marc.hull Posted February 22, 2018 Share Posted February 22, 2018 I keep seeing people posting about v2.2 consoles and going round and round and round so I thought I would f* everybody up with some knowlege ( Eb and D joke so don't get butt hurt yet.) If I get something screwed up then feel free to set me straight but the following is correct as I see it. V2.2 as used correctly does not apply to the console or motherboard with 1 exception (later.) It only applies to the particular iteration of part of the OS contained in GROM 0. This GROM can exist in a beige or black console as well as in an original or QI motherboard. It may have been factory installed or added later by someone (or replaced by an original GROM 0 by the same or other someone.) There are two types of plastic console cases. Black and beige-ish. If you have one of these it simply means your plastic is either black or ish. Nothing more. Inside the case will be the MOBO. This MOBO may either be one of several iterations of the original or a redesigned QI (read this term as cost savings/ evolution) MOBO. At any rate this MOBO is not a v2.2 item anymore than the plastic is. So what the hell makes a v2.2 console (this is the later part) ? At this point only the presence of the correct GROM 0. I am sure there was QI plastic shipped with QI MOBOs that contained the correct GROM zero and I guess these would be considered v2.2 consoles. Don't know how you would tell now though as all the parts were completely interchangable. 30 years later the untold doings have made this virtually impossible to determine (with few exceptions.) Now the question becomes this. Since the v2.2 grom did nothing but restrict access to the console, why would anyone want one other to complete the set. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+save2600 Posted February 22, 2018 Share Posted February 22, 2018 Since the v2.2 grom did nothing but restrict access to the console, why would anyone want one other to complete the set. Variants? See the Intellivision forum for further study... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+OLD CS1 Posted February 22, 2018 Share Posted February 22, 2018 Because it's there. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
atrax27407 Posted February 22, 2018 Share Posted February 22, 2018 I don't have any GROMs in my console(s). I am using the GROM0 that was done for me by "The Great Gazoo" many years ago for my HSGPL system. I guess that would make my system a 3.0 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Casey Posted February 22, 2018 Share Posted February 22, 2018 (edited) I think you've answered the question as you've asked it. I want one because I want one. I don't have to have any reason other than that. Was there another reason for your post? Edited February 22, 2018 by Casey Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
digdugnate Posted February 22, 2018 Share Posted February 22, 2018 /munches popcorn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marc.hull Posted February 22, 2018 Author Share Posted February 22, 2018 I think you've answered the question as you've asked it. I want one because I want one. I don't have to have any reason other than that. Was there another reason for your post? Don't know who you are or care what you want. Wasn't directed at you or anyone else so take a breath and step off. I saw a lot of misunderstanding and offered my two cents. That was the reason for my post. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Casey Posted February 22, 2018 Share Posted February 22, 2018 I think most people in these parts probably know what makes a V2.2 console a V2.2 console. I though perhaps you were reacting to my question about when they were produced in the Ebay thread because I have been trying to find one based on the LTA date code, and I assumed a late 1983 build code or a 1984 build code would increase the odds that it'd be a V2.2 console. If your question then is "why would anyone want one?" after listing out the deficiencies of one compared to the non-V2.2 models, the real answer must be either to complete a set, or just to have one because it exists, which you already stated in your post. Hence, my question - not here to rough you up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Opry99er Posted February 22, 2018 Share Posted February 22, 2018 Good info, Marc. Begs the question: who has a black console with a v2.2 GROM0? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marc.hull Posted February 22, 2018 Author Share Posted February 22, 2018 You can't rough me up so don't worry. Would you be interested in a black and silver console with and original MOBO that was v2.2 ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+acadiel Posted February 22, 2018 Share Posted February 22, 2018 Thanks, Marc. There was a lot of disinformation around about V2.2 Os = QI motherboard, and that wasn’t really true. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Retrospect Posted February 22, 2018 Share Posted February 22, 2018 Are TI-99's after 1983 a bit like the C64 in the way that you don't know what you're getting inside unless you look? The 64C was always a mixed bag of old motherboards/new motherboards, crappy sids (new sid) and better sids (old sid). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+save2600 Posted February 22, 2018 Share Posted February 22, 2018 Are TI-99's after 1983 a bit like the C64 in the way that you don't know what you're getting inside unless you look? The 64C was always a mixed bag of old motherboards/new motherboards, crappy sids (new sid) and better sids (old sid). No. Most of us don't concern ourselves with that stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+helocast Posted February 22, 2018 Share Posted February 22, 2018 Good info, Marc. Begs the question: who has a black console with a v2.2 GROM0? #11 in my personal queue has a week/year code of LTA5084 (black console, standard MB), but I haven't cracked the case for troubleshooting/refurbishing, let alone yet to see what GROM 0 is installed. A date that late is either a mis-strike or whoever ended up with final inventory assembling down to the last screen in the assembly line parts box. Slightly backed up recently with some new hardware that's distracted me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marc.hull Posted February 22, 2018 Author Share Posted February 22, 2018 Are TI-99's after 1983 a bit like the C64 in the way that you don't know what you're getting inside unless you look? The 64C was always a mixed bag of old motherboards/new motherboards, crappy sids (new sid) and better sids (old sid). Pretty much spot on retro. What any business would do. