cbmeeks

Great video. I really enjoyed it.

Awesome. Thanks for the info. So, if I bought this, would I need my 32K RAM expansion from JediMatt (that I also own)? I would hate for something like this to hurt his sales.

Forgive my ignorance. I've only been able to browse on my phone for the last couple of days and it's hard to research this stuff with my old eyes. Anyway....I have the FlashROM99 and love it. Then I discover there is a new FinalGROM99 that appears to be similar. I never really understood what GROM is on the TI. So, what's the difference? Should I upgrade? I mostly play games but want to start developing on the TI. Thanks.

Sorry for the stupid question. I've been out of the TI scene for a while. I come back and WOW! New games and hardware all over the place! I've searched for SAMS but I guess I'm doing it wrong. Is there a link to tell me more? Thanks!

When I posted my original remark, no. There wasn't. At least not any that were in stock. I bought the SGM to play games like DK, Gradius, etc. Again, WHEN I posted originally, these games were NOT in stock. I've checked a few times in the past and I seem to always miss when they are available. I haven't looked in a couple weeks or more because I've lost interest. I may regain interest sometime soon. Does that answer your question?

Yeah, if you look up dufus in the dictionary you'll see my picture. LOL So far, every program has worked. Now I have two more problems. I need to make a custom audio cable (easy) and I've got to find a way to use one of my Commodore joysticks. I don't have any TI joysticks and using the keyboard sucks. But at least everything works.

I fixed it! All four banks passed. OK, I am a COLOSSAL IDIOT. I just realized that the first time I used the board, I used external power. I *THOUGHT* the PSU that I was using was a 5V but it was 9V!! So, I cooked the SRAM chip. IDIOT!! In my defense, there isn't a voltage regulator on the board. No...I'm still an idiot. I should have known. LOL!!! Anyway, I ordered some more IC's for the board. Fortunately, the glue logic IC's survived. Only the SRAM fried. Also, while I wait for my correct CY SRAM to arrive, I thought what the heck and tried another brand SRAM that is wired differently. All of the control lines are the same. The power lines are the same. But A0 - A14 are completely different. But, this doesn't matter because the chips are static. Anyway, I can at least use it now. Note to self...check my friggin' PSU before I plug crap in! Jeesh! Thanks all.

I've powered it two different ways. One with internal only (with jumper set to TI) and one external with a 5V regulated supply. Also, the LED is actually BRIGHT when I power it externally. In fact, with the TI powered OFF but the 32K powered externally, I can touch the GND pins and the light comes on really bright. This does not happen when the TI is powered on. But again, I've powered it both ways. I will try Parsec soon. But none of the other 32K titles work at all. Even Flappy Bird says a 32K RAM expansion is needed. I think I might check the voltages next with it powered via the TI. I might also see if I can replace some of the glue logic. I don't have any spare RAM IC's but I may have the other chips.

It's REV 4. I re-seated all chips. I used the versions 1.3 that you suggested. Same thing. I have Parsec on cartridge but that doesn't use the 32K RAM does it? What do you need to see pics of? The board, TI, etc.? Thanks.

Yep. That was the first thing I did. Everything looks good in the sockets too.

Ugh. I get all excited about my new 32K RAM expansion (https://atariage.com/forums/topic/254502-32k-expansion-for-the-side-port-released/) and when running the 32K Expansion Memory Test ver 1.1, I get FAILED on all four banks. I'm going to contact Matt directly but I thought I would ask here too in case I'm missing something stupid. My system has the F18A, the FR99 and this expansion. Nothing else at the moment. I've tried both internal and external power. The LED blinks (very dimly) when running the test. Any ideas?

I don't personally care for the wireless joysticks. I saw a video for a VERY nice Bluetooth controller for the Apple II that pretty much enabled an SNES controller to work with the Apple II. However, it appeared to have some issues. Not sure if it was because of latency, etc. So, if *I* was going to design a joystick interface for the TI (or any other vintage computer), I would LOVE to design one that worked with the classic NES controller. Wired. I don't have the need to sit far away from my console and one more wire doesn't bother me. :-) But that's what I would love to see. Something to allow me to use an NES controller on my TI. Might be a good candidate for the first 32K "shield". :-)

