TI-99/4A Stuff - Tursi's - Slideshow & TMS9918 converter 'combo

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For decades, graphics on the TI-99/4A sucked by contemporary standards. As time marched on, so did the world of static images, leaving the aging TMS9918 all but abandoned for active work. Working with graphics on the TI became slow and cumbersome, compared to modern machines. This 'dual combo' is real easy to use together, and makes using graphics on the TI a viable alternative again. Click on the video for a short example.




CONVERT9918

The last two video modes in Tursi’s Convert9918 program take advantage of the F18A video enhancement by Matthew Haggerty. This VGA card can display graphics never before possible on the TI… photos that can actually be recognized for what they are!

If you don’t care to use the Slideshow99 program with an F18A, you can still easily use this program to obtain graphics off the Internet for use in older programs like TI-Artist, Page Pro 99 and others.

SLIDESHOW99

Features:

Supports any file device real or emulated, up to 12 paths allowed, as long as it can give a directory. For instance you can load all your floppy drives with images for a larger slideshow, or use the HDX, or a CF device, or whatever comes next.

Number of images allowed is very large, 65,000 per path and 65,000 total.
It would be slow with that many pics to sift through though.

It supports three modes on the standard TMS9918A:
- 2 color monochrome bitmap
- 15 color standard bitmap
- 225 color half-multicolor (flicker)

It supports two modes on the F18A:
- 16 color paletted bitmap
- 3072 color scanline paletted bitmap (16 colors per line)

It automatically detects each image as it's loaded, so feel free to mix and match.


IN CLOSING

Some of you guys might have wives that don’t relate to our little black & silver object of desire. One might actually hear, “Oh, more crap from eBay” when they see your latest addition(s). Well, the Slideshow99 program might change their feelings. Imagine what your honey will say when she walks into the room and sees photos of the children, grandchildren, your wedding photos or even… her parents cycling through on the TI's screen! She just might warm up to the old TI once and for all! Now even, if you personally think you have no use for graphics, try this program anyway, just to please the 'old lady'.

LINKS

Tursi’s “Slideshow99” is available at : << THIS LINK >> TI program
Tursi’s “Convert9918” is available at: << THIS LINK >> PC program
Tursi’s orginal writeup on the slideshow program is viewable : << HERE >>
For more information on the F18A video enhancement go : << HERE >>

http://atariage.com/forums/blog/567/entry-13336-tursis-slideshow-tms9918-converter-combo-package/