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acadiel

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Posts posted by acadiel

  2. Posted

    Be really curious to verify the Japanese vs US BIOS.  Here's why:

     

    The USA BIOS is 32K + a 16K BASIC ROM.  48K altogether.  

    The Japanese BIOS is 16K + an external BASIC cart (16K).  32K altogether (100% not sure)

     

    The US version obviously has extra stuff in the BIOS.  Both BIOS'es have the G-BASIC graphics editor in them.

     

    Attached is an archive with three files - the two US BIOS/BASIC files, and the 64K Japanese game adapter selection ROM (32K is the USA BIOS, and 32K is the 16K Japanese BIOS + 16K Japanese BASIC.)

     

    Japanese 64K cart adapter memory map:

    >8000-FFFF = Japanese BIOS(?) and BASIC (really only goes up to >CFD7, or is about 20,440 bytes)

     * Note:  This might just be BASIC.  I need to dump the Pyuuta BIOS to compare to see if there's any BIOS in here.

    >0000-7FFF = USA 32K BIOS  (completely full)

     

    Be curious to compare the two BIOS'es to see what was added to the USA one.

     

    tutor_pyuuta-archives.zip

    • Like 3

  3. Posted

    I have something like that breadboarded on my workbench (I actually did this very early this year when we were talking about the thread with Omega).  I'm using 5V relays to control the voltages, and have the same switch type that TI used (Stackpole) and a LED (blue - 5V).  The breadboard fits in pretty well.  I suppose I should be using filter capacitors, but didn't - it works without them.  At the end, I have a DIN plug that I've talked about several times in here (hot glued to where the TI PSU would normally come in), connected to my Meanwell power supply.  Hey, it works.  :)

     

     

     

    • Like 1

  6. Posted

    Here’s what is in the cartridge game adapter memory map (the white bottom part.)

     

    GAME ADAPTER (32K x 2 banks)
    -----
    US BIOS(0x0000-0x7FFF) - or - 
    JP BIOS/G-BASIC(0x0000-0x7FFF)
     

    Note, the second 32K is the Japanese BIOS with Japanese BASIC.  That fits in 32K for some reason.  The US BIOS is 32K without BASIC, and needs an additional 16K BASIC rom. (48K total.)  The US BIOS apparently 16K of added functionality, which we need to disassemble and figure out what that is as a community.

    To put US BASIC and make the Pyuuta act like a US Tutor system, the game adapter needs to be set to the US 32K BIOS and the 16K US BASIC ROM needs to live in the  following:

     

    16K ROM CART
    -----
    US BASIC(0x8000-0xBFFF)
    -----

     

    @tanam1972sells both of the above.  I appreciate him explaining the memory map.  He is making me a cart with Pitfall and BASIC.  :)

     

  7. Posted

    Yep, likely the transformer might have had a fuse in it, and probably protected everything else.  (Or at least, you would hope it did.). The output of the transformer is likely 6VAC.  More when it’s not under load.  Try what Ed says - batteries first.  If those work, verify your rectifier or diodes past the transformer that turn the voltage from AC to DC are ok - if they are, then replace the transformer with a small 240V to 6V one.  (They’re usually on a small board next to the transformer.)

  8. Posted

    18 hours ago, Ksarul said:

    One other note: as the console has a QI motherboard, that means that two signal pins on the cartridge port are not connected, and this affects some cartridge software (only a few cartridges used either of those signals, but the FinalGROM board is one that will definitely have trouble because of it).

    Are the pins just not exposed on the pop-off cartridge connector, or do they not go to the bottom female motherboard connector?  Or both?

     

  9. Posted

    10 minutes ago, Ed in SoDak said:

    Have you tried it on batteries? Perhaps the doubled voltage only fried the AC power supply.

    Or replacing the transformer - could very well be that's all that got fried.  Some ICs in there (amplifier, diodes, etc) might have gotten collateral damage as well.  

  11. Posted

    21 minutes ago, Mobsie said:

    Great Video👍

    The Tutor use different VDP, Sound etc. port. 

    Keyboard you can access directly and the controller also or you use the great bios functions.

