JB

I actually kinda like that.

Idea! How about a sticker that represents the dual-architecture nature of a TIPI system. Combine a 99/4a logo with a modern Arm logo. Maybe I'll mock up a "99/4arm" logo later tonight.

I agree with the sentiment, personally.

More importantly, the PBox looks awesome and powerful.

"PRESS ANY KEY TO FLICKER HDD LIGHT"

It has always struck me as funny that our computers are made of plastic but our expansion boxes are built to withstand a nuclear strike.

Superfly will work with a bare 4a. I have the cart, but no MBX, and it works fine.

If only it was line 80085

All who know have been sworn to secrecy. The Order of the Moonsweepers takes their oaths seriously.

Got the serial cable? You could type programs on the PDA, import them to a PC using the serial cable, and then paste them into the TIPI.

I can't imagine a situation where the VDP is dumping more heat into the RF shield than it can radiate away. Really, the RF shield is overkill for cooling just the VDP. (see: tiny clip-on sinks for the late systems) That most 4a consoles haven't cooked themselves to death over the decades is in and of itself proof of the viability of RF shield heatsinking. Devices that didn't properly heatsink the 9918 were unreliable, and failed rapidly once put into service(I know of at least one such product, an X10 controller called "Homeminder")

That's the beauty of this use. It doesn't need to be a very good heatsink. The chip only needs a LITTLE extra help cooling. It isn't exactly dissipating two hundred watts of power here. If it were a larger package, it wouldn't need a heatsink at all.

Yeah, the 9918 doesn't need a LOT of heatsink. It does need SOME, though. Otherwise it slowly cooks itself to death.

I think we should get rid of transparent entirely. Replace it with octarine.

Tempting, but I'm good. Limited space, I think I'll save it for a PDP or an Alpha. One HAS to fall into my lap eventually, right?

Oh, that's a DS12887? Good. That's a common package, and it is one with the extra SRAM too, so there's basically no compatibility worries. I believe my "random example" link is actually a direct one-to-one replacement. And that's a DEC board? Awesome. Only DEC product I own is a generic 101-key PS/2 keyboard. I'd really like to add a DEC machine to my collection of obsolete hardware(though preferably one that is actually a DEC architecture)

That Dallas package is almost guaranteed to be a clock, SRAM, and battery all in one. Though I can't read the part number on that picture, I recognize that big ugly brick. Dallas sold them as real-time clocks, but then went and included enough extra SRAM that they could be used for configuration storage too. They will totally cause errors on boot(I think my IBM-compatibles with bad batteries have said "CMOS error - defaults loaded"). But at least in an IBM-compatible things aren't too bad. Swap the battery(or RTC module), enter the BIOS config, reset things, and you're a happy camper for the next decade or so. If you've acquired an old Sun workstation, where the system config, serial number, and ethernet MAC address are all stored in the RTC block... ugh. When the battery dies, the system is rendered unbootable. You can poke enough data back into a new one from the openboot interface to make it work again, but it is a royal pain(but still better than an arcade game's copy-protect battery, because it CAN be reprogrammed in place). There are replacements available for most of the Dallas RTC blocks. Random example here. If I recall, there's one or two uncommon models where no pin-compatible clones exist, but most of the Dallas RTC line has drop-in replacements. Some systems don't like the replacements because they have more SRAM than the original part, but most don't care. I hope that one is socketed, otherwise you might take a serious look at the "dremel the end of the block off and solder a battery holder onto it" school of repair. (A search for "dallas RTC repair" will get you a number of tutorials on that technique in short order)

That's why I put quote marks around "right". It isn't PROPER, but it isn't a problem or evidence of rework. It's just... a lot of excess goo. (I was pretty surprised the first time I opened a 4a up and there was this big wad of rubbery snot hanging off the VDP. I THINK it was that bad, but can't swear to it. Best hypothesis we came up with is that they were near the end of the pot of goo and just decided to slather the whole glob on so they could get a new pot.)

That looks "right" to me. Vigorous application at the assembly line, let the block mash out the excess. It is non-corrosive and not electrically conductive, so the excess is just gross, not a problem.

Understandably. Our little machine is many things, but it isn't the easiest in the world to open up.

Burn the heretic! By the time I was old enough to do anything of note, I was pretty familiar with the 4a. I skipped the calculator era entirely, I'm afraid. Ditto, except 4a. Dad said he had a 4, but it left when he upgraded to the a.

The 99/4 used "calculator keys" instead of "real" keyboard buttons. It also had fewer modifiers(no function key, if I recall).

It will generate a zero five minutes after code that assumes it can't do so is run.

A Solid State Television for enjoying your Solid State Software.

I'm good. Got enough clutter. Thanks, though.