transfer the files from your diskette to the .DSK image on the CF card. Hope that's what you were referring to.

[Tursi]

That's got it covered, Owen

[+InsaneMultitasker]

Tursi, I'm not sure exactly what your question is referring to--- but in re-reading my post, I neglected to mention using two terminal emulation programs or mass file transfer programs on two separate TI-99 computers is how it works. Run one on your PEB-equipped TI and run it on the nano-PEB.... Just transfer the files from your diskette to the .DSK image on the CF card. Hope that's what you were referring to.

 

Owen, do you have one of the nano-PEBs? I posted a message on the list server asking if anyone had tested the device and what speed(s) it can attain. I am also curious to know if hardware handshaking is supported...

[Gary from OPA]

Owen, do you have one of the nano-PEBs? I posted a message on the list server asking if anyone had tested the device and what speed(s) it can attain. I am also curious to know if hardware handshaking is supported...

 

I am waiting for my rs232 version of the CF7 also. -- I soon as I have one, I going to test and see what speeds it works at also.

[Opry99er]

I do not have a nano-PEB yet... I'm out on the road so much I don't have much time to play on my hardware... What little TI time I get anymore I spend reading up on Atariage and doing Beryl design. Shame how life gets in the way.... I love what I do, but I would love to have just one full day a week to spend on my hobby... It would allow me to finish my projects and help expand the software library.