How to identify a QI console

[dphirschler]

I forgot to check if my chip was socketed or not. Fortunately, I captured the answer in a photograph (I think). Take a look at this and tell me if you think it is socketed. Looks like it to me. The chip in question is just to the right of the slanted gray-colored object.

 

 

Darryl

Edited October 19, 2014 by dphirschler

[Gary from OPA]

I forgot to check if my chip was socketed or not. Fortunately, I captured the answer in a photograph (I think). Take a look at this and tell me if you think it is socketed. Looks like it to me. The chip in question is just to the right of the slanted gray-colored object.

 

Yeah, looks like your 9918 is in a socket.

[dphirschler]

This clearly looks like a QI console. What's better, it appears to have the good keyboard (green, not brown). However, there is nothing to indicate if it is a v2.2 (1983) or the non-v2.2 (1981) software in it.

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/141444837484?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

 

 

Darryl

[+Ksarul]

Actually, with a manufacturing date of 5083, it has a very high likelihood of being a version 2.2 console. . .

[UKRetrogamer]

I quite like the Beige Ti-99s. We never saw them distributed in the UK. We only ever got the Black and Aluminium case.

 

I only recently discovered one of my 3 consoles is a v2.2. I noticed when I loaded Atari Donkey Kong and the title-screen text was corrupted.

 

I suspect it's been re-cased though, as it has a Solid State badge below the cartridge port.

 

With or without the Solid State badge, I think the area below the cartridge port was a great idea. it makes an ideal tray for holding candy while messing around with the Ti.

Edited November 3, 2014 by UKRetrogamer

[globeron]

Summary:

0a. Black/silver TI-99/4 (not 4a) with the volume slider (like this one: https://archive.org/details/Texas_Instruments_TI-99_4a_TOSEC_2012_04_23)

0b. Black/silver TI-99/4 (not 4a) with the solid state software badge (like this one: http://www.99er.net/graphics/994.jpg)

 

1. Black/silver with solid state software badge on the lower part of the cart port (near the power switch).

2. Black/silver without the solid state software badge. These are newer (as explained by Ksarul)

 

3. Beige with 1981 internals
4. Beige QI non-v2.2 (1981)
5. Beige QI 1983 v2.2

 

See also this website (click around under micro-ordinateurs, etc., at the bottom there is a separate geneve page as well)

http://www.ti99.com/zoneti.htm

- TI-99/2

- TI-99/3

- TI-99/4B

- TI-99/4C

- TI-99/5 - http://www.ti99.com/ti995cm.htm

- TI-99/7

- TI-99/8 - http://www.ti99.com/ti998cm.htm

- Geneve 9640

- several pages (under micro ordinateur)

- separate: http://www.ti99.com/geneve/ (note the French and English pages are different)

- Others

- CDC 99/4A

- Tomy Tutor

- Clones

- Cor-Comp 99/64 (phoenix)

- Tex-Comp TC-99/9

 

 

Then there is also a EVPC (but that is a board for the PEB box)

[+Ksarul]

There are also the Argentine consoles, some of which (both Black and Beige variants) have a 1982 copyright date. They also made V2.2 consoles there (and 1981 consoles as well), and Argentina has the distinction of being the last place TI consoles were produced at. TI didn't stop production/sales there until 1986!