TI-99 Photos Thread! Post your systems here!

[+Ksarul]

The TI-990 books are neat. I think I have one of them in English (the TM990/100MA book), and a really strange, bound version of the training course that goes with another of them (The Mikroprozessor Kursbuch, and the training course is in German too and keeps referring to the book that I don't have).

[+Schmitzi]

...and found this "number pad" I think it was from a magazine

But I think I´ll need some software to use it.

 

[kgenthe]

Here is my old TI-99/4A. I had some parts laying around so I added composite video jacks as well as made a quick adapter to use a Neo Geo stick.

 

 

 

[+jedimatt42]

My money is on that GROM board including ROM support. There are only 4 counter chips, and pure GROM boards usually only use contacts on one side. But I'm just enjoying the speculation.

 

Or maybe it was in-system programmable gram...

[+jedimatt42]

Here is my old TI-99/4A. I had some parts laying around so I added composite video jacks as well as made a quick adapter to use a Neo Geo stick.

 

 

 

Nice! I have the USB version of the neo-geo stick that I gutted and wired up for the TI.

 

Clicky fun times!

 

-M@

[+Schmitzi]

.

todays found:

 

 

 

I have some questions:

how much KB is it ?

what is this electronics in the batterypack for ?

something for "Rechargeables" ?

[HackMac]

13 x 8k Byte (x 2 wenn huckepack)

 

Stuff in your b-pack two capacities and a diode below the three blue switches. Could be that the diode safes the batteries for incoming current. The two caps are probably used for smoothing current.

Edited November 26, 2016 by HackMac

[Omega-TI]

If I was going to do something like that I'd use rechargeable batteries in a parallel configuration and 'float them' with a power supply of the same voltage. That way battery power would instantly take over in the event of a power outage with no loss of memory due to switching time.

[+Schmitzi]

Hi, I found this nice one

 

[+Schmitzi]

Some more for the road

 

 

[+Schmitzi]

Any idea ?

 

 

 

[+Ksarul]

Two of those books are really HTF, Schmitzi (the ones in the middle column)! Excellent haul!

[+Schmitzi]

yeah, was waiting a long time I think I have them all now, but not for sure.

The green manual for the PCODE is one that I was missing too.... so -1 for that

[+Schmitzi]

The floppycontroller seems to do a "normal" work, so what may this "TI-DOS 8.0" mean ?

I am not able to do some format with 80 tracks.... this just was an idea on the 8.0

[+mizapf]

I found some connections between Mechatronics Mouse and TI-DOS, using the full-text search of my TIImageTool going through the Cyc.

[+Schmitzi]

hmmm, so maybe I have to inspect the serial card, coming with that system....

maybe some more hints there.... didn´t have a look yet

Floppy controller and Serial/Mouse sounds like a strange relationship.....

thanks

[+mizapf]

Found this here on cyc/vendors/genie/disksark/0815PLUS.DSK, archive 0822, file MOUSE.

