spacecadet Posted April 29, 2017 Share Posted April 29, 2017 (edited) So this is going to sound stupidly anal, but I just got a silver/black 99/4A that's in dead mint condition (with a box to match) but it came with *nothing* other than the computer, RF unit and power supply, box and inserts. It's in such good shape that I'd really love to make it "whole". So what sort of manuals and other paper stuff came with it? I've seen the user manual and it's got holes for a binder - did a binder come in the box too? What about those keyboard strips at the top of the keyboard? Was there a catalog or anything in the box? Also if anybody actually has this stuff that they would like to get rid of by itself, I'd be interested Thinking about making a video about this computer. Thanks for any help. Edited April 29, 2017 by spacecadet 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeBo Posted April 29, 2017 Share Posted April 29, 2017 OK, let's see how my geriatric memory does (although I usually remember 40 years ago better than 40 minutes ago),,,, - console - RF modulator - external Power supply (depending on when the machine was manufactured, it may or may not have a short "fix" cable attached) as far as paper... - a glossy orange 8.5 x 11 set-up pamphlet entitled "Read Me First!" - the whole punched Green "user reference guide" you mentioned (no, there was no binder) - two small 3.25 x 8 (?) pamphlets... - one (black and white except for the words Texas Instruments which were in Blue) was an invitation to join the Texas Instrument Computer Advantage Club - another (same size, brown cover, about 6 pages) was information on Texnet online services (this one also included a yellow Business Reply Card - a smaller pamphlet/instruction sheet for the video Modulator - an FCC warning flyer on radio frequency emissions, and a warning/instruction fly sheet on the power supply fix. - a blue TI registration card - an addendum on the differences between the 99/4 and the 99/4A....referring to the difference in particular software manuals - there might also have been addendums on the disk controller and drive, and further corrections to the User Reference guide - finally, depending on where and when it was bought, it might have included a Bill Cosby TI software flyer and an edition of the TI Newsletter (my Canadian Machine came with neither of these in '83, but DID come in a bilingual (French/English) box). I THINK that's about it...as you can see, besides the hardware, it was all paper.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Casey Posted April 29, 2017 Share Posted April 29, 2017 I thought most of the 99/4As came with the blue "Beginner's BASIC" book, also? I know the beige 99/4A I got new as a child included it, even though an addendum packed in the box said that book was not included. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Opry99er Posted April 29, 2017 Share Posted April 29, 2017 Mine came with the blue book as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+save2600 Posted April 29, 2017 Share Posted April 29, 2017 I heard some came with Jello pudding ala Bill Cosby's advertising campaign. GOTCHA! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeBo Posted April 29, 2017 Share Posted April 29, 2017 (edited) Was that only with the beige models? Did the silver/black versions have it too? OR, was it an item that was only included in the US domestic market, because my original machine did come with the book, I did forget to mention that the consoles on both sides of the border also included a TI-Basic reference card (two in my case, one in English and one in French - the latter is the only thing I still have from my original TI), and a bunch of FNCT/CTRL key strips. Edited April 29, 2017 by PeBo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeBo Posted April 29, 2017 Share Posted April 29, 2017 I heard some came with Jello pudding ala Bill Cosby's advertising campaign. AND the famous Bill Cosby self-help book "How to Pick Up Chicks (and Knock Them Out)" 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spacecadet Posted April 29, 2017 Author Share Posted April 29, 2017 Thanks for the info! Damn, I don't think I've seen some of that stuff in *any* auction, even as complete as some of them seem to be. Have a feeling I'd have to just buy a whole new computer to even get most of it... probably not worth it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Ksarul Posted April 29, 2017 Share Posted April 29, 2017 (edited) Here's the little stuff, without the books or the addenda sheet. Here are some other bits at a good price. And here is pretty much everything that wasn't in the other groups except for the Green manual. Note the advertising stuff in the last one--it was in machines sold later in 1983/early 1984. Here is a set of the manuals too. Edited April 29, 2017 by Ksarul Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spacecadet Posted April 29, 2017 Author Share Posted April 29, 2017 I guess I stand corrected! I will probably order one or more of those auctions. What are those keyboard strips actually called? I didn't know what to even search for. I've seen them referred to in different ways. I feel like this computer doesn't even look right without one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Ksarul Posted April 29, 2017 Share Posted April 29, 2017 It is a counter-intuitive answer: Keyboard Strips. . . 