Keneg

I haven’t had much time to work with it, but it is working. One of the games I want to try in Tunnels of Doom. I gather you need to have a scenario saved on DSK1 when you start the game? Where can I get scenarios? I would like to,start with the original ones and then move on to ones produced using the editor. Any pointers on how to get them and use them would be much appreciated.

If it could be done with just software on the existing TIPI units, that would be very nice. To be clear, I was thinking mainly a text screen to make writing code easier. It would then require modification of the programming language to send text to the alternate screen. You could then edit code, run it to see the output on the TI, edit again, etc. another use for it might be to create graphics for the TI. You could enter commands on the alternate screen and have the graphics change on the composite screen immediately. I would think this would speed up development a lot.

I should get mine today. I think the reset button will be very useful. I will have to see how much I use DOS, ForceCommand, and BASIC. I am hoping to learn other languages like Forth or PASCAL, but will probably also use Extended BASIC a lot at first to get to know the machine better. Nothing like peeking and poking to learn a machine.

I was thinking if the TIPI. Was expanded to work similar to the TMS or V chips. A couple of pins to select ports, a pin as a read/write signal, a pin to toggle to tell the PI to read the pins, and eight pins for data. I think there are plenty of pins left on the PI for that. So you would have software on the PI that would store the screen data and display it. A PI-0 might not have enough speed and memory, but a 3, 3+, or 4 should. If using the V9938 or V9958, the TIPI just have to have the circuitry to create the ports at an unused address and whatever circuitry is necessary to get the signal to a monitor. I would prefer the addition to the TIPI because it would get us all the way to modern displays without any additional hardware. These are just ideas I have that I definitely don’t have the skills to implement on my own, so I am bringing them to the community.

I have an idea. I don’t really like internal upgrades, but would like the option of better video. So could a sidecar be designed to provide it? If you use a V9938 or V9958, it only requires a couple of addresses. I could envision software that would let you have dual screens. Maybe you are writing software using a clear 80 column screen and seeing what the screens look like on a stock TI at the same time? I know custom software would need to be written to use it, but it could be a neat addition. Maybe a simpler approach would be to use some more pins of the PI to receive video data and have the PI run the display.

Glad you have it narrowed down. You might try contact clearer in the cartridge port and putting the cartridge in and out a few times while still wet with the cleaner, computer off. Sometimes that fixes flaky contact issues.

If it gets better when warmed up I would suspect a capacitor, maybe in the power supply board. The first thing to check would be the voltages into and out of the power supply. If they look good and you have the ability, then check for AC ripple. If that is good, capacitors on the main board? Have you tried it with just the console to eliminate issues with the FG99 or anything else connected to it?

No problem, hope your Aunt recovers soon.

I have a small collection of 4:3 monitors with VGA only, so that works for me.

Thanks, I plan on trying the resister and capacitor fixes when I have time. I have an AV2VGA to try to get a bigger picture by using a 4:3 VGA monitor I have, but it makes the issues worse. I am hoping the fixes will get me at least back to what I get on my tiny composite monitor now. I’m on the fence about things that require modifying the computer. Things like the TIPI and FinalGROM99 really mostly duplicate functionality that you could have from vintage hardware, but much cheaper and more reliable.

I have a question about this. I know that on some computers programmers used these video issues in inventive ways to enhance games. Was this done much on the TI? If so some games might look much different if the TMS-RGB mod or an F18A is used. thoughts?

I just went through this process. If you aren’t good at soldering, buy the PI-zero W from arcade shopper. That is what I did just to make sure I wouldn’t do something wrong and damage the TIPI/32k. With it you can save and load BASIC programs and a few other things. I think having extended BASIS will let you do more than I can. I now have a FinalGROM99 on order from arcadeshopper. That gives you the ability to run about any cartridge program you can find a file for, which is a lot. If you add the loaded SD card from his store, as I did, you should be set. With these two devices, there isn’t much you can’t do. I have been having fun writing BASIC programs to learn the machine, but really look forward to receiving the FG99 so I can experience amore of it’s capabilities.

I don’t know about the SAMS memory. Anything I write I will try to stay within the 32k expansion. But then if some killer games come out that require SAMS...quite possible.

Broke down and ordered a FinalGROM99 yesterday. I like the TIPI/32k, but just not a lot I can do without Extended BASIC and Assembler/Disassembler. BuyI got those off eBay would probably cost as much as the FG99. So I am buying it. Then I want to try out the various programming languages that will run on the TI. I may try some of the cross compilers later, but I want to see what I can accomplish on the native hardware first. With the FG99 and TIPI/32k I should be able to do everything I want to.

I didn’t do anything except turn on sharing as part of installing a new printer. I was trying it through Microsoft Edge instead of Windows Explorer before.

I re-read this today. Didn’t notice before that you did this from the file explorer. Just tried it and it works. Seems much faster than tipi:9900 on Edge also.

I downloaded Turbo Pasc’99 today, but can’t get it to run. Computer seems to freeze. Does this require the Assembler/editor cartridge to work? If not, what do I,need to do to run it? If not, what compiled program language can I run with just my TIPI/32k?

Downloaded this today. Played one game against the computer and had the computer play itself twice. Very nice, if a bit slow. Probably the best you can do in console BASIC. I understand extended BASIC is somewhat faster.

Thanks.

Are there any advanced Programming languages that can be loaded and run from the TIPI without a cartridge?

Thanks. You also answered a question I had. I wondered if you could have subdirectories more than one level deep and, if so, how you would access them. Very nice. I don’t think either Commodore or Atari supported directories in there 8-bit computers.

Dgrissom, I tried DIRW today. At first I thought there was a problem because both 1 and 2 showed the contents of my BASIC directory. Then I realized that I had BASIC mapped to DSK2 and Auto was turned on. Turned Auto off on the TIPI and it works fine. So I switched things around so BASIC is mapped to DSK1. It now works right with AUTO set on. Good program. I need to examine it to learn how it works.

I will download and try that soon. Thanks.

Weird_w I will try that, sounds much safer than enabling SMB 1.0.