acadiel

The last development I have was that I got the schematic for my version of the NanoPEB from the developer... From what I can tell, we will need to do the following: 1) Replace the 32K SRAM with a 128K one to use with the HDX. Mine has a 32K SRAM; current models have a 128K, so you could easily segment a newer model. 2) Determine from Custodio's code which 8K segments are used in the EPROM and use another 8K segment for the HDX. 3) Desolder the old EPROM and reprogram it (ugh). The RAM chip is soldered with it. It'd take a little time to prototype (unsolder, solder, run wire, etc), which unfortunately, I don't have much of right now (time). It does sound doable, though, according to the NanoPEB developer. Just using a different section of the SRAM chip for the HDX RAM, and a different section of the ROM for the HDX ROM. Mostly moving around wires and probably adding some pull up/down circuity and other misc stuff (probably a few wires... <grin>)

Well, I replied to this topic this AM, but looks like my reply got deleted. Here's the gist of what I put into it earlier: Rasmus, above, makes up a good point. This is supposed to be a topic for the status for the 512K cartridge. I have been in contact with a moderator to get the assembly stuff put into its own thread. The GROM Discussion is now here: http://atariage.com/forums/topic/221144-grom-paging-discussion/ Please try and keep this thread constrained around the 512K cartridge itself, and the status of it. Debates about assembly, GPL, etc, should be put into another thread. I love all of you folks; please, be nice to one another and respect that we have many awesome people in this community. More than one person can be right about a topic, and I'd ask that we all respect that. If we try something, and it doesn't work, we can always try something else. We've had 30+ years to mess around with this system, so what's wrong with trying something new, failing, and adjusting our tactics? No need to get mad at each other, point fingers, etc.

You mean the auctions like these? $179.99 http://www.ebay.com/itm/261319982978 There is someone (Larry in SC) that just listed a slew of old Databiotics carts though... started them out reasonable. Let's see if they actually go to someone who wants to play them and don't wind up going for something insane. If Ksarul, Bill Gaskill, Bryan Roppolo, or I ever decided to sell our collections, we'd probably make a killing. My kids actually use the cartridges, and the cartridges live in rolling multi-drawer carts, so they have easy access to them. With the ability to very easily make a Junkman Jr cart out of the 16K cartridge board (for a very small fraction of the price), the $179.99 eBay asking price above is just for someone who really wants to take the cart and stick it in a box and never look at it again.

Yep, I dumped everything I had for posterity. I know we have those in other formats, but there's nothing like preserving the actual cassette sounds. 44.1khz wav seemed appropriate; I didn't know if making it a .mp3 or other lossy format would have messed with the ability for the TI to recognize it.

Does anyone know who exactly it is?

I see some resistors, filter caps, regulators, etc on there, and two ICs. Are these buffer chips or is there some other purpose to them?

Sent! Sorry for the delay

Sure, I can try. I do have a newer RadioShack tape deck that I could try that has adjustable tone control, etc (other than this Realistic tape deck, which is rather old)... I'll see if I can digitize it and see if I can find my copy of Tape994A or CS1er and see if they'll digest it or not. Do you still have my address?

No, unfortunately I do not. I only had a handful of TI tapes and a couple MG ones. I also had one of the 25 BASIC program ones from SAMs that Ernie put up on his site.

Hey, anyone want some .WAV files from some TI Cassettes I digitized today? I know these all exist in disk form, and I have them in such a format already, but it was kind of cool to preserve the TI cassettes... they were recorded on my trusty Realistic SCP-31 tape deck with Amadeus Pro on my OS X system, in .WAV (44.1) stereo format. I'm in the process of uploading them to Dropbox if anyone wants to start pulling them... there will be 38 in total. https://www.dropbox.com/sh/iwue59fg7lwp212/Os_1PxNK3d/ti-99-4a/TI-994A%20Cassettes

That's the problem I had with an old parallel Chipmax programmer. It worked just great under 32-bit OS'es with a parallel port, but then stopped working under Vista/7/8 or any 64 bit OS. I wound up getting a BK Precision 844USB programmer (rebadged Elnec SmartProg2) when I was in the heyday of doing all this cartridge stuff, and it has worked really well. I did try some of the eBay ones from China... actually two of them; a Willem clone and one of those Top ones, and they gave me so many headaches with intermittent operation, crappy documentation, broken software, etc, so I broke down and got the 844USB for my own sanity.

