patrickmcmichael

I just picked up FinalGROM99 and loaded it up w/ the dump at the wht ftp site. I noticed it only went thru XB2.6. Is there a FG99 .bin for XB7 or does XB7 truly require its own cart for some reason?

On a related note...years back I had a program on disk that was an amazing feat of speech. It was Ernie and Bert having a convo, and they got the voices nailed almost to a tee. Anyone have that program still?

$15 bucks...not bad...ordered one of those cables.

I have missed the hacker’s spirit in my years away. Love it! Supposedly TI built ss w flip lid originally anticipating putting the speak and spell extensions in there

Any issues w/ noise / interference since that extension cable is unshielded?

Awesome! But work as is w stock TI?

From he description here (https://www.s-n-u-g.de/spvmc/index_en.php) I was thinking the SNUG SPVMC card worked with original console or SGCPU card SNUG did. Are you using the latter? Didn't think it needed P-Box mods but I'm much less familiar w/ all the SNUG stuff. I would've actually been interested in the SPVMC card if it could play as default speech synth with programmatic extensions, but no luck on response from two emails here: https://www.s-n-u-g.de/impress/index_en.php. Pending that, the Rave99 card would fit the bill if you can find and test yours. Thx for checking!

How would it compare to CC TripleTech vs Rave99 vs the SNUG one?

I had emailed the two emails on https://www.s-n-u-g.de/spvmc/index_en.phpabout the SPVMC - Speech and Voice Memory Card, but one email came back rejected, and haven't heard a reply on the other. I was curious about that option and if it emulated stock speech synth for s/w comparability, but then just had the expanded options via DSR switching/selection. Also whether it could work alone, or only with their SGCPU card. But as I got no reply back, even though the website makes it sound like it's still available, not sure if I can get my hands on one. But if you're interested in parting w/ a working Rave99 adapter (that worked on TI or Geneve, right?) I'd be interested in buying that off you.

My last TI had a CorComp TripleTech, allowing as one facet of the "triple tech" my speech synth to be moved inside the PEB. I've just built up a new system, and man, that flex cable and speech synth did not want to connect as cleanly as my old setup. More than that, it just sticks out a long ways. Not quite as bad as the daisy chain of old one-off boxes from TI that could span 6-8' of table real estate, but more than I prefer and easily knocked loose. Besides the now non-available CorComp card (don't even see any on eBay) and the Rave99 card that allowed the same, I don't know of another option. With all of the cool work being done, whether the newer version of Super AMS or JediMatts TIPI-PEB (waiting on my order excitedly!), I would think someone could give us a new option for moving our speech synth into the P-Box. I would happily buy one, or even help crowdfund one within the TI community. Thoughts?

Man...I would've totally taken you up on one of the Myarc FDC cards: 6. Myarc 80-track DSDD floppy controller,no case: $215 7. Myarc 80-track DSDD floppy controller, AMA/B/C Modification, Paul Charlton v1.6 EPROM, no case: $235 I had one of those back in the day. But I just picked up an EPROM modified TI FDC off of eBay. It gets me to 80 track but to my knowledge only SD. Though With the TIPI PEB card I have on order, and if the FDC I have coming I can use a FD emulator, combined with my FinalGROM99, it probably isn't as critical as my old one was back in the day Still, I would've grabbed that from you if timing had been just slightly different. What's the diff b/t #6 and #7? Not familiar w/ Charlton's mod to that...wonder if that's what I had on my Myarc FDC back in the day? Alternatively, I pick one of those up from you and see if I can part w/ the one I have coming...

Living on this end of the country now (Cali), I would totally love a Fest West! I really hope this becomes a go and that I can attend. FT work, volunteer work, and being back for another round of school makes logistics challenging, but if it's on this side of the country that helps. I'd happily pay an admission fee to support the event and community.

I may’ve misread this, but I was going by this description: “1- TIFILES format which is native to the TI 99/4A computer, which means that they will run directly on a real TI 99/4A machine as well as on the Classic 99 emulator. These files are appended with the .bin extension, and you will need to remove that extension prior to using the files. In addition, some of these files are archived, and those will have a filename ending with arc. You will need to use Barry Boone's Archiver to expand them.” I took that to mean that minus the .bin extension, these were native TI files. As for the .DSK files, I was going off of this: “2- Emulator .DSK format. This format will run using the V9t9, Classic99 and MESS emulators. In some browsers, you might have to right-click on the link and select Save Link As to save the file to disk. These files will also run using the Win994a emulator if you change the .DSK extension to .TIDISK . For those of you using the PC99 emulator, the .DSK files can be converted to PC99 format using Fred Kaal's TIDir program.” I had not gathered from that that these were multi-file bundles, but simply that they were tailored for emulators.

