kl99

There is a Peripheral Specification called RAM Expansion Specification which is referred from the Product Specification for the Home Computer System. That referred document might add nice input to this thread. Sadly I didn't find this specification anywhere so far. Since the Product Specification for the Home Computer System is from May 1979, it must have existed already in 1979. From Timeline99: October 1980: "In a letter to dealers in the United Kingdom, TI announces that an Extended Basic GROM is underdevelopment for the Home Computer, but that memory expansion for the 99/4 is not planned." January 1981: "January 5. TI releases prototype models of Extended Basic and 32K Memory Expansion to selectedusers for testing. A year and a half after the TI-99 is announced to the world, TI finally gets aroundto beta testing optional products that some of the competition comes with as standard equipment!To make matters worse, the actual availability of these two items for the masses is still more than6 months away." "Extended Basic and a new 32K RAM unit are announced for the 99/4." I will add your question to the memory layout as interview question for the one 99/4 engineer I got in contact with.

here are some comments on the CC-40 list: - the product number of the Compact Computer 40 is simply "CC-40" - there was no Hex-Bus Impact-Printer, the product number you refer to belongs to the Hex-Bus Printer 80 - the Hex-Bus Printer/Plotter 80 is only a printer and called "Hex-Bus Printer 80". It's product number is HX-1010 - the Video Interface has the product number HX-1100. "for CC-40 (US)" is not part of the product name. - the Hex-Bus RS232 has the product number HX-3000 - there was no Floppy Drive that connects to the Hex-Bus without a Disk Controller. Can't work. There was a "Hexbus Disk Drive/Controller 5102" with the product number HX-5102. It included one disk drive. It allowed to connect 3 more Drives named "Disk Drive Model 5202" (not Hex-Bus!). - the Parallel Cable for the Hex-Bus RS232 is not limited to the CC-40. - the Mechatronic Quickdisk can be added as compatible Hex-Bus peripheral for 99/8 and CC-40. The CC-40, the Hex-Bus Modem and the Hex-Bus RS232 can be used with the AC-9201. The Hex-Bus "Printer/Plotter" can be used with the AC-9203. The Hex-Bus "Printer 80" can be used with the AC-9401. The Hex-Bus Disk Drive/Controller can be used with the AC-9610. There was also a CC-40 with 18K of Ram, a "Compact Computer 40 Plus" and a CC-70 Prototype. - Games I is numbered SS-3024 - Mathematics is numbered SS-3009 - 16K Ram is numbered SS-3000 - There is also 8K Constant memory numbered SS-2000 - the Hex-Bus cable with 8" length is called HX C08 - you can add the TI "Black Cassette Ribbon" that fits into the Printer 80. PN is RIB 1010 Most comments are true as well for the 99/8 beta list and - replace "Disk Drive Controller" with the "Hexbus Disk Drive/Controller 5102" - TI-99/8 main board has PN 1057176-2. Label says "Computer 99/8" Since all the computers (99/8, 99/2, CC-40, 99/5, 99/4B, 99/4) cross over whereever its about Hex-Bus I suggest a Hex-Bus List instead, where also the 99/4 Hex-Bus Interface PHP1300 gets its proper place.

There have been two Product numbers for the classic US PHM 3052 Manuals: 1037109-52 and 1037109-152 The initial "1" was always added when they did a fix/change in the manual. I think the 152 version was coming with E/A in this case. Does anyone has the new styled cover (2nd picture from left) manual 1053590-52 with the fix/change integrated? Anyone has the new styled cover manual for Europe? This should be 1103035-0200 in contrast to 1103035-0000 being the classic (most right).

