The Compact Computer 40 (CC40)

[The Compact Computer 40 (CC40)]

I have to get a power supply for my Hex-Bus Video Interface and see what it outputs on the composite video side, as it has a very different power interface plug. . .

[TI99/4A Motherboard Replacement (In Progress)]

7 minutes ago, rkrenicki said:

. . .My PCBs are nowhere to be found.   They have been sitting at Fedex in China since Monday for some reason.

That one is an easy answer, actually. Chinese Customs decided to inspect the package. I've had this happen to three or four circuit card orders over the past ten years--the delay is generally not more than a week, although they held one order for ten days.

[Wanted: C compiler for TI]

There are exactly three options, as we have already indicated:

 

1. Clint Pulley's Small c Compiler--runs on a TI-99/4A, a Geneve 9640, and emulators.

2. Al Beard's C Compiler--runs on a Geneve 9640, an Amiga, and emulators. It has more than Clint Pulley's compiler, but it is not a full C compiler.

3. Dave Pitts' GCC Compiler--runs on Windows or Linux.

 

There are no other existing options.

[Tunnels of Doom TOD on FlashROM99?]

The file I linked to in Message 6 should work once you have the 32K, as it was originally tested with a FlashROM99 and 32K.

[Tunnels of Doom TOD on FlashROM99?]

5 minutes ago, tuf said:

I didn't know this ran from tape - so cool. 

Note: the data files are loaded from Tape or Disk, the program itself had to be in a cartridge BITD. Later GRAM or 32K loader programs could execute the main program without the physical cartridge--but the data files are always loaded separately. TI only produced two data files for it (Quest for the King and Pennies and Prizes), but there are somewhere in the vicinity of 100 fan-produced data files in circulation.

[Tunnels of Doom TOD on FlashROM99?]

OK, I know why this one may not be working now. The original upload of the file indicates that even though the file is loaded by the FlashROM99, it isn't executed from there. The FlashROM99 lobs the file into the 32K space of the TI and executes it from there--the 32K in the FlashROM is just a way station for the data on its way to the TI's 32K memory space. As soon as you add 32K to your TI, this file should work fine (and the NanoPEB will give you that 32K and the capability to load your data files from disk). The other option is to snag a TOD cartridge and run it like you would have BITD.

[CC-40 GAMES!]

Some of those identified cartridges have never been dumped (Games 2 comes to mind), as they are almost nonexistent in the wild. In the case of the Wafertape programs, I don't think any of them ever escaped TI BITD, although one of the folks coding the DSR for the Hex-Bus SD card adapter thinks he may have a lot of them in his set of Hex-Bus things from his time at TI. I've never seen any of the Control Data programs (Cartridge or Wafertape). There are also a few specialized cartridges from other sources: PDS Sports (betting) and Gurudata (drill bit selection) come to mind, but I believe there were some insurance programs as well.

[Tunnels of Doom TOD on FlashROM99?]

Also note, you have to have some kind of storage media to use it as well, since TOD loads the data files into the VDP memory--and you can't do that with the images used by the FR99. It lobs the main program (TOD8.BIN) into the 32K on the cartridge, but you still need to load the data file from somewhere else to actually run the cartridge. What is the size of the TOD8.BIN file? If it is larger than 32K, it may be for the FinalGROM99, not the FlashROM99.

[The Compact Computer 40 (CC40)]

9 minutes ago, brain said:

It's on my list, but time is short at present.  Not sure how generally useful it will be as I think only a few have availed themselves of HEX-TI-r units, so demand appears to be low.

 

jim

 

 

If they are available, I do need to snag a few of them. . .I have a lot of things that use Hex-Bus peripherals.

[Geneve FORTH]

On 3/16/2021 at 4:02 PM, Bill R Sullivan said:

They are TI-Writer files; 368 pages worth.  If you are serious about doing this, I could send you all my version 2.0  stuff including my version 1.01 marked up documentation, but you may have to check with Mike McCann to see if he will require that you have a registered TI Forth for MDOS to do this work on line or release it to other users.  Let me know.

 

RetroBill (fdos)

Actually, Mike passed the rights to all of his software to Dee Turner in the mid-nineties. Dee kept producing copies to fill orders until about 2008 or so under the TR Software banner.He then hung it up (and I believe he released all of the software at that time--I used to have an email to that effect, but I don't think I have it anymore).

 

[Geneve OS development discussion]

On 3/2/2021 at 6:30 PM, InsaneMultitasker said:

we might need to create or necro a SID topic soon...

 

Yeah, I have a batch of bare SID boards in my basement right now that I need to validate. . .along with some PEB Extender boards. Now I just have to dig my 60-pin connectors out again. . .

[Erik's Tiny PEB]

15 hours ago, kl99 said:

all the best from my side as well to you Erik!

I read the last months posts of this thread and only want to mention something about your possibility to load a file (cartridge) into the >6000  - >7FFF memory area.

There you mentioned it is not write protected and therefore might act as 8K ram slot.

While this write possibility is wanted in most places please consider

- there are cartridges that use writing to certain memory addresses in that area in order to switch their rom banks.

