twoodland

Since I run a domain and not a generic workgroup, I had to configure the file as described in the link I mentioned. But that is great that it is loaded and pre-configured!

If you already have an RPI on the TV just connect a usb external drive to it and load the media files there. Use VLC, OMXPlayer or any other video player. You can install Samba and share the video folder out to your LAN. That way when your are working with video on your PC you can save a copy of the file to the RPI external drive then walk over to the TV and play it. Install Samba: (Note: This is what I loaded on the TIPI so I can drag and drop files to the TIPI folders from my PC) https://raspberrypihq.com/how-to-share-a-folder-with-a-windows-computer-from-a-raspberry-pi/

As an option you might check out using a Raspberry Pi running OpenELEC media center. An inexpensive option that can stream videos from your home network to your TV as well as many online streaming plugins. It can be controlled by a wireless keyboard, android or ios phone, or by your TV remote if HDMI-CEC enabled.

Not yet! The room descriptions are so picturesque! My high score is only 479. I need to map it as I go, I am making bad door choices, lol! I got caught going in circles on floor 2, ran out of bread then died!

Fantastic! Another Yesterday's News Issue!!! These are so awesome! Thank you Omega, I love sub sims and games!

Please put me on the list! Looks awesome! I recently purchased Werewolves & Wanderers and am enjoying that so much! Great work!

I have a couple of projects that I am looking forward to doing over the fall/winter. The first is backing up my cassette software. I am using CS1er to generate new audio files of them. On a side note, I found that I have to add silence at the beginning of the file to play them on my PC. CS1er is great, the audio is so clean (no internal motor noise from the program recorder or electrical signal noise and it generates the perfect pitch with no wow or flutter). Recording them back to cassette, in many cases, provides a better copy than my master source! I am also saving the files along with the audio to the TIPI. I am loving the web interface for the TIPI. Being able to create and edit BASIC files is so handy. I am also using SAMBA to be able to drag and drop files from my Windows PC including Classic 99 folders to the TIPI folders. These tools are really increasing my productivity while leveraging newer technology. Thank you again to everyone involved in these tools! They are such valuable assets to me and the TI-99 community! My second project is fixing a beige console that I purchased recently. I want to use it to play around with installing modifications like the F18A. I would like to keep my original console stock. As soon as the weather gets better in my area, I am going to try painting the console top section... (wait for it)... orange (my favorite color). Lastly, I hope to dedicate time this season to catch up on reading the newsletters and TI books that are available. So much to read and learn! Enjoy! TWoodland

How cool is this!

Thank you for the info and for setting me straight. I was unaware of the support restriction. In my case, I was a bit anxious to use it and trying an experiment at the same time. My Pi 3 b+ case and power supply should arrive tomorrow. For others, good to know that the Pi 2 is unsupported.

Raspberry Pi 2 Works! I received my TIPI sideport board this past weekend, it has already provided tons of fun and joy in getting it installed. Unfortunately, the case and power supply that I had ordered for the Raspberry Pi 3 B+ has not yet arrived. So, I thought I would try it out on my Raspberry Pi 2. First, I checked the compatibility of the GPIO pinouts just to ensure that I would not cause the smoke to escape . The pinouts appear to be compatible to the Pi Zero W and Pi 3 B+. Next, with the power off to all components, I followed the instructions from the TIPI-installation wiki (https://github.com/jedimatt42/tipi/wiki/tipi-installation). After double checking how the included data cables should be attached, I plugged them in. I then prepared the SD card per instructions using Etcher. Based upon jedimatt42's reply, I decided to play it safe and change the 32k sidecar power jumper to EXT, and use the power adapter that I ordered from arcadeshopper. I changed the jumper, attached the power supply cable, then attached the TIPI sideport card to the 32K sidecar. I powered up the Pi 2, monitoring the boot process from the attached monitor connected to it's HDMI port. Once the login prompt appeared, I plugged in the 32k power adapter. After seeing the LED light lit, I powered on the TI-99/4A. Whew, the logo screen appeared! I selected TI Basic, and then typed CALL TIPI... Success! The TIPI sideport LED lit and the configuration screen appeared!

Nanochess ROCKS! This is addictive! Fantastic!

This is going to sound crazy I know, but the orange sticker that covers the dust cover door on my Speech Synthesizer (1037 195-1) which reads: "WARNING To prevent damage to unit from static electricity do not touch the contacts behind this door. Keep door closed when not in use.", is so old that it is disintegrating! Does anyone know if there are reproduction replacement stickers available or if there is a scan of one that I can print out?

If you have modified the speech synth to pass power to the 32k Sidecar, do you still have to change the jumper to ext and use an external power adapter on the 32k board to connect the TIPI Sidecar?