TI MOUSE - FROM MECHATRONICS- A REVIEW
By - Richard A. Fleetwood
Until recently, most computer systems other than the TI 99/4A had a variety of
neat hardware that made them easier to use in many ways. The device most common
to the BIG computers was a device called the MOUSE. The Apple MacIntosh was one
of the first to initiate making the mouse a major part of the system, and it
was followed by most of the other big computer manufacturers like Atari, IBM,
and Commodore. Now thanks to Mechatronics, the TI 99 has a mouse it can call
its own.
For those of you who may not have ever seen a mouse in action, or have no idea
what a mouse is, here is an explanation. A MOUSE is a device similar in use to
a joystick. The mouse is use to MOVE objects around on the screen with much
more ease and exactness then could be achieved with a joystick. This mouse in
particular is a small flat box, shaped to fit in the cup of your hand
comfortably. It has four small flat teflon pads on the bottom of the unit that
allow the mouse to slide over any flat surface smoothly and quickly. If you
turn the mouse over, you will see a round opening out of which a very heavy
rubberized ball hangs out and rolls over the table when you move the mouse
around. This ball is the part of the mouse that makes contact with the sensors
that transfer the data to your computer telling the cursor or icon which way to
move on the screen. It takes very little effort to control the cursor, with an
area about 10 inches wide on your table giving you enough room to move the
cursor from one side of the screen to the other. On the top of the mouse are
two push button switches. The one on the left acts as a fire button/enter key.
The one on the right acts as a HOME key, serving to move the cursor to the
upper left hand corner of the screen when pushed.
When you purchase the Mechatronics TI Mouse, you get a mouse, an ac adapter
that provides the power to the pc board contained within the mouse, an adapter
that allows you to plug the mouse into your joystick port, a disk of several
demo programs using the mouse, and a 20 page manual that explains all aspects
of the mouse operation, and how to interface the mouse with your own programs.
The programs on disk auto load with Extended Basic, and display a menu with 4
different choices consisting of 1)BASIC, 2) TI-DOS, 3) CALCULATOR, and 4)
BREAKOUT. Selecting TI-DOS loads in a program that allows you to have full disk
access such as cataloging up to three drives, reading DISPLAY type files,
loading XB programs, and protecting/unprotecting files. When a disk is
cataloged, the filenames are displayed on the left side of the screen, along
with an icon ( picture ) representation of the type of file that it is. A
program file has an icon shaped like a sheet of paper with one corner folded
over. A DV type file has an icon of an opened file cabinet draw, while other
kinds of files have other types of icons. On the right side of the screen are
several icons for actual control of the TI-DOS system. These icons are to read
Display type files, load programs, protect files, catalog files, and remove an
icon from the cursor of the mouse. These Icons are represented respectfully as
an eyeball with an arrow pointing at it, a TI bug( the TI logo you'll find just
over your number one key), a padlock, three floppy disks with drive numbers on
them, and a small trash can in the lower left hand corner.
Say you want to run the program BREAKOUT, located on the disk that comes with
the unit. If you are in TI-DOS, catalog drive number one by moving the
arrow-cursor to the disk icon marked number 1, and press the left mouse key.
The program will catalog the disk in drive one, displaying the filenames and
their icons for the different file types. BREAKOUT will have an icon that
stands for PROGRAM file. Move the cursor to this icon and press the left mouse
button. The cursor will pick up the icon, and then you can move it by rollng
the mouse around the surface of your desk. Now carry the icon over to the TI
bug(remember the TI logo?) and place the icon over the state of Texas on the
right of the screen. Now push the left mouse button. The computer will clear
the screen and proceed to load BREAKOUT into memory and auto-run it. That's
all there is to using TI-DOS. The other functions of this program are equally
as easy to use. BREAKOUT is game that is available on all kinds of computers,
as well as already being available in other languages for the 99/4A. With the
mouse, it adds a new dimension to the game. CALCULATOR uses the mouse icon as a
hand with a pointed finger to push the buttons on a calculator that is
displayed in the screen. The manual notes that the TI-DOS program supplied with
the mouse is only a Demo program--There is a complete TI-DOS package available
thru Mechatronics that is much more complete.
Interestingly, I just purchased the latest version of TI Artist, version 2.01.
It came with a new DSR routine that I can load thru the INPUT option from the
main menu that allows me to use the mouse to control the cursor and screen
input. The disk even contains the source code. I loaded TI Artist, then loaded
the MECHA file from the TI Artist disk(MECHA is the new DSR routine) and when
it came back to the main menu, I selected 1) and loaded the main TI Artist
program. It took a few seconds to get my bearings and figure out how the mouse
interacted with TI Artist, but that was no problem. What was a problem was
that somehow the DSR did not completely interface the mouse with the program. I
could move the cursor from side to side easily, but this quickly got boring
with a multitude of horizontal lines going across the screen. When I tried to
move the cursor up or down, the cursor movement in those directions was at best
very jerky; at worst non-existant. I believe that this particular DSR file
needs a little work. When using the mouse with the programs that come packaged
with it, the action is flawless. But when using it for this particular purpose
it was obvious that the TI Artist "Mecha" DSR Link still was in need of help. I
hope to be able to use the Mouse with TI Artist soon because it would allow
unbelievably more flexability over using the keyboard or joystick.
Except for the inability to interface with TI Artist, which is no fault of the
mouse or its software, but of the routine supplied with the TI Artist program,
I could find no faults with the Mechatronics TI Mouse Package. The Software is
fully self explanatory and seems to be uncrashable. The manual, though
translated from German, and a little rough around the edges, but clear and
precise in its layout is great help for setting up the system and using it. The
Mouse itself is made of plastic, with stainless steel bearings for contacting
with the internal sensors, and thick teflon pads which should last a LONG time.
I rate the TI Mouse system an A for overall design, layout, and use. If you
are looking for an addition to your system that will be quite useful, then why
not give this a try. The list price is $ 119.00 but can be found for less then
$ 100 at several mail order suppliers. Don't Forget the Cheese!

[+Schmitzi]

ah OK, and I found a TI-DOS 6.0 basic program from MICHAEL CONNELL.

 

Both seem to be tools like a small disk manager ?

Any idea where to find the software mentioned, from MechaTronik ?

I´ll check it on weakend

 

 

 

Don't Forget the Cheese!

[+arcadeshopper]

This is all emulated in mess

 

Sent from my LG-H830 using Tapatalk

[kl99]

yeah, was waiting a long time I think I have them all now, but not for sure.

The green manual for the PCODE is one that I was missing too.... so -1 for that

 

I finally discovered the green manual for the Impact printer, it comes with the printer.

It's the one you can see here as well:

http://www.schmeling-ol.de/ti99/manuals/ti99/ti99_book_printer1.jpg

http://www.schmeling-ol.de/ti99/manuals/ti99/ti99_book_printer2.jpg

[Keith99er]

Just need to get the 99er mags scanned next...

http://TI99.atspace.co.uk

[+Ksarul]

A lot of those tapes are not fully converted to electronic online form yet either--Ciro has a good start on the European tapes on the Italian UG website, but you seem to have a lot more of them. It is nice to see how many more of them survive.

[am1933]

Just need to get the 99er mags scanned next...

http://TI99.atspace.co.uk

Uncanny, I was quite literally reading an old 1983 copy of C&VG about an hour ago and there was an advert in it for the Apex tapes.

[00WReX]

On Wednesday just gone, I had a great win (well I consider it great, as TI's do not come up for sale in Australia anywhere near like they do in the US...from what I have seen).

The Beige TI-99/4A (PAL) is not the most pristine you will see, and the 'CTRL' button is missing, but otherwise it cleaned up OK and is fully functional.

It came with the computer power supply, 5 boxed cartridge games, 2 original TI joysticks with the dual joystick adapter cable.
The computer was boxed with the polystyrene insert for the computer. The only thing missing was the RF modulator.

Total cost including postage was AUD $15.39...this is roughly USD $11.24 at the current exchange rate.

 

Here is a quick pic when I was testing it with a FlashROM99 and 32K sidecar expansion. All worked like a charm.

 

Cheers,
Shane

[Tursi]

Not bad! Shipping is often ridiculous on the auctions I've looked at.