Hi Ralph! This part of the data model is not finalized yet. I don't (and don't want to) save the binary data of the whole disk. I save the binary data of all the files on the disk, their meta data, and the disk meta data. I don't see a value in maintaining a disk image as such, as the only purpose of it is the files or the combination of them as part of a certain application, be it "Miller Graphics Nightmission". There will be a way to link multiple files to one unit and that will have some name like release or application. With introducing that I also need to introduce some specs on how to share that kind of data level with other users. This kind of data level will probably need some human input. Someone needs to tell the tool that those 5 files from the disk need to be there on a disk in order to run the application. So someone needs to define once the application. But all other users will retrieve that information by updating the index over the net. I could maybe automatize it partely, if the files are loaded from within a Basic Program. I got sidetracked a bit from Web99 with receiving the 99/8 and Hex-Bus Peripherals and am preparing my home for some upcoming TI Vienna meetings. But after those I will go back to Web99. If you plan to integrate the data into your tools, we can share and check the current data model and see what we can do in order to achieve your goals. Here is the Presentation I did which shows parts of the data model: Web99-2015-10-31.pdf

I asked Hal, this year the Faire is already on Satuday, 15th October. The airplan tickets are currently more expensive around that weekend, so I will book later. Klaus

I think we strict the definition of active TI Users too strict to those working on some project and those following those projects and providing public feedback. With this we exclude persons like my nephew, who is 9 years old, and likes to play his 99/4a or try his first steps in TI Basic. There might be plenty of people simply enjoying turning up their old system or showing them to their kids and get the next generation into it. We exclude persons, who might only collect and play the original 99 stuff without paying attention to what is going on nowadays. The TI-99 has changed from being relevant for your business to only being a hobby, therefore it's not necessary to run your system every day for being called active User. You never needed the internet on the TI-99, therefore people might not have started yet to think about searching the net when they do the hobby. Further for some percentage of Users the reason for keeping to the 99/4a reflects ones personality in terms of not liking changes, not wanting to adapt, having no motivation to relearn. Therefore at least some percentage of Usere might not have Internet at all yet for the very same reaons, because you would have to adapt, change and learn.

Hi! I wanted to check prices on the Best Western University Plaza in Evanston, however the hotel is no longer part of the Best Western chain. They did renovations (or are still doing) and prices increased a lot there. 369 Euro a night seems to be the new price for one double room, and that is hardly affordable for anyone. Price is excluding 13.5% taxes. There is the Hilton Orrington which has a nightly price of 175 Euro and seems like the better deal. I guess I could upgrade to a Studio there for not much money to have a get2gether at my room. My fiancee might join me this time. Klaus

Hi Guys! I have heard on the Floppydays Podcast that there are some ideas/plans to do a second TI event in Chicago which will be timed around the TI Faire? Who knows more on this? I plan to book my flight tickets soon, and therefore need to know which day I should be already in Chicago or still in Chicago for this event? (anyone wishing to book european tickets to chicago, the prices are currently quite low) Klaus

This is something I created when I did study the GPL Programmers Guide. I think all text comes 100% from the Guide, but I simply don't remember that. Have fun. klaus-gpl-notes.html

Thank you, I wasn't even aware there is a prize for the contest. How cool is that? I guess we have to thank Gregory to sponsor this contest. Mr. arcadeshopper, you get a pm. BR Klaus

Thanks for this update and the effort that went in. Which screen mode are you using for this? Afaik the Nes features a 30 character mode as well, which was added by Matthew to the F18A. The tiles seem to have more than 2 colors which is not supported by the TMS9918A. You said, no use of the GPU. Is there any usage of the additional 2K of VRAM? It's perfectly timed as well, in Vienna there is a TI meeting tomorrow. This will make the guys speechless. Do you know that there will be the international TI meeting in Kopenhagen this year? Isn't this close to where you live? Btw: i also tried to program a TI Mario World once, however for the TI-92 calculator, I know how hard the physics were to implement, without any guides I got frustrated: https://web.archive.org/web/20050224160734fw_/http://www.fortunecity.com/skyscraper/mulder/376/puds/pudmario.htm I was 17 years old, so not even half my current age. Once you got the engine running, storing additional levels is not that difficult. You can even let others do this if you document the level data and separate that data to an external file.

The actual GPL chip was being development by TI for an external customer. Once the customer dropped, the plan for the 99/4 was changed to use a TMS9985 instead, however the GPL language and Grom chips survived. As this one failed the tests because it was not ready yet they switched over to use the TMS9900. The Grom chip was invented by Granville Ott. I guess once you invent something, you tend to use it. Adress space and costs were the main reasons given.