Now that I have confirmed Insane Multitasker's TELCO/WiModem232/TI-RS232 cable configuration (also confirmed by BerryMiller) with the BOB (break-out box), I am ready to create a cable. I am going to use one of the many obsolete Ethernet CAT5 patch cables that are laying around, taking up space (I just can't seem to get rid of old cables). The patch cable along with DB25M/RJ45F modular adapters will work nicely. Not that I don't have DB25M shells, pins, cable, crimper and pin extractor tool handy (I have wired many a building back in the day using serial connections), but these things are just so handy and easy to use! For those of you who do not know what a DB25 Modular Adapter is it looks like this: I got them online from http://www.dalco.com/p-260-dalco-modular-adapter-db25rj45-male.aspx Color coded, just push the pin into the numbered socket and there ya go! Plus, if you need a longer cable, simple, you just use a longer patch cable! Pinouts: 1-1, 2-3, 3-2, & 7-7. The color code I am using is WHT=Frame Ground, RED=Transmit, GRN=Receive, & BLK=Ground. On the first adapter ((DTE (Data Terminal Equipment) = (TI RS-232 Card)) the pinouts are: 1-WHT, 2-RED, 3-GRN, & 7-BLK and on the second adapter (DCE (Data Communications Equipment) = (WiModem232)) the pinouts are: 1-WHT, 2-GRN, 3-RED, 7-BLK. Of course, after you build the cable it doesn't matter which side of the cable you plug into the TI-RS232 or the WiModem232. The connections will be the same. Well, there is most likely a more concise and easier way that I could have posted about this... I digress...

Not a problem! It was my ID10T error. I should have picked up on it a lot sooner. Even though I read the "Hangup Type" section in the manual to get the pin outs to try on my BOB (Break Out Box), I should have RTFM (read the %$&*! manual). The obvious step before checking that it is plugged in and restarting it! lol :-)

Check this video out about a LEGO C64. Are we going to stand for that? Is there any TI-99/4A LEGO Master Brick Builders that are up to the challenge? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YZelXhbmQng

My console with the Telco strip! Thank you Kevan Coleman for the strip and to Omega for bringing it to my attention:

Absolutely!

Arcadeshopper's disk arrived in the mail (Thanks again Arcadeshopper! I appreciate it and will make it up to you!) and I was excited to finally use TELCO! This time the TELCO program started loading up! A status bar appeared at the bottom of the screen (Yea!) followed by a pop up box which read "Unable to load module, press any key" (Doh!). After pressing a key the popup kept appearing. I tried swapping back to the original disk but it did not help. What to do now?!? In the meantime, I was able to get the MFM (Magic File Manipulator) program to work transferring files via XMODEM CRC to and from the TI to my PC, so I figured that I would try and figure out what file was needed and then copy it to the disk. On the PC I downloaded TELCO.DSK. I loaded it up in Ti99Dir and extracted it. I noticed that the TELCO TI Filenames had an ">" in them. As you can see from my screenshot from my previous post of the TELCO floppy that I received, the files have a "@" not a ">". I thought I would try to rename the @ files to > files on the latest disk that Arcadeshopper sent to me. EUREKA, it worked! I do not know why there was a difference in the filenames. I will delve into that later after I play with TELCO for a bit...

kl99 - I sure would be interested in the Windows Program that solves the Egg/Chicken problem as I am in the same boat.

I am so anxious to use TELCO! Arcadeshopper is sending me a disk (Thank you Arcadeshopper!!). 38.4k would be fantastic! Any chance of incorporating the TE2 protocol speech capability into or in tandem with TELCO? Maybe I am wanting the TI to do something it just was not designed to do. I am excited to get a TIPI to see how it can be incorporated!

Wow! the TE2 protocol is so cool! I wish that I could have used a host BBS that utilized it's capabilities! Is there a possibility of creating a new updated version that supports faster baud rates?

Did BBS software ever have the capability to use speech or is it vaporware? I know the War Games movie used recordings of actor John Wood's voice through a vocoder, but has this capability ever existed? I would imagine that both the BBS server and terminal emulation client software would have to support the method to send speech commands (maybe via ANSI escape codes?). I know about ANSI music, but do not know if there are codes available in the ANSI spec to send commands to the client software that could be used for speech. I am also guessing that both the BBS server and client would need to support specific speech commands for certain hardware. It would be awesome to have a BBS speak to you though...

Arcadeshopper YOU ROCK! That would be GREAT! I appreciate it so much!

So I received my TELCO disk today (Thank you arcadeshopper!). I am having a problem loading TELCO. I tried using the Extended Basic V.2.7 Suite cartridge and the regular Extended Basic cartridge. Both act the same way. When it auto loads the disk, it shows "Now loading:- Telco" then stops with a "* BAD ARGUMENT IN 5" error. When I catalog the disk to screen using Disk Manager 2, it displays "DISK ERROR 16". (see attached screen shots). Ugh! What am I doing wrong? I messaged Arcadeshopper, he was quick in response to my folly! He asked, "Is your disk drive Double Sided? TELCO was too large to fit on a sssd disk so it's formatted dssd." DOH! I have a stock PHP 1250 SS/SD Full Height Drive. Note: The manual states that although the PHP 1240 TI Disk Controller Card will use double-sided, double-density diskettes and disk drives, data will ONLY be recorded in single-density format! So, my next option is to upgrade my disk drive or to add an additional drive that is Double-Sided... I guess it is fair to have to relive the frustrations along with the joys of vintage retro computing! Back to the drawing board...