- there are cartridges that do a write because of a bug, which is not making an impact if the cartridge space is write protected (like on the actual hardware with an actual cartridge).

- there is Mini Memory, which is (if I am right) also having some special writes for its functionality. Which is one of the few original cartridges actually using part of this address range to store data.

 

Enjoy working on these projects, but also take it easy with your recent infection.

 

I think there are even a couple that write to that space on purpose and then check the value there--as a protection mechanism. If the value is the written one, the program stops, and if it is the original ROM value, it works fine.

[Horizon Ramdisk Questions]

The SAMS coexists peacefully with any Horizon, even the ones with 32K as part of the base build (you just have to pull the 32K and the selection chip from the board before you install the Horizon in a PEB with the SAMS).  BTW, I'm the guy who builds the SAMS boards too, LOL.

[FTP access to ftp.whtech.com]

Just worked for me too. 

[Geneve OS development discussion]

I'm definitely liking this. . .  The Insane One strikes again.   

[OT: Dumping Thread]

It looks like one of the 17440A Graphics Enhancement Cartridges sold sometime in the recent past on eBay for $25, and I found two companies online saying they have them (but you don't want their prices, most likely, as they tend to supply the aviation/government market and probably have serious markup issues).

[Horizon Ramdisk Questions]

Read the modification documents to the HRD+ manual. The May 2020 manual is primarily focused on the current ROS and the HRD 4000B. The nuances of earlier cards are described in their manuals and the applicable modifications to them. Read The Horizon Change Notice and pay close attention to Change #3, as that points straight at the ROS 8 issue.

[Is it worth it getting a PAL version?]

1 hour ago, Tursi said:

It still requires a fair bit of circuitry, but because the NTSC 9918A version outputs composite video. . .(NTSC has a 9928, but it seems pretty uncommon).

 

 

Unicorn Electronics has them for about $30 each in their miscellaneous chips section. I think I also have a handful of them in my chip box.

[White TI-99/4a (C)1981 not reading non TI modules]

Try to run a cart with ROM and GROM, like Parsec. . .I have a suspicion that the console is not talking to the >6000 space at all for some reason. TI carts will all be recognized because their headers are in GROM space--but what happens when those same cartridges try to run the ROM portions of their code?

[New MAME release]

If you get that working in MAME, @9640News, you may also be able to do the same thing on an HRD4000B using a second 74HCT154 and a second layer of memory chips. The HRD4000 design in general was designed to support up to four layers of chips (also requires using dual-stacked 154s), but the drive size limitations basically prevent use of anything larger than about 8M on a /4A. That limitation effectively disappears when using a single large drive on a Geneve. Do note that no one has ever tested one larger than 8M as a single Geneve hard drive yet, as the largest HRDs currently in the wild top out as single-layer, 8M boards.

 

Oooooooh, four layers of 512K chips would give you a 32M RAM Disk. . .

[Clam Shells]

Look at the places where studs intersect with the holes in the 32K card (the ones near the card edge, not the ones in the corners). These are your problem studs, as third-party cards almost never have holes at these points, and some will even have components in one or more of those areas.

 

Definitely a good start on a printable file though! Be careful how much you beef up the bottom two corner studs as well--those screw holes often go through voltage regulators/heat sinks.

 

 

[C99C overlays?]

At this point in time, I think the GCC implementation is the most likely software to be in use by TI programmers. C99 was based mostly on the Small C core functions, while TIC for the Geneve included a bit more functionality. It depends on whether or not you want to write your code on a TI or a TI/Geneve emulator. If you want to use a PC for the coding with the TI as your target system, you are probably best off with GCC. It may not have all of the libraries you need yet--but if you add the ones you need, a lot of TI people will likely use them in the future.

[Clam Shells]

Fair warning--the metal TI clamshells need some careful internal modifications if you plan to use them with any non-TI cards that weren't designed to use them (most Myarc cards fit in this category). There are some studs in there that will short out parts of the cards, so you have to file them off before using them.

[Horizon Ramdisk Questions]

Only the later Horizons have the built-in capability to add 32K. This is definitely an HRD+, based on the serial number and the board layout. I believe there may be a mod to add 32K to it, I will have to check all of my Horizon documentation to verify that though. I am the current rights holder for the Horizon, so I have a lot of documentation on the older ones as well. I dug out a soft copy of the HRD+ manual and added it here (along with the 32K mod, and change notices #1, #2 (same document), and #3). The current Horizon card is the 4000B, expandable to 8M. The current ROS is in the 4000B Horizon thread, along with a lot of additional information that may be helpful. I also included it here, just in case. Note that some of the changes are important if you plan to use the current version of ROS (or anything starting with 8.x, for that matter).

HRD+ Ramdisk.pdf HRD Change 32K MOD.pdf Horizon Change Notice.pdf HRD Change 1988.pdf ROSCFG842C 3-14-2020.zip

[TI 99 - Hardware Identification needed]

That weird I/O interface thing looks like it might be a RAM tester of some kind, based on the horde of LEDs at the top of the card. . .

 

The EPROM programmer looks like it might be one from either the TI Revue or 99-Journal. ISTR that both of them published plans for Eprommers. . .with layouts. I think there might have been one in CK too.