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Omega-TI

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Posts posted by Omega-TI

  1. Posted

    I'm thinking with all the news stuff coming up and being developed, that this topic needs to be renamed to

    The BEST NEW PROGRAMS & HARDWARE OF 2014.

     

    That would give people time to finish what they have in the works and finalize their releases. It would also foster more competition as people would have a chance to actually make a submission.

    • Like 1

  2. Posted

     

    HFDC time stamps all files, creation and update times are used.

     

    Gazoo

     

    Not only that, but the BOOT menu program that many people have been using for YEARS has features that they are probably unaware of.

     

    1) RTC Support

    Displays the time in the upper right-hand corner of the screen

     

    2) 80 Column Support (Works with F18A too try it in Classic 99) (Just press "W" to enter 80 column mode)

    When you do a directory in 80 column mode it will display file creation & update times if available.

     

    There are programs out there already that will support a RTC, and in the case of the BOOT program even 80 columns. I just thought it would be nice to be able to fully use what we already have available.

  3. Posted

    I'm amazed this topic is getting so little activity. I thought for sure people would be interested in a real-time clock for their TI's. Considering how much smaller an inexpensive the technology has gotten since the 80's, this should be a cheap and easy project, compared to the F18A and Nano-PEB projects.

     

    You know this does not have to be just for Nano-PEB users, ANY 'real iron' system could benefit from a real-time clock. It also makes me wonder if a clock project could just be soldered to V V THIS V V and mounted on the clamshell with some double back tape?

    9284095936_fd5b60a775_z.jpg

     

    You have to admit if one could be soldered onto that, most anybody could feel comfortable soldering it on, as there is very little chance of damaging anything if they screwed it up.

  5. Posted

    I have a question for people running CF7’s or Nano-PEB’s…

    Do any of you have a REAL-TIME CLOCK installed in your systems? Does one even exist?

     

    If not… one of those “clocks-on-a-chip” could be mounted on a small PCB with a chip containing the DSR software and support circuitry, it could then be easily be soldered onto the speech synthesizer circuit board and reside within the same case! Since the speech synthesizer has that little door, it would also give easy access to a battery holder mounted right underneath. This is an option I WOULD BUY!

     

    For some Uber programmers, this code would be childs play. If it could be compatible with say, the old CorComp Clock, people would be able to have full functionality in old very useful programs like “Remind-Me!”, use the “Super Clock Support utilities” or even new stuff that could be released in the future.

     

    Does this type of thing interest any of you NANO-PEB or CF7 users?

     

     

    P.S. -- One question added later... It's been 24 years now, so my memory is foggy, but didn't the BOOT MENU program also make use of the Real-Time Clock feature of the CorComp card?

    • Like 1

  6. Posted

    Paolo was one of the TI-God's in my book.

    I'm glad to see so much of him will continue to live on in his work, that he will not be forgotten.

     

    BA-Writer is one example of Paolo's work. That program will run in any environment, and it's built-in loader will load stuff that other programs choke on! It's the only TI-Writer variant that I use.

     

    What is your favorite Paolo Bagnaresi program? Post a link to it here, as some of us may have overlooked some of his work.

    • Like 2

  7. Posted

    I agree! I always liked Bejeweled. A clever programmer could probably write it XB, then run it through the compiler it for adequate speed. The jewels would be four characters or 16x16 pixels which should give decent resolution.

     

    This is a screenshot of the Coleco version of the program:

    Bejeweled.png

     

    It makes me wonder what an F18A version would look like.

    I'm thinking the TI might be coming into it's second GOLDEN AGE with all these new programs!

    • Like 1

  10. Posted

    I can see some people think the master title screen is like a ADVERTISEMENT that you have to press any key to get past.

     

    The reason for TiVo was the same type of thought. I could live without the Title Screen also and go straight to menu with a Title Screen Background would be better.

     

    Rich, you hit it on the head, it's an annoying advertisement that is not need, it slows me down and gets in the way. If I must have it, I think a little customization is in order.

  11. Posted

    I find it a bit late in the day and pointless to be re-working fundamentals like joystick control unless it was to be part of a new hardware project like the F18A.