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+OLD CS1 Posted February 22, 2018 Share Posted February 22, 2018 No. Most of us don't concern ourselves with that stuff. Not too much these days, it seems, but I remember at the time there were two distinct camps: those who absolutely wanted the Revision E motherboard (the full 64C half-board with the 8580 SID et al) and those who absolutely did not want it. The latter really looking for what was essentially a factory rendition of the bread-board in the upgrade case. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+save2600 Posted February 22, 2018 Share Posted February 22, 2018 Not too much these days, it seems, but I remember at the time there were two distinct camps: those who absolutely wanted the Revision E motherboard (the full 64C half-board with the 8580 SID et al) and those who absolutely did not want it. The latter really looking for what was essentially a factory rendition of the bread-board in the upgrade case. No, you misunderstood or took out of context my response... was replying to the primary question. We TI people do not and don't need to concern ourselves with such shit. C64 is a totally different story. The 2.2 rev. mobo for us TI'ers is a relatively trivial thing comparatively. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Retrospect Posted February 22, 2018 Share Posted February 22, 2018 No, you misunderstood or took out of context my response... was replying to the primary question. We TI people do not and don't need to concern ourselves with such shit. C64 is a totally different story. The 2.2 rev. mobo for us TI'ers is a relatively trivial thing comparatively. I was using the C64 as an example of how TI would have put odds n sods in later computers. Old boards/new boards etc. Just like they did. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+OLD CS1 Posted February 22, 2018 Share Posted February 22, 2018 No, you misunderstood or took out of context my response... was replying to the primary question. We TI people do not and don't need to concern ourselves with such shit. C64 is a totally different story. The 2.2 rev. mobo for us TI'ers is a relatively trivial thing comparatively. Indeed. Yeah, for the most part it is irrelevant whether we have a "QI" or one of the standard iterations unless, and until Ralph fixes the issue, you are trying to use a FG99 Although, the coffee warmer is significantly cooler on a "QI" console. When I was able to empirically prove my retro-desk console (a beige console with "QI" motherboard) had problems with the FG99, I swapped around parts until I had a console with a standard motherboard and a "QI" power supply. This was also when I discovered there is a molding difference in the cartridge slot support for use with a "QI" motherboard. While the v2.2 OS is a curiosity for me it will also make a demonstration piece. I have a beige one now which does not work but I hope to fix, and it would be rather neat to find a black-silver console, as well. See, I was also of the misunderstanding that only the beige consoles came in a v2.2 flavor, but somewhere in mind memories I swear I had seen a black-silver one, as well. Marc confirmed that memory for me. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+OLD CS1 Posted February 22, 2018 Share Posted February 22, 2018 I was using the C64 as an example of how TI would have put odds n sods in later computers. Old boards/new boards etc. Just like they did. As a for-instance, I recently came to know some of the 64C short-boards (non-Rev E, I think they are a later Rev B) were actually made with variant of the 6581 SID, and some 64Cs were made with the large bread-board boards and were not case upgrades. 1986-ish to 1988-ish a 64C was definitely a mixed bag You know, there could be a market there: reclaimed black-silver console shells for those who want to upgrade their beige ones! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Ksarul Posted February 23, 2018 Share Posted February 23, 2018 @Helocast, a date of 5084 is definitely an oddity/misprint. Someone probably reversed the first two numbers. The last US consoles were made in May of 1984--and they were the ones TI built for Control Data. The last TI-badged consoles were supposedly from the end of April 1984 (weeks 16-18 of 1984, although I may have seen one or two from week 19 over the years). Of course, the Argentine consoles were assembled as late as 1986, so there are later consoles out there. I've never seen a definitive end date for consoles manufactured in Europe, so some additional research is necessary there. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+helocast Posted February 23, 2018 Share Posted February 23, 2018 @Helocast, a date of 5084 is definitely an oddity/misprint. Someone probably reversed the first two numbers. The last US consoles were made in May of 1984--and they were the ones TI built for Control Data. The last TI-badged consoles were supposedly from the end of April 1984 (weeks 16-18 of 1984, although I may have seen one or two from week 19 over the years). Of course, the Argentine consoles were assembled as late as 1986, so there are later consoles out there. I've never seen a definitive end date for consoles manufactured in Europe, so some additional research is necessary there. Thanks, we had this discussion before, but I couldn't find our conversation to include in the previous post. I took the time last night to "check it out". Broke it down; nothing strange popped out at me - standard MB, GROMS, sound, latest of the many keyboard builders (Mexico). I'm stumped too. Doug Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Omega-TI Posted February 23, 2018 Share Posted February 23, 2018 For those with yellowing beige TI's... the official cheese grading scale! Olde Yella.pdf Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+acadiel Posted February 23, 2018 Share Posted February 23, 2018 CD2155ANL - which I think might be GROM 0 - it's funny when you can buy lots of those from China. https://www.aliexpress.com/item/5pcs-lot-CD2155ANL/32535795059.html Someone in the US has over 2000 of them: https://www.netcomponents.com/sitemap/CD2155ANL.html There is a nice page of what the CD #'s of the chips were in certain carts: http://www.webalice.it/facele/ti99.htm 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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