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(Hardware) Project of the 'calendar quarter'


Omega-TI

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... but I think any solution we come up with will reach a wider audience if you don't have to open up the console.

 

So true!.

 

Joysticks make a great first project too as it's possible to make one with very little soldering required.

In fact if one orders something like this...

 

$(KGrHqRHJC4E-+qZ6wO!BQBZVHm,UQ~~60_57.J

from Ebay and hack off one end you could attach ...

$_57.JPG

 

the connectors to the individual wires and just slip them on the joysticks connectors.

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Or maybe...

We build the PS2 adapter card from HarmlessLion Software for PS2 keyboards, the specs and layout is HERE

 

Tursi's little PS/2 keyboard interface is without a doubt one of my all-time favorite TI enhancements. The extra function keys are very handy and I love the way that the TI's FCTN-9 (back) is also mapped to the PS/2's escape key, because after years of PC use, it's all automatic.

 

Prices on PS/2 keyboards are CHEAP too, for example << this auction >> has NIB keyboard(s) that "MATCH" the TI, with shipping included... for only $9.98. Of course it has a numeric keypad built-in too. :) Now if you just want the << keypad only >>, they are

available, but for more money than the entire keyboard.

 

If you don't mind soldering to a couple of pins you'll also have the ALT-F12 (reset button) and the ALT-F11 (load interrupt) features. By the way, that ALT-F12 feature is BLOODY AWESOME if you are running XB2.7s with the BOOT enhancement!

 

A while back I made a short blog entry about this thing << HERE >> and even made a couple of downloadable keyboard strips for it.

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Omega, v

 

Very nice. I think that this would be a very good project and would benefit the TI users.

 

The big question is if we would have enough interest to make a run of the PS2 adapter boards.

 

I checked my GQ-4X programmer specs and it has the ability to program the ATMEGA16 chips.

 

if we have enough interest we could even put together DIY assembly kits much like I helped with the IDE project. I think it would be fairly cheap to do.

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Probably best to look at What the Ti-99/4A needs ??

 

Things like (possibly) ?

 

Real Time Clock

Silicon disc (possibly a DS12C887 512Kx8bit NVSRAM)

CF Card reader

Turbo mode (accelerator board)

More I/O ports even USB ports ?

A Hard Drive interface ?

An Infra-Red interface for wireless keyboard/mouse joystick ?

 

Well you get the idea !!

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  • 1 month later...
  • 5 weeks later...

The Tursi 32K 'in-console' Memory Expansion

1st Quarter of 2016

 

With the cool cartridge images that have been coming out that require 32K, I was thinking the time might be right for a dedicated 'gaming only machine'. Tursi's internal 32K memory expansion seems like 'just the ticket' to make this happen.

 

At first glance some of you may balk at this project, but if you look it over carefully, you'll realize that if you take your time and do it 'one wire at a time', it'll be a fairly nice project. So, pull out one of your many backup consoles ;) and consider giving this project a shot.

 

NOTE: If you buy the parts from Jameco like Tursi mentioned...

 

gallery_35324_1027_3052.jpg

...so you might want to add a couple of extra items.

 

The following attached PDF's should get you started. They are:

 

1) TI32k Mod ................The actual project by Tursi

2) TI-99 4A Dissassembly.... A PDF file made from the ripped off contents of MAINBYTE.COM

 

The other two are datasheets on the specific chips for those who are interested.

 

Oh yeah, one more thing... this project does not have to be just for a dedicated gaming machine. Some of you guys are running out of room in your P-Boxes, this project will let you, "open up one extra slot".

CY7C199 Datasheet.pdf

74LS21 Datasheet.pdf

TI-99 4A Dissassembly.pdf

TI 32k Mod.pdf

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i am interested in gaining hardware skills. iron tool is ready :)

count me in.

personal interest would be a working physical connection from TI expansion port towards another device to be able to halt/debug and do all kind of stuff like emulating 32k, ramdisks,...

or building a hardware device utilizing the maximum speed of a TI for I/O with another device (like pc or android).

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