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Keneg

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Posts posted by Keneg

  1. Posted

    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.

  2. Posted

    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.

    • Like 1

  3. Posted

    On 9/8/2020 at 10:25 AM, Omega-TI said:

    Lately it's become quite obvious that the FinalGROM 99 has made obsolete many individual cartridges, but has it also changed the way you operate your TI?  This poll has a couple of specific questions, but please feel free to write in/about anything you personally have changes or done differently that may improve things for others as well.

     

     

    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.

    • Like 1

  4. Posted · Edited by Keneg

    1 hour ago, BeeryMiller said:

    I was trying to wrap my mind around this approach with the PI.  

     

    Are you thinking of using the Cassette port as the interface to the PI?  Is there an effective baud rate limitation?  Or,

     

    Are you thinking of using the TIPI as an interface to the PI?

     

    The TIPI/PI combo would need a new protocol and it does allow a pretty large 'in-ram' buffer along with VDP transfers as well.  So, the question becomes do you want to transfer all of VDP to PI and vice versa with up to 16K chunks as images?  That would probably not be too difficult and would be speedy and something I have suggested in a similar thread in the development forum for using the PI as a frame grabber with a camera.  Now, with the 9938 capability, you are going to end up limiting yourself to effective ram.  Basically, what you would write to VDP instead needs to be written to CPU ram, and then you limit yourself to at most a 24K image capture of ram on a TI console.  You would not get into the 9938 specific graphic modes unless you start fragmenting ram chunks which would likely need a SAMS to even consider it.   Then, you would need something on the PI to grab data to display if you wanted to actually see it "live".

     

     

    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.

     

     

     

    • Like 1

  5. Posted

    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.  

  7. Posted

    37 minutes ago, Omega-TI said:

    My main TI, (the one with all the modifications) has started displaying an irritating issue.  When I turn it on, I simply cannot get things to load properly from my FinalGROM, things lock up, or I get blue screens, or I get nasty screeching noises, sometimes all three at once.  Things seem to settle down after a few minutes, so I'm assuming it's due to the computer warming up.  If this is the case, and anyone recognizes the problem, could someone please clue me into the most probable cause.

    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?

  8. Posted

    4 hours ago, Mehridian Sanders said:

    Cry your pardon, those who are waiting for these clips. The weekend was hard, and little rest was done. Family member contracted COVID. Not immediate family, but my Aunt. I will be sending them out this weekend. 

     

    Thank you kindly.

    No problem, hope your Aunt recovers soon.

    • Like 1

  10. Posted

    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.

  11. Posted

    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?

  12. Posted · Edited by Keneg

    3 hours ago, jonesypeter said:

    Thanks @arcadeshopper

     

    I can't see the TiPi for sale on your shop.  Do you have a link?

     

    Cheers

     

    EDIT: Just seen it here:

     

    https://www.arcadeshopper.com/wp/store/#!/TIPI-SIDECAR-Raspberry-PI-interface-board-*44pin-interface-port-required*/p/103690282/category=28815024

     

    For a novice - Could you explain what else I would need to purchase?

    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.

    • Like 1

  13. Posted

    2 hours ago, wolhess said:

    Yes, Turbo Pasc‘99 only runs with the original Editor/Assembler cartridge or FG99 version.

     

    I tested the versions 2.0 and 3.0. You will get more infos in this thread:
    see post 2, 52, 63, 64, 67 and 79.

     

     

    Thanks, I have ordered the FinalGROM99 cartridge.  With that and the TIPI/32k, I should be good for a while.

     

  15. Posted

    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.

    • Like 4

  17. Posted · Edited by Keneg

    On 8/28/2020 at 11:30 PM, dgrissom said:

    You don't use a web browser with the \\Tipi file share.  You normally use "Windows Explorer".

     

    A possible fix:

    I found that enabling "SMB 1.0/CIFS Client" allowed me access to the TIPI share. 

    This is enabled by selecting it in the "Turn Windows features on or off".  If it is off, then selecting it will turn it on (see the attachment).  After clicking OK, Windows will load additional drivers.  After rebooting your machine, hopefully the \\TIPI directory will be visible.

    You can see the share from Windows File Explorer under the the network section.  Of course, I mapped it to my drive "T"  🙂

    Note: If it is already "on" then you will have to do more research.  😞

     

    BTW, this is the only way that I can see my usb-drive folders on the drive attached to my router.

    As long as hackers don't know your system and/or network passwords you should be safe.  However, you have to be the judge if this meets your needs.  There is a good article at:   

    https://securityboulevard.com/2018/12/whats-the-problem-with-smb-1-and-should-you-worry-about-smb-2-and-3/#:~:text=At the root of this,stream to send false commands.

     

    With that said, for me, the benefits far outweigh the risks...

     

    Advantages:  

    • Much, much faster than the web interface. (I use both, but prefer working directly with the share.)
    • Easier and faster to set up your TIPI file system folders and files. "Drag and drop."
    • Easier to find your files (BASIC and EA5 executables).
    • Easy to drop properly formatted disk images directly into directories (.dsk) and have it break the files out automatically. (Kind of magical!)
    • It's the easiest way to get your TIPI printed files (PDF) for review or hard copy the printouts.
    • It also allows uses to use Notepad or Notepad++ to write/edit BASIC/extended BASIC code using "TidBit" on your pc.  When you save it to your TIPI folders, the TIPI will automatically translate it to stock BASIC.
    • TIPI folders and files can be used with Classic99 to load and save files.
    • Finally, IMO, its the most practical way to back up your files and file structure to your PC. A power outage can corrupt your TIPI/Rpi's image.  I find it difficult to extract my sd card from my Speech Synth case and do an image backups.  For me, it is easier to use the newest image to re-flash and then copy my files back to the card from my PC or my Linux machine.

    Note:  I use SSH with "Putty" and "Terra term" to help manage my Rpi Zero W. However, my TI file manipulation is done through "\\Tipi".

     

    Don't know if this will help? but it works for me with my TIPI/32K.

    Annotation 2020-08-28 115827.jpg

    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.

    • Like 1

  22. Posted

    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.

  23. Posted

    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.

    • Like 1

  24. Posted

    1 hour ago, dgrissom said:

    If you are using TI BASIC or TI Extended BASIC check out a simple program I wrote that will allow you to see the files and folders on your TIPI from console BASIC.  

    It's small and fairly robust.

     

     

    I will download and try that soon.  Thanks.

    • Like 1
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