At least going in through my Denon receiver then out to the TV, whether A/V ins through receiver or HDMI in via this https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0719G5TL9/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1, I got really bad snow and jaggies on text. Video on games was tolerable...Alpiner and Parsec looked ok. But the title screen, Basic, XB...anything text looked like crap. Didn't really see any difference b/t composite in vs HDMI in via adapter. I have not yet tried direct to TV. Wonder if the KanexPro would be any better, or if it's just that on a 65" 4K, there comes a point when small flaws are simply magnified too much. I ordered one of those 10.1" Raspberry Pi displays one of y'all mentioned. Figuring that may be more tolerable pre-F18A MK2

I was browsing the TI Gameshelf tonight. If a file is in .DSK format (say SKI99.DSK) - does that mean it only runs on the emulator? I am already enjoying many of the FinalGrom99 cartridge.bin files, which is cool. But I'd love to get my hands on some of the things I had on floppy back in the day to run natively on TI vs on an emulator. How do I get a .DSK file back to native TIFILES format?

That's not bad for composite with 16:9 stretch...I just ordered one of these to tide me over until the F18A MK2 is available. I will try it direct composite and with my composite to HDMI powered adapter. It ain't F18A but the display limitations won't be magnified so much as they were on my 65" 4K OLED. Those built-in speakers should be good enough for TI use too.

While I'm waiting on the F18A MK2... With my stock 9918A text looking horrible on my 65" 4K set, I might want to pick up a really good cheap monitor to use in the interim. I've long since given away my old monitor. Having had OPA's TIM on my last TI, going back to not just 40 col but horrible clarity is hard. I'm hoping a good but cheap display will make it more tolerable in the meanwhile due to smaller screen not magnifying the flaws quite so much. Any recommendations for best, clearest display and text with stock graphics?

Has there ever been a port of Karateka (I played it on the Apple IIe back when I was bouncing b/t coding basic on my TI at home and Apple at school) for the TI? I would LOVE to get that game for the TI!

So I've pieced together a "new" TI-99/4A after all these years. Still waiting on memory expansion and TI-PEB cards (coming very soon), but the console just arrived today. It tested out ok w/ my FinalGROM99 and speech synth. I'll test it w/ the P-Box that arrived y'day as soon as I have time. But right now I'm doing a composite to HDMI conversion (powered adapter). Both that and even just direct composite A/V hookup works, but on a 65" 4K TV...ugh...it takes "jaggies" to a whole new level. Games are tolerable but text is unbearable. Please put me on the order list for the F18A MK2! Any updates on timing? Can't wait to do mine!

Is it possible to still place an order for this? I'm not new to TI, but just getting back into my first love and new to the forums here. I would love to order one of these!

Yes...was confusing the two Matt’s - thx! Enjoying getting to know everyone. I was always the young one at TI events...I was 11-12 going to my local TIUG in a Detroit suburb when I first got my rig, and it was mostly all adults. I remember when I saved enough paper route/alllowance money to buy my first speech synth and one of the commands didn’t work as documented. I worried it was defective. That was when you could still call TI CARES for a few after it was orphaned. My mom drove me to some TI office - maybe Farmington [Hills], MI or somewhere...just remember brown building along the freeway, and here I was as this young kid working w/ a TI engineer to get it working - ended up being a simple syntax issue that wasn’t clear in the docs. Anyhow...I’m seeing some familiar names and some new ones...thanks for the warm welcome back into the community I so love.

Those who’ve been in the TI game this long love the machine and the community and the care and diligence shows. So excited to be coming back...kicking myself for letting all my equipment go, but I was a young, soon to be dad in a very small place.

Yeah, I can’t justify it, but the whole sidecar cartridge makes it pretty unique. Think I had it on floppy from a Graham Kracker export someone did back in the day.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Miner-2049er-Starring-Bounty-Bob-Texas-Instruments-TI-99-4A-Tigervision-game/362563519760?_trkparms=aid%3D333200%26algo%3DCOMP.MBE%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D56586%26meid%3D41468307865a4aabac70efc369f91076%26pid%3D100008%26rk%3D4%26rkt%3D12%26sd%3D163564937603%26itm%3D362563519760&_trksid=p2047675.c100008.m2219

Thanks for the tips! Yeah..I ended up going that route. It wasnt going to feel like my old TI w/o the P-Box, and I like some of the other stuff that opens up. So ended up working with Greg at arcardeshopper who kindly let me convert/upgrade my order to 1MB SAMS and TIPI-PEB, and I pulled the trigger on the P-Box from pfleeman on eBay - hes on here too, so this aint some random ebay-er with zero TI love. This is 99er to 99er, which is great. But no worries, JediMatt! This was for no lack of love for you sidecar. Cant wait to use PEB version of TIPI, and as soon as you have that F18A MK2 ready count me in!