@jedimatt42 I just received my board today. I think I literally bought the last one you had. I haven't had time to play with it yet (had to go back to work...ugh). I have 6 or so TI's. One of them is "pimped" out with this board (tonight at least), an F18a and FR99. All of this new technology is turning my TI into one nice rig. Who would have thought that 9 year old kid in 1982 (me) learning on his first computer (TI) connected to a B/W TV with 4-5 carts and a tape drive would be using the same computer now with VGA graphics, unlimited software via SD storage and now, tons of memory to run it all in 2017? Back then, I had a few carts to play but 90% of my software was typed in from magazines. Anyway...I'm rambling. Thank you for creating such a great product. I'm going to have so much fun with it. And, to ramble some more, I don't think you're selling the expansion header enough. I'm tinkering with electronics and I'm about to finish wire-wrapping a 65C02 computer (yes...don't hate me). I cannot wait to put that expansion header to use. A small AY-3-8910 shield would be awesome. Or maybe full SID with emulation? So many ideas!

I don't know if this has been mentioned or if other people did this...but, the TI-99/4A was my first computer (age 9) and, being the dumb kid that I was, I spent HOURS typing in some BASIC programs. I save them to tape and everything worked. Then one day I thought I would "enhance" my program. So I typed "part 2" of my program and hit save. I guess I thought the tape would MERGE the two programs. Nope. I overwrote my only copy with part 2. LMAO. Hard lesson to learn. But MAN I wished I still had that code. I would be awesome to see what my 9 year old self wrote back then.

Yes. I am aware of all of that. In fact, I mentioned it in my original post.

I've seen this mentioned a couple of times but when I go to the AtariAge store, I don't see an "add to cart" for those two games.

That is a luxury I don't often have. I guess I missed that post. I guess the very long delay has left me a little soured. But like I said in my post, I'm not sorry I bought the SGM.

I actually feel the same way. I pre-ordered the SGM back in May 2016 (3rd run). It didn't arrive until December 2016. Almost 8 months. So I finally get my SGM and I don't think two weeks go by and I see this Pro version. I don't even have any SGM games yet. The $100 SGM is a beautiful box sitting on my shelf until I can save up $60+ for one game to use with it. But, that's not even true really because I don't see any SGM games for sale. At least not the ones I want to play. Where is DK? Gradius? Even if I had $60 to spend on a SGM game I wouldn't be able to actually buy it. They're not available. Now, don't get me wrong. I realize this is a hobby market and I should be grateful new hardware and software is coming (which I am). But I would be lying if I said I wasn't at least a little disheartened in that it took SO long to get it and now it's already old news. If I'm being honest here, it's almost enough to make me not interested in new stuff for CV any more. I'm not sorry I bought the SGM. It's beautiful. Maybe one day, I will actually be able to use it.

That's great to know. I will have to solder that board up ASAP! But, can you tell me what cable that is? I only saw the one slot inside the EX but I can't tell where that thing is plugged up. My EX was covered in a "shielding blanket" that I didn't want to remove. Seriously, it was like a thick cloth cover wrapped in foil and plastic.

@digress Thanks for the link! What kind of cable is that? I didn't see in the BOM what cable it used. @Great Hierophant I can solder SMD parts. However, I actually already have that CompactFlash PCB! I have all the parts but just haven't soldered them yet. I didn't think that card worked in the EX?? Which is why I haven't tried.

Where do you get that XT IDE card??

I would love to. I just don't own one. Got one you want to sell? I just replaced a bad capacitor on the ONLY Atari ST power supply I have and my 520 STfm works! First time I have ever used an ST. I should be ashamed. Next, I'm going to build an S-Video converter so that I can use my NON-Modulator Atari ST's. Including a 1040 STf I have. I did something similar for the Amiga. If I can get it to work, I may have some boards made. I'd like to figure out how to use the monochrome VGA too but that's another topic.

I've never really been into Atari ST. No real reason other than I didn't have one as a kid. Now I have six (trying to get at least one of them to work!). Anyway, am I correct in that *none* of the Atari ST's had hardware sprite support? I read that the "E" (Extended?) was an enhanced version of the ST. Increasing the color count to 4096 and adding a blitter. But I don't think it added hardware sprites? So, can a 1040ST (or even 520ST) be upgraded to an STe? Thanks!

@Lynxman Thanks! That's very helpful information. So, why would there be a battery backed up board in place of one of the ROM chips?

Thanks. But, I actually saw that before. It doesn't appear to be consistent because some of the model numbers say the board is a 520 and others say a 1040. Even for the same model and revision.