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeBo Posted April 30, 2017 Share Posted April 30, 2017 I stand corrected... Just went through my docs, and sure enough I have the Blue Beginner's Basic book - still in shrink wrap. Didn't buy it, so must have been in the box! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spacecadet Posted April 30, 2017 Author Share Posted April 30, 2017 I ended up ordering this: http://www.ebay.com/itm/322409787786?_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT It doesn't have the Cosby stuff or any keyboard strips, but the only listing I see with keyboard strips only has the blank ones... and didn't it come with some already printed ones? I guess that's all I feel like I really still definitely need. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeBo Posted April 30, 2017 Share Posted April 30, 2017 it came with one pre-printed one, all the rest were blank. The pre-printed strips were included when you bought software that used the CTL or FNCT keys, but if you get blanks, there are threads in these forums that include scans of ALL the various strips that you can print and glue/tape onto the blanks. Looks like you got a great collection of nearly everything. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
majestyx Posted April 30, 2017 Share Posted April 30, 2017 I remember there was a BASIC Reference Card and an ad for 99er magazine when I got my black and silver TI in either late 1982 or early 1983. Otherwise, I think just about everything else has been mentioned in posts above. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gfreige Posted April 30, 2017 Share Posted April 30, 2017 The blank keyboard strips are the only thing I kept from my original TI99 from 1983. Totally by accident. Buried in a drawer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
etownandy Posted May 4, 2017 Share Posted May 4, 2017 I ended up ordering this: http://www.ebay.com/itm/322409787786?_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT It doesn't have the Cosby stuff or any keyboard strips, but the only listing I see with keyboard strips only has the blank ones... and didn't it come with some already printed ones? I guess that's all I feel like I really still definitely need. I seem to recall one printed strip, with just listings for the function keys (INS DEL ERASE CLEAR BEGIN PROCD AID REDO BACK QUIT). I've seen examples of the User's Reference Guide (green book) that were hole punched and some not, and I've seen some that appeared to be loose leaf (or maybe someone tore out the pages?) while others were soft-bound. The one my family first got wasn't punched and was soft-bound. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Ksarul Posted May 5, 2017 Share Posted May 5, 2017 TI released the User's Reference Guide in all three forms, @etownandy. The first ones were the looseleaf type, then came the ones with the punched holes (but properly bound), and lastly, they came bound without the punched holes. . . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
digdugnate Posted May 5, 2017 Share Posted May 5, 2017 this doesn't help the OP since they are looking for original docs, but what I did was take the .pdf of the manuals and run it through our fancy-shmancy color network printer at work that does the hole punches and stuff. I have some really good-quality copies in binders now! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spacecadet Posted May 5, 2017 Author Share Posted May 5, 2017 Well I got my manuals - they look like they were packed in the original bag that came with the 99/4A as well. I wonder if what I did get was actually all that was packaged with that particular 99/4A. I probably won't seek out any more other than the keyboard strip. What software packages came with them? I need some software anyway so I may as well look for stuff with keyboard strips. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+save2600 Posted May 5, 2017 Share Posted May 5, 2017 I have a bunch of new/blank strips. They worth anything to anybody? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Ksarul Posted May 5, 2017 Share Posted May 5, 2017 You can always take one of the vinyl labels I printed up and make the blank ones into any of the other types used by the TI. I printed up a sheet of several different types (including the one that came with the console). I just use a sharp X-Acto knife to trim any excess. . . 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dphirschler Posted May 8, 2017 Share Posted May 8, 2017 I'll have to check, but I might have a shrink-wrapped/sealed set. Darryl Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spacecadet Posted May 8, 2017 Author Share Posted May 8, 2017 I'll have to check, but I might have a shrink-wrapped/sealed set. Of the keyboard strips? If so, I am definitely interested. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeBo Posted May 8, 2017 Share Posted May 8, 2017 The blank keyboard strips are the only thing I kept from my original TI99 from 1983. Totally by accident. Buried in a drawer For me it was the French TI-Basic Reference 'card', found it completely by accident (at the bottom of a box while looking for photos) about a month after I got back into the 4A Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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