     

     

    I dunno know, it always drove me NuTz using the joystick just fine in Parsec, but then having to take my hand off the joystick to change the "LIFT" with the 1, 2 or 3 key on the keyboard to go through the refueling tunnel. I cannot tell you how many ships I've lost that way. It would be kind of neat to wire a modern controller into the keyboard matrix to have the 1,2 or 3 key be available on the controller, not just the fire button. A couple of other keys like the REDO or BACK would be useful as well. Defender is another game that would greatly benefit from an upgraded game controller for the TI.

  12. Posted

    I'm thinking about making a Scramble clone, with smooth scrolling graphics, of course.

     

    attachicon.gifScramble1st edited.png

     

    And then there is the minor issue of how to shoot and drop bombs using a one button joystick...

     

    Maybe it's time we all got together and designed a new interface for the old TI. We can agree on a standard, make up a PDF file on how construct the device and interface the new socket to the keyboard matrix of the TI.

     

    I guess we could start with one question... what kind of currently sold and easily obtainable controller do we want to use?

     

    We are bringing the TI into the 21st century in memory, serial interface, super cartridges, video display and storage devices, so why not the joystick too?

  13. Posted

     

    I'm not sure this is generally practical. If the program was loaded from E/A, you need to get back to the E/A module so the loader gets loaded from the E/A GROM to low RAM. After the title screen, it's only 3 key presses to get to where you can re-enter a program name. Also, E/A3 and E/A5 programs are not managed the same way by the E/A loader. It seems a lot of trouble to save 3 keystrokes.

     

    ...lee

     

    I dunno, even the old Trash-80's, Apple's and PC's took you back to DOS after exiting a program.

    After awhile those extra keystrokes just get to be a PITA when you have to keep doing them over and over again.

     

    Also, the user would have the option of NOT using it if they wished, I'm willing to bet a lot of people use some sort of menu loading program. Personally, I hate using the E/A cartridge without a loader program because after I bypass all the menus, I still have to REMEMBER the filenames and correctly type them in too. Some of those programs have some weird and hard to remember names.

  14. Posted

    I have a suggestion for the writers of ALL future TI programs and games....

     

    Would it be possible to include an EXIT/QUIT routine in future programs that will LOAD a program of choice?

     

    For example; when I quit a program, the majority of programs take you back to the title screen, then you have to hit a bunch of buttons to bypass those screens and menus just to take back your loader program. If a program had an option for you to type in and save the name of a program to load, for example DSK1.BOOT, all ones programs would appear seamless and you would save on a lot of needless button presses.

     

    Would this take too much code in the average program?

     

    BA-Writer will do this with it's built-in UTILITY loader, this would be essentially the same thing, but just hidden from normal view.

     

    One possible way to do it would have FCTN-Q access an entry line like:

    ENTER PATH: ___________________ Then one could just then type in: DSK1.BOOT or whatever, and press enter, the information would be saved and viola... built-in ease of use.

     

     

  15. Posted

    I haven't got a really good idea for something it could add to game without depending too much on it.

     

    Would a game similar to Commander Keen or a game like Dangerous Dave be too difficult for the F18A to handle?

    Those games had some major playability, and something along those lines would be great! Now there was also a game neat little game called Blake Stone, but I do believe that one might just be outside the envelope of possibility. Just a couple of ideas to kick around.

  16. Posted

    With all the stuff I've lately, it got me thinking. It seems to me that a lot of things are available in the TI environment, that if brought together could really change the paradigm and set a new standard for our little ‘orphan’.

     

    The GROMS in the console for example, like Tursi showed us, with the 99/8 code floating around, we could ‘borrow’ the lower case code and replace what is already in the TI. If there are any new commands that can be ‘lifted and used’, all the better. We could possibly even change the default CYAN/BLACK screen to something a little bit more reasonable, possibly DARK BLUE/WHITE. Any of you have any ideas of something you would like to see changed or added to the basic console? It appears this may now be a possibility. Also, if there is a way to cram some extra stuff into the chips, and if the parts are available, possibly even a utility or two. (If you have not already done so, check out Tursi’s video, you’ll start drooling when you think of the possibilities he presents).

     

    Now there is that 512K UBER CART that will emulate GROM as well. Can you imagine a hacked version of Extended BASIC, or an Extended version of say RXB that had built-in routines to use and exploit the extended graphics modes of the F18A, while also staying backward compatible. Sweet!

     

  17. Posted

    I'm more than willing to take that risk and help build-out a library for the thing, I think it deserves it!