Which isn't that bad in my 844USB PG4UW software... just highlight all the 16K, copy it to clipboard, and then paste it four times... then select the chip and burn. Just don't resave it over the original 16K ROM image and you're set.

Yep, and I just checked the Cyc... it's the same corrupted copy. Does someone have contact info for Mike Wright to tell him about it to see if he might have a different original?

Awesome! I can use it to mess around with in my 3D class. Thanks, Nathan!

Parts needed (BOM): 1) 74LS379 - Get from CodeHackCreate http://codehackcreate.com/store#!/~/product/category=0&id=1479571 $1.00/ea 2) 16 pin .300"/2.54mm socket - such as: http://www.mouser.com/Search/ProductDetail.aspx?R=DILB16P-223TLFvirtualkey64910000virtualkey649-DILB16P-223TLF $0.24/ea 3) 28 pin 2.54mm dual wipe socket - such as http://www.mouser.com/Search/ProductDetail.aspx?R=4828-6000-CPvirtualkey51750000virtualkey517-4828-6000-CP $0.50/ea 4) 68 ohm resistor - http://www.mouser.com/Search/ProductDetail.aspx?R=CFS1/4CT52R680Jvirtualkey66000000virtualkey660-CFS1/4CT52R680J $0.15/ea 5) 22pf capacitor - http://www.mouser.com/Search/ProductDetail.aspx?R=DEA1X3A220JC1Bvirtualkey64800000virtualkey81-DEA1X3A220JC1B $0.31/ea 6) 1000pf capacitor - http://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail/Vishay-BC-Components/H102K25X7RL63J5R/?qs=sGAEpiMZZMt1mVBmZSXTPIL3FlOwfnE8lBiqZxzoKsQ%3d $0.06/ea 7) 2-pin headers (4) - http://www.mouser.com/Search/ProductDetail.aspx?R=5-146274-2virtualkey57100000virtualkey571-5-146274-2 $0.26/ea 8 ) Jumpers (2) - http://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail/FCI/63429-202LF/?qs=sGAEpiMZZMslBFvnKnOhcuGDuyITr9Bf $0.13/ea Someone please double check me, because the actual parts I used were no longer there, so I had to search. Looks like Mouser doesn't stock the NTE 74LS379's through-hole anymore, they just have the SMT ones. Also, if you do order from Mouser, make sure to tell them in the checkout comments that you want it sent first class mail. It's only like $2.95. 64K Picture:

No. I won't be a "student" at the community college until next month. (I'm auditing the class. I already have a Master's degree, and the only reason I'm taking it is to learn about 3D printing. <grin>) I'm assuming then, I'll be able to get the AutoCad .stl files and mess around with them. I will have to see what the license is for distributing it; since these aren't really commercial use (non-profit, hobbyist, etc.), I'll see where we land with the terms.

Yep! Talk to @ksarul - he probably has it.

If anyone wants the Mouser component SKUs I used, let me know and I will post them. Also, CodeHackCreate I think has a boatload of 74LS379 chips....

Someone could try emailing Bill Gaskill, Ksarul, or Mike Wright and see if they have one.

He's still selling these as fast as he can make them... wow.....

Saw this today on Facebook... figured it was pretty funny. http://www.buzzfeed.com/robinedds/its-thanksgiving-so-we-asked-some-brits-to-label-the-us-stat Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Here ya go. I don't know if it's the whole thing though or not corrupted. It's a PC99 format image. https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/19597743/ti-99-4a/972.DSK.zip

http://www.ebay.com/itm/LOT-OF-241-NOS-NEW-TEXAS-INSTRUMENTS-TI-99-4A-TI-INVADERS-GAMES-CARTRIGES-/221316459924?pt=US_Vintage_Computers_Mainframes&hash=item33877d2d94 241 TI Invader Cartridges. LOL

Wouldn't it be funny if we could hack Matthew's 4096 colors like HAM mode on the Amiga? Hehehe

It's either resonance, or feedback is my guess.