whicker

Here's a TI application note. I'm hoping PDF attachments work. Use at minimum a PTC in case bad stuff happens like reverse current flow. snva412c.pdf

I'm in the dark, but one thing that often gets forgotten is the +5V (DVI pin 14, HDMI pin 18). The +5V has to be capable of supplying minimum 55 mA. (but also should be reasonably current limited, don't just connect to Vcc). If it does not supply the 5 Volts, the device can refuse to display the image as it doesn't meet the spec. Ground return path is DVI pin 15, HDMI pin 17. As for the cut off picture, that's a "feature" of HDMI. Certain TVs have have procedures like: Fixing HDMI overscan on a Samsung TV Press Source on your remote. Move down to your HDMI source and press Tools. Select Edit name Scroll down to PC and select that one. Each TV will have a different procedure for going from TV mode to Monitor mode: https://www.howtogeek.com/252193/hdtv-overscan-what-it-is-and-why-you-should-probably-turn-it-off/ Or, just don't put critical info there as some TVs can cut off that area (sounds awfully familiar to the TI's programming recommendations, doesn't it?)

Put your pinky of your left hand on the "A" key and place each of your following fingers to the right on the home row keys with your pointer finger ending up on the "F" key. The side of your thumb rests on the spacebar. To hit the "W" key (up), extend your ring finger naturally up from the "S" key, and your joints will naturally guide it to the upper-left direction there. Other natural movements are moving your pointer finger from the "F" key up to the "R" key or down to the "V" key. Using the spacebar for something precise like jumping feels really natural with this hand positioning. Part of the comfort of using WASD has to come from instant onscreen feedback (high framerate). Otherwise I agree it is more confusing than a cardinal direction layout.

I do like the function keys better, but don't know how difficult it is to override them. Not sure if some cannot be overridden at all, depending on the browser. I'm thinking keeping F5 as refresh would ultimately cause more frustration than overriding it (again if it's even possible to override). After all, a browser refresh instantly wipes out whatever you happened to be doing. There is always CTRL-R or the GUI or the right click menu you mentioned to cause page refresh, and probably more ways than that. I just personally press your red reset button. It's nice to be able to just press F4 on my keyboard to Break a running BASIC program. Just my thoughts.

I am stumped, and missing what the function keys could previously do in PC Keyboard mode. Could you please tell me what keys to press on an EN-US keyboard for FCT-4 (Clear) in PC Keyboard mode? When not in that mode, it's simply ALT-4 On my machine, Firefox definitely has command of F3 (search) and F5 (page refresh), and Windows has the sinister ALT-F4 (close). But I miss having F4 and F6-F9 for BASIC programming and games, respectively.

If you measure a transformer's output voltage at the secondary coils, you will not see the numbers in the spec. An AC transformer will output much higher voltage on the secondary side if it is not connected to its intended load that is actively drawing power. This applies to any transformer, not just TI-99's.

Much better!

In my case, it needs to be higher. With barely any deflection it's usually registering as a diagonal direction. So many different controllers out there. Some drivers would allow more fine tuning of the calibration. The driver for the controller I'm using unfortunately does not offer anything (a USB wired Xbox One controller).

Asmusr, Good job on the updates! I almost forgot that JS99'er supports Gamepads (Joysticks) until I actually tried it. Since the GUI hopefully is easier to change, can you add a deadzone percentage in the options? Something like: Joystick center deadzone: 0-----[]-----25 %

The XB option is still there. You need to download from the GitHub repository: https://github.com/tursilion/convert9918

With JS99'er version 7.0.1 I am still noticing an issue with the simulated keypress. For example, clicking on the letter "B" of "BASIC" actually simulates a press of "A" I believe it is choosing the character one column to the right.

My thought is that as long as the F-18A provides the base functionality of the TMS9918A series, anything it extends or adds-on is beside the point. The slightly incorrect NTSC timing causing the rainbow-ing is not base functionality. Higher audio or video fidelity, whatever that could mean, is never a bad thing. But I may be in the minority that I do feel that overclocking or wait-state elimination makes it not a TI-99/4A anymore, and there's tons of people doing that. This is because identical code could execute drastically different when relying on external events.

That's what I meant. Just chalk it up to differences in English, I had considered the ball normally just bouncing and then you press the button to jump. Yeah, even different colors might lead to some more fun gameplay ideas.