     

    That sounds great! I also agree with you, the F18A does deserve it! That little gadget brings the TI up to the current standard for just about any TV or monitor currently sold (at least every TV and monitor in this house has a VGA port). The sharp, crisp and enhanced graphics are definitely a plus.

     

    I would not be the least bit surprised that if Matthew continues to make these things, there will be enough of them out there in 10 years than many of us will have TI's full of F18A only software.

     

    Honestly, I cannot wait to get my hands on one myself. It's too bad there is no way (at least that I know of) to do 80 column mode in Extended Basic. (Anyone out there want to change that?) There is a good chance I'll be starting an X10 project in the next couple of months for the TI and an 80 column input & display interface would have been sweet.

     

    I remember in my PC days I used to draw out my ANSI screens and link them with my GW-BASIC programs, it made for a nicer presentation, unfortunately I have no clue how that could be done on the TI. Can you imagine a fancy bitmapped background and then using display and accept at calls to place the actual inputs in specified locations on the image.

  18. Posted

    What if I were to write an F18A-only game, would that be eligible for the competition? Having a separate F18A category would be a good way to stimulate some F18A game development and would definitely make the competition more attractive to me.

     

    While I personally love concept of an F18A only game, you might not get as many votes, even if it was the best game made, because there are simply not enough users (voters) out there that have one. Yes, Classic 99 does emulate the F18A, but since this is for the TI, one of the requirements is that it has to also run a real TI.

     

    Now what would be cool and would get you an extra technical point is if you did what the author of Titanium did, he made the program auto detect which display was being used and the program switches accordingly. That was pretty damn slick if you ask me!

     

    I cannot wait to see what you come up wit!

  19. Posted

    If categories are necessary is speed the deciding factor? Complexity? I'd suggest limiting the segregation to two categories:

     

    1. Slowly Interpreted: BASIC/Extended BASIC

    2. Quickly interpreted or compiled: Assembler(machine code)/Forth/GPL/C

     

     

    I like your suggestion. If there are no objections, I really think this is the way to go as it keeps the whole thing from getting overly complicated and out of hand. Also, it'll make for better quality prizes since only 4 will be awarded.

     

    So now we have to 2 categories: 1) GAMES and

    2) UTILITIES

    And two sub categories for each: 1) Slowly Interpreted: BASIC/Extended BASIC and

    2) Quickly interpreted or compiled: Assembler(machine code)/Forth/GPL/C

    The programs must be FINISHED and able to run on a REAL TI. Well that seems doable!

    If no one else has any objections, I see nothing wrong with multiple entries as it can only help the community to have more software. It'll be up to the programmer to decide if dividing time between multiple programs will hurt their chances of having a killer winner program or not.

  20. Posted

    If you have a GRAMKRACKER or GRAMULATOR or HSGPL card or some other mods that have been out for many years you can do that.

     

    Kracker Facts and other magazines like it had stories written on fonts people used. By the way even Classic99 or MESS or PC99 allow you to modify the characters in GROM 0.

     

    (I made my own custom start up screen with my GRAMULATOR many many years ago with my name and Sprites.)

    While I do not have any of those items, this whole concept excites me. After I get my F18A installed, it would be COOL to have a "Scanline Pallette Bitmapped F18A" (higher grade) custom image to replace the TI screen and have true a lower case font too! It's been a few years since I've opened up a TI, so I'm assuming they are not socketed. I think I'd feel more comfortable having them replaced than doing it myself.

  21. Posted

    You have two options for something like that.

     

    The side port/internal option can be made to work as well, from GROM or ROM with a power-up vector (which is option 2).

     

    I want a nice background picture at startup too ;)

     

    I LIKE IT!!!!!

    Hmm, can you burn GROMS too? It would be so SWEET to have full-time true lower case in the 4A to go with a custom start-up screen. You could probably make some good money modding peoples TI's. I'd send you mine for an upgrade!

  24. Posted

    United Federation of Planets? Wouldn't they be using a slightly more powerful CPU?

    Oh yeah! But of course you could use this too...

    Hal_9000_wallpaper_by_browen2o.png

    ... actually anyone could CUSTOMIZE their TI startup screen to anything they wanted! I also got to thinking after my original post, besides a side-car arrangement, this thing could also be mounted INTERNALLY and soldered in just like the internal speech modification.

    Heck, I'm sure someone would even be willing to make money soldering them in if users did not feel up to the task.

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