    I ported the great Ti Turmoil game, is written in c. I also work on different own projects on the moment.

    I also use this RAM/ ROM card and a eprom simulator for testing.

    I sent @tanam1972 a message asking if I can purchase two of his cartridge boards (one, so I can put USA BASIC on it, and one for experimentation.)  I also asked him if I could have the image for TI Scramble.  Getting the source code and learning how it was ported would be of immense help for people looking to port games between our systems.

     

  13. Posted

    I adapted @jedimatt42's pinout from his picture into an actual pinout for the joysticks.  This is looking at a DB9 female that would plug into the unit, with pin #1 top left, pin #5 top right, #6 bottom left, #9 bottom right.  

     

    Note, all six pins that aren't ground (L/R/U/D/BT1/BT2) need 1N614 diodes with the cathode pointing to the controller side. 

    ------------------------------
\   1    2    3    4    5   /
 \    6    7    8     9    /
  -------------------------

     

    1. GND P1
    2. GND P2
    3. Button 1
    4. Button 2
    5. Down
    6. Left
    7. Up
    8. Right
    9. N/C


    I might have some of these backward, but will post pictures of the adapter that I made. 

    • Like 1

  15. Posted

    26 minutes ago, Ksarul said:

    @AwkwardPotato, Those October '78 schematics are definitely for a Dimension 4, as they pretty much match both of my Dimension 4 board sets. Both sets were manufactured in late 1978 or January 1979, so the schematic timing (to include the changes to a 99/4-like board) through that fall and the winter months make a lot of sense.

    Which will help you extremely when it comes to troubleshooting your boards!  Yay!!!

    • Like 3

  16. Posted

    3 hours ago, Fritz442 said:

    Yes I agree, but someone with one has to do it. :thumbsup:

    @Ksarul has several prototypes - we just need very clear pictures of where the PAL lines go.  I think I posted some previously, but they were older pictures and not too clear.  https://atariage.com/forums/topic/306514-hexbus-jedimatt-compatible-sidecar/?do=findComment&comment=4531730

    Here's the chips on board:

    74LS259

    74LS251

    74LS74

    1052911-X (TI Hexbus chip - @Ksarul has tons)

    F4049BPC - Not sure.  Appears to be a Fairchild chip.

    2532JL - 4K DSR (we have a dump)

    PAL12L6 - the PAL

     

     

    hexbus_int.png

    • Like 1

  17. Posted

    Now that almost all of the 99/4 technical/schematic stuff is scanned (which is less than 5% of my overall material), here's what we need to do as a community:

    1. Name these properly - give them a format where they have a date and sequence so people can refer to them when comparing them
    2. Create a directory structure and upload to WHTech
    3. Crowd source the changes between schematic diagrams - how the evolution of the 99/4 happened.  There's lots of gems here.
    4. Review that last set of datasheets, as well as the 99/3B datasheets to determine how/if they relate, and what they're trying to communicate.  A lot of these have 0 context, so we need some knowledgeable community members examining these and offering input.

    Thanks for all your support on this... next up - a September 1981 TI-99/4 Consumer 'program request' compilation.  What were consumers asking TI for as of September 1981?  Well, this 1/2" compilation says it all....

     

    • Like 4

  23. Posted

    1 hour ago, mizapf said:

    Wait, I'm going to cast a time-reversed spell to discourage them from using that Z80 ... done. 🙂

     

    LOL.

     

    I do have some timing type documents I'll be scanning tomorrow - I don't know if they relate to the 99/3B or not, but I'm hoping someone here can make sense out of them.

     

    I also have three final sets of 99/4 schematics to scan tomorrow.  

    - one set appears to be three out of four pages of the original 77/78 schematics

    - one set appears to be the same as above (but I'm still scanning it), plus it has all four pages and three pages of timing diagrams

    - one set is a five page (first page says 12/25/79) for the 99/4.  So maybe "almost final" since the last one I have is Jan 1980 for the 99/4.

     

    I'll leave it up to all of your tech guys to pour over these and identify the evolution of them.  First, sorting them in proper order, then identifying the differences (what was changed between them) - this will give us an excellent idea of the development lifecycle of the /4.

     

    • Like 1
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