Asmusr-M: Could you consider programming it so that the ball changes color when jumping? maybe light green or light yellow?

Whoa. Something called Cortex BASIC for the TI-99/4A? Something I've not yet come across. So much new stuff to be found.

RXB: Great Idea! What little I did try assembling, it was already getting tedious as you describe.

I don't know how much of an affect this really has, but I'd thought I'd mention it. Question for anyone who uses it, does Js99'er run typically at 62.5 fps on your computer? This is a partial log from when it starts up: Web Audio API detected AudioContext: sample rate is 48000 PC reset to >0024 Database opened OK. PC reset to >0024 Start Frame 0 running Executing disk DSR power-up routine. Executing disk DSR FILES routine (n = 3). Frame 248 running: 62.0 / 60.0 FPS Frame 498 running: 62.5 / 60.0 FPS Frame 747 running: 62.2 / 60.0 FPS Frame 997 running: 62.5 / 60.0 FPS Frame 1247 running: 62.5 / 60.0 FPS Frame 1495 running: 62.0 / 60.0 FPS Frame 1745 running: 62.5 / 60.0 FPS Frame 1995 running: 62.5 / 60.0 FPS Frame 2245 running: 62.5 / 60.0 FPS Frame 2495 running: 62.5 / 60.0 FPS I'm using Firefox browser, Windows 7 OS, and gen 3 core i5 CPU.

I finally registered, after years of web searches for various TI peripherals, devices, and names kept landing me here as an anonymous browser. Initially when the F18A was being worked on, there were some posts at the Parallax forum I frequented about simulating the TMS9918A video chip. That got me curious again as well about how it was developed in the later 70's, leading me to the fascinating MSX info page compilation of the engineers's (not so great) experience at TI, scans of handwritten notes, and prior newsgroup and forum postings. Because as a child "the TI" was the first computer I was exposed to at my grandpa's house, and the first computer I learned to program on. I started early and was banging on that keyboard when I was 5. It survives even to this day, although with what is probably bad DRAM. Oh well, I have a spare console or 3. But I will fix the first one just for nostalgia sake. It must have been 2010 or 2011, I was at the midwest gaming classic in Milwaukee, and I noticed a TI-99/4A with a CF card disk emulation unit attached to the side. I didn't get to play with it too much, but I just had to get my hands on one. The person nearby led me to the yahoo group, but that didn't offer too much and is a difficult site to use. Off and on again, searching for years, I finally was on ebay at the right time a week ago, and just happened to pick up one of the nanoPEB's in the hour they were available. In the meantime from auctions, i've acquired some stuff like minimemory, new joysticks, a new in box PEB and disk drive, I'm just waiting to complete that beast some day when prices are more reasonable and I have time, space, and patience to deal with actual floppies. What finally got me checking this forum almost daily when I saw Rasmus's youtube pages. While I'm not super-enthusiastic about the F18A itself, I do admire his ability to program and present... I personally didn't believe the faux or even real scrolling could be done so well on a TI-99 with 32K memory expansion, given the slowness of the hardware. I am blown away by his javascript emulator, just incredible. What I like here is how well people create a topic and follow through, with such an amazingly supportive atmosphere and enthusiasm for a console that's a few years older than I am. From the hardware side, I don't know why, but it's fun for me to work with these old 5 Volt TTL logic based systems, repairing them and keeping them going. Doing simple mods like the caps lock mod. Always learning something from people's documentation and new discoveries. although immediate item on todo list is to find or create a fitting avatar picture...

Use solder wick (desoldering braid) next time to draw out the excess solder. Bridged pins happen all the time, at least when I solder ... it's all about knowing what to do next .

Yes. And in hindsight I think the TI-99's title screen beep at maximum volume (no attenuation) sets the stage for everything else being super-loud. Most interesting musical idea was Blasto, if only the song wouldn't keep starting over from the beginning... it's like the explosions are interrupting the orchestra and the conductor takes them back to the start of the page.

Rasmus, I am impressed at how far this javascript emulator has progressed in such a short time. Thank you for making it, as it has rekindled my interest in the console. Could I ask for a feature? In the Options, could there be a Retain Mini Memory Area Contents switch, such that >7000 to >7FFF is retained, even if for example, the red Reset button is pressed?