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Mystery mod


dphirschler

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So I was going to experiment with loading an Adventure "cassette" from my phone via mp3 and my console keyboard only had two keys that worked. This is the console I just got from my dad. So I dug up my own console from my youth. I know exactly where it is, top shelf in the basement storage room. I last plugged it in about five years ago. Well, I got it down off the top shelf and as I was connecting the power and video, I noticed an extra plug on the back. I swear I don't remember doing this mod!! Obviously I did it, but I cannot remember what this mod might be. Any ideas before I tear into it?

 

post-39934-0-02365200-1407461091_thumb.jpg

 

Oh, and guess what? The keyboard on this one doesn't work either. So my Adventure experiment will have to wait.

 

 

Darryl

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So I was going to experiment with loading an Adventure "cassette" from my phone via mp3 and my console keyboard only had two keys that worked. This is the console I just got from my dad. So I dug up my own console from my youth. I know exactly where it is, top shelf in the basement storage room. I last plugged it in about five years ago. Well, I got it down off the top shelf and as I was connecting the power and video, I noticed an extra plug on the back. I swear I don't remember doing this mod!! Obviously I did it, but I cannot remember what this mod might be. Any ideas before I tear into it?

 

attachicon.gifIMG_20140807_210559.jpg

 

Oh, and guess what? The keyboard on this one doesn't work either. So my Adventure experiment will have to wait.

 

 

Darryl

 

I don't know what it is, but it looks EXACTLY (at least externally) like what I have planned for my TI this winter. I'm planning on making a joystick with multiple buttons, and I'll have to hack into my keyboards matrix and run the leads out this way.

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Yack!

 

** BEIGE CONSOLE ALERT ** BEIGE CONSOLE ALERT ** BEIGE CONSOLE ALERT **

 

I feel duty-bound to alert my fellow TIers that the console pictured at the link above is a BEIGE CONSOLE. You might need to go and lie down for a while afterwards.

 

You have been warned! :grin:

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@River Patroller - I think you are right. I was hung up on video. But I believe I was going to do some external game panel.

 

@Stargunner - I always loved my beige console. Is it cosmetic or is there something actually wrong with the beige consoles?

 

 

Darryl

 

No - they're fine - in some ways they're probably better (fewer components - less to go wrong) - I just took an early pathological hatred to the boring beige colour. The silver console is easily one of the most handsome home computers of it's era IMO.

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...

@Stargunner - I always loved my beige console. Is it cosmetic or is there something actually wrong with the beige consoles?

 

 

Darryl

 

The only real problem with the beige consoles is that most of them are v2.2 consoles that were designed to lock out 3rd party cartridges. You can tell it's a v2.2 console from the title screen, where the bottom line will display "v2.2". Here's a link to more information: http://www.ninerpedia.org/index.php/Frequently_Asked_Questions#Consoles

 

...lee

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So I was going to experiment with loading an Adventure "cassette" from my phone via mp3 and my console keyboard only had two keys that worked. This is the console I just got from my dad. So I dug up my own console from my youth. I know exactly where it is, top shelf in the basement storage room. I last plugged it in about five years ago. Well, I got it down off the top shelf and as I was connecting the power and video, I noticed an extra plug on the back. I swear I don't remember doing this mod!! Obviously I did it, but I cannot remember what this mod might be. Any ideas before I tear into it?

 

attachicon.gifIMG_20140807_210559.jpg

 

Oh, and guess what? The keyboard on this one doesn't work either. So my Adventure experiment will have to wait.

 

 

Darryl

 

Well:

 

A. It's a 15 pin connector.

B. The keyboard uses 15 pins.

C. The keyboard doesn't work.

 

A+B+C=D

 

D. It's an external keyboard connector.

 

 

Gazoo

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I don't think it was a broken keyboard that motivated me to make this mod. Until now, my keyboard has always worked. But I am nearly certain this connector is wired to the keyboard pins. Arcade controll board is most likely. The baffling part is I don't even remember making this mod. I can remember soldering in a power LED (the beige models didn't have one). And songs from various obscure games (Midnight Mason still haunts me).

 

I should try shorting various pins and seeing which keys get "pressed".

 

 

Darryl

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OK, I took apart my console and verfied it's definitely connected to the keyboard pins. I don't even remember doing this one, although after I saw my handywork I remembered. I was pretty bold as a teenager. Here are some photos.

 

post-39934-0-73767100-1407552013_thumb.jpgpost-39934-0-08760100-1407552085_thumb.jpgpost-39934-0-81164000-1407552196_thumb.jpg

 

Not a super good soldering job, but not too bad either, especially for an untrained teenager. I've seen worse.

 

 

Darryl

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No - they're fine - in some ways they're probably better (fewer components - less to go wrong) - I just took an early pathological hatred to the boring beige colour. The silver console is easily one of the most handsome home computers of it's era IMO.

Also - the original is one of the few computers that will never ever need to go near Retrobrite :)

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I have a beige "non 2.2" in current use. I don't mind the look of the beige. I have two B&S that also served here for many years and still work. They all have the "real" keyboard with copper contacts. Pop off the keycap and there they are. A balky key gets a little spray contact cleaner and maybe a stroke or two with a thin, folded-over piece of fine sandpaper on the worst offenders.

 

Used my TIs for journalism and much writing for over 10 years. I can type like a madman on the ol' TI k'board! It just fits me I guess. I'm not a touch typist since I put a finger into a Radial Harm Saw back in '79, I type with two or three fingers since then. (I can still count to 10!) ;)

 

-Ed

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