newTIboyRob

yes it was truly bizarre. Good point about the software related concept. However, I was just typing in standard basic on 800xl. My hand missed the return key momentarily and brushed up against another key as I recall, and after that all the numbers were gone! The letters themselves work fine, except the semicolon. Ghost in the machine! It would just be so coincidental that the numbers just stopped working at that very second, in the middle of my typing a program... but I suppose stranger things have happened with these quirky machines! Any other ideas?

I'm sorry, I am not familiar with that and am terrible at doing technical things. What did I hit to make it instantly stop working like that? (My hand did touch something on the keyboard, but I don't know what exactly.) Isn't there any other way to get the keyboard back to normal without removing anything?

Hello all. Just wondering if this happened to any of you. I was typing a simple program in basic 10 REM.... 20 PRINT... etc, when all of a sudden I lost the number keys. Pressing the "1" for example gave me a symbol instead of the number 1. I must have accidentally hit something and put it into another mode or something? I tried resetting the computer, same problem. I tried unhooking and rehooking the computer, same problem. I can't type programs if I don't have line number ability. What happened here, and more importantly, how do I get my "normal" computer back???

Ed in SoDak, thanks for all your help. I tested it exactly as you said, without the speech synth, but long story short, I had no success with the Axiom. I even tried just separately doing a self test on the printer, the Star NX-10, to make sure it was working fine, and it was. I even tried hooking up another printer that I'd tested and knew was working, an Epson LQ 800, and again, no dice. So it's something about the connection between this Axiom and the printers. Since both the printers work fine, maybe it's that I bought a defective Axiom, as I still keep getting the I/O error message OO in line 20. Should I just give up on this Axiom? Buy another? What would I need, and what would be the cheapest different way to get the computer to print to a printer? I'm next trying to test the speech snyth I now hooked up with Terminal Emulator II, as I want to hear this thing "talk." When I put in the cartridge though, the parameters technical page comes up. All of the videos on you tube I have found just have this thing talking right away without showing that screen, so I have no idea what to enter on that page. What information do I enter? Is that cartridge the simplest way to get the computer to "talk" with the speech synth?

I was hoping to keep the speech snyth hooked to the TI and the Axiom Parallax printer interface dasiychained to the speech synth. Is the result that I do need the power adapter after all, as I mentioned above? I would really like to use my Star NX-10 printer to print out programs. Thanks

Hi, thank you. Trying both programs above without the speech synthesizer results in error message "IO ERROR OO in 20"

Hi, thanks for the link and your programs Ksarul. Unfortunately, neither of them worked, as I get an I/O device error. Here is my typical setup, which I believe is correct: computer ---> speech synth----> Axiom Parallax Printer Interface ----> Star NX-10 printer, turned on, online, ready & loaded with paper, ribbon. The Axiom Parallax manual mentions that the unit is self powered, so I was trying first without any power adapter. It also does mention the use of an adapter, thus causing my confusion on another forum thread. So 5 questions remain: 1) With my specific printer, the Star NX-10, shouldn't that second program in basic above have worked? 2) Since neither program worked... must I use a power adapter connected at the back of the Axiom and running to the wall? 3) If so, without a testing meter, I am unsure of what voltage of AC adapter I should use? 4) How do I attach the polarity tip? I am terrified of frying the Axiom and/or damaging anything! Since I am very unfamiliar with polarity and voltage, I didn't understand the manual specs. But I tried. I have a variable power AC adapter with adjustable settings of 1.5 v, 3v, 4.5v, 6v, 7.5v, 9v, 12v. As expected, the end of the adapter cord is marked "TIP" where the final adjustable polarity piece can be attached. 5) Now... should that final adjustable polarity piece (that is to be attached to where it says "TIP" at the end of the adapter cord) be inserted so the "+" or is it the "-" is to be attached to where it shows "TIP" at the end of the adapter cord? Once I have that determined and in place, I would then be properly ready to connect to the Axiom, and give this all another try Any help appreciated! Thanks!