Joining this GPL Programming Group

I guess the past 30 years showed to us that there are less and less Users that are limited to only having the stock console. It's like 32k, Disk Controller and Rs232 became a standard among those enjoying that old machine. I guess 80column cards weren't as successful back in the days because they were rather expensive and they started to show up after TI had stopped their production of consoles, and there was not too many programs supporting its feature. What's wrong with creating software actually utilizing such hardware enhancements? With the F18A chip Users finally have a 2nd chance to get a 80column option for their 99/4a for a very good price. And there is enough in stock to fulfill demands. Before that there was basically the only option to get a 80column card on ebay for several hundred bucks, if one ever showed up. If we look 10 years into the future we might have less and less Users without any kind of an 80column option in their TI-99 setup. So it might be added as a very common requirement by developers. I know that SMB is not done in 80col, but rather uses Hardware Scrolling and Multi color sprites. But you might got my point.

Test Trainer 1 is an European Cartridge. The styling of the label matches the very first 99/4 european cartridges, which might have been produced in Holland or even the USA as some other cartridges for the european market. Product Number of the manual: 1105692-0001. The european cartridge has 1105696-0001 as product number. I also saw the PHM3065 number in two lists for this cartridge but don't know whether this is sourced from an official TI Price List. Bernhard L. has this cartridge as well. Klaus

Hi CosmicBoy. I would love to help, but I fear I don't have the skills. The HDFC can be used with the TI-99 as well, so maybe you can exclude the Geneve as source of the problem if connecting a standard TI-99 to your PEB. Remove as many cards as possible. So just the Flex Interface, the HDFC and try if anything shows when turning it on. I also have two HDFC controllers and can do comparison Tests, however no Geneve here. Grüße, Klaus (Vienna)

well, I am sure the mainboard was still working after his episode. he hardly went beyond the metal shield.

You can have multiple instances of Web99 on your computer. They are totally independent. Each Web99.exe searches for the subdirectory "index" below itsself and works there. So there is no way to conflict with each other. I didn't try to run them at the same time, it might work, in worst case the 2nd isntance doesn't start, but it will not cause a data erase of any kind. Still I don't see the need to create two seperate instances of DBs. You always have to search twice. If you want schmitzi, I can try to make my DiskPaths more unique (kl99 in the front or something), so it's clear that their source was from my disk collection).

Please also check out this thread: http://atariage.com/forums/topic/247627-ti-998-and-more-collection-it-arrived/ as I have discovered several Adventure Disks with Source Code from a TI employee in the collection. They are dumped and posted in the thread. Maybe even unreleased Adventures. Klaus

I saw that Grom Simulation references as well. Very interesting indeed. If the interview I plan todo kicks off, we might get some nice answers from the guy who designed the grom simulator software at TI all together. Is there some reference to BASGROM as well? That is the official tool for converting a TI Basic Program to run from Grom (Module) instead of VDP.

d036.dsk d021_retry_on_error.dsk d021_retry2_noerrors.dsk Here are the two disks. d021 was read out twice since I experienced a read error on a sector, the retry of the sector did the trick. Nevertheless I prefer to read a disk without having a single read error message. So d021_retry2_noerrors.dsk is the preferable. Since Plato always toys with Sector #1, the disks could further hidden files. Summary: Still have ~25 disks to transfer with 10 being Plato Disks 4 Review probably and the rest official TI Disks (EA, Writer, Multiplan..). Roughly 5-7 disks were not readable at all with the disk drive I tried (which read out 360K if I remember correct). Have a few other options for those still. Sadly all 90 disks I have transfered yesterday were only 360 sectors disks, so less potential for gems. Since those Disks contain private Lists and data from the seller, I need to check before publishing all. Only one disk of the 90 transfered disks remained to have 2 bad sectors.

I have not had time to figure it out yet. Could be it's for PHM 3041 or for PHM3189 Return to Pirate Isle or the Source code for the individual adventures. Here are all dumped Disks Images related to Adventure: d033.dsk d035.dsk d022.dsk d023.dsk d024.dsk d025.dsk d012.dsk d008.dsk d012 contains Sourcecode Files for sure.

I found the Plato Terminal Emulator V2 and V4. Is that what you are searching for?

but it makes sense to do a binary comparison before assuming things.

Try the game yourself! Title screen melody is awful, but game play is very action like. d003.dsk