I tightened the connections and finally had success with above. Thanks to all Quick question... I pressed "1" to go to TI basic, and now I just want to send a simple 1 line test program to the printer to see if the Parallax to printer combo works' It is some kind of "Open" statement if I remember, but can someone save me the time and edit this basic program so I can see line 30 printed to the printer: 10 REM TI STAR NX-10 PRINTER TEST 20 OPEN 30 PRINT "THIS IS A TEST FROM COMPUTER TO PRINTER"

it is very similar to this tv....

dragonstomper, brilliant! I got something, using channel 4, but it is majorly fuzzy. I can make out the light blue of the start up screen though, so this is progress. However, the only setting I see to adjust is "Picture" and it's a small nob, not like on the old tv's where you crank it like a dial to tune. This one does nothing to fine tune. Is it time to try another tv, we are so close!?

Hello, hoping for some help. I have a TI99 that powers on ok, but I'm not able to see the typical blue start up screen. Something's likely amiss in the way I am hooking it up, as neither channel 3 nor 4 setting on the switch box running to the tv worked with this tv.. From the photos, you can see the old TI switch box screwed in to the black adapter, which is then hooked up to the VHF terminals at the back of the tv, an old Quasar. [Right on the switch box itself, it says to hook it to VHF at back of tv, so I did.] 1) I left the UHF terminals at the back of the tv untouched, but I did notice screws at the side of the switch box which I also left untouched. Are these for UHF connection to the tv and must also be connected at back of TV at the UHF terminals for everything to work? (I once saw a different switch box that used UHF channel 36, but maybe this is not necessarily my particular switch box?) 2) Is it that maybe this tv itself won't work since I have no remote for it and am only able to access channels 2-13? Would a different tv make a difference or shouldn't I still be able to use this one? If anyone can explain why my basic set up isn't working and tell me the proper way to connect this, I would appreciate it! Thanks!

great, thanks!

Thank you for your explanation Ed!

Oh, ok, great. So I guess I will just give it a try later on today, without plug. Just to make sure the order is correct: TI computer with speech synth sidecarred at right side first, then the Axiom sidecarred to right side of that, yes?

Schmitzi... that's what I thought as well. I am puzzled though about why the port at the back of the unit then?

Thank you all for the replies! Well, to be honest, I am extremely non-technical, but maybe you guys can still help me if you read below. So, just to clarify: * I do not own a multimeter for testing (great suggestion however) * I know zero about modding, (thus would not even think of entering that arena, trust me) * I know next to nothing about polarity About the extent of my knowledge with this is: I couldn't find what A/C power plug to use in the user manual. However.... here is the good news though... I found I have an A/C adapter with selectable voltages: I see it has: 1.5v, 3v, 3.5, 6v, 7.5v, 9v, and 12 v, and the small "TIP" piece that attaches to the cable end has a removable + - polarity piece. It is similar to the white old school Radio Shack plug I remember from the 90's. Suggestions from here? Thanks!

Hello, I recently dug up a TI-99-4A-Parallax-TI-Printer-Interface-by-Axiom, but without its power supply. If anyone knows what kind/power AC adapter I need at the back of the unit, please email me? Thank you!

Hi... does anyone have a hard copy of the green covered TI User's Reference Guide that they don't need any more, or maybe has a spare of that they could send to me? (I want to avoid downloading and printing it as a 200+ page pdf file, and would like to have the original guide itself.) The one I bought was destroyed in the shipping. I opened the package and looks like a rat started to go to town on it, so now I have to take it up with the post office. Thanks!

Ksarul... sorry to have missed you with this, just a question of timing. Rest assured, there will be plenty of others who need this cable!

Yes, CSchneider looks to have done a wonderful job. He's a very pleasant person and I feel lucky to have had this done for me. To Iwantgames... if you do get the old lady to play TI with you, just don't play Parsec together!!

All I can say is... I, in no way, meant to sound pushy or impolite by trying to set out a budget for what I was hoping to pay with this cable, as you are insinuating. I am the farthest thing from that kind of person in real life. It's just that I am barely familiar with what goes into this- the building, the soldering... I'm not technically inclined much either, so what came across to you as harsh really was just naivete.

Hi, I'm realizing that it will be at least $15 for the adapter cable that allows an Atari joystick to be used with the TI 99 4/a. Does anyone have, or know anyone who will build or sell one to me for that total price (includes shipping)? Thanks

Ohm... another user offered to look for the original hard copy of the little Speech snyth book which he thought he might have and saw recently. I redirected him to you

Excellent, thank you R.Cade.

Done deal, thank you R.Cade