Interesting TI Find

[+Ksarul]

A few months ago, I saw something for sale that piqued my curiosity: a later version TI monitor for sale on eBay, that claimed to be localized for Japan. I found that most odd, so I purchased it--and I verified that it was set up for use in Japan. I wondered about it, as I had never heard that the TI was sold there prior to seeing this monitor, so I went hunting. Two weeks ago, I saw a Japanese magazine for sale on Yahoo! Japan that had a TI-99/4 article in it. Jackpot! The magazine was from June 1980. I bought it too. I can't read Japanese--but when I received the magazine today, it had a wonderful picture of a complete 99/4 system--with the later type monitor, just like the one I have. The article spanned several pages, so it looks to have been a detailed review of the system.

 

I have also seen things like TI joysticks for sale there (the later type), and a few cartridges, but this whole thing has taught me that there are TI computers in places where I hadn't known they were officially sold--and now I wonder what else might have been released for the TI over there, and whether or not there were Japanese manuals for it. More hunting--and hopefully, many more pleasant surprises to come.

[Omega-TI]

What?!? No scans to show us?

[globeron]

Hi Ksarul,

For Japan and TI-99/4A - could it be the "Tomy" Tutor version? (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tomy_Tutor)

or something similar related to the Japanese manufacturer ?

 

I had a similar question some time ago, because I also did not know that TI-99/4A was sold

in Asia as well (but for sure in the region - in Australia / New Zealand, as I remember software

coming from that area when I was living in Netherlands, something like "Wooloomoloo".

Funnelweb-Farm is from Australia and I have more software. No clue how I got it that time).

 

At the moment I am aware of 4x TI-99ers who are in APAC (Singapore, Thailand, China (temporary?), Brisbane/Australia)

 

While a lot of "TI-chips" were manufactured in Asia (e.g. TMS9900 in Philippines or Singapore)

I have not seen these devices in the region (e.g. when visiting computer shops/malls with 2nd hand equipment)

Also I have been asking around, probably that time it was too expensive?

 

I got to know via Klaus about the TIES group in Singapore:

Klaus Lukaschek The Cyc DVD lists "TI Enthusiasts of Singapore (TIES)
PO Box 698, Tiong Bahru, Singapore 9116
Honorary secretary: Colin Lee".

Original Source: Micropendium 1985 Volume 2 No 4 Page 36:

ftp://ftp.whtech.com/magazines/micropendium/mp8505.pdf

[+Ksarul]

I'll be able to get a scan of the article online within the next week or so--but the machine pictured is definitely a 99/4 (not a /4A or a Pyuuta). The one part of the text in Latin script also identifies it as such. More importantly, the TI monitor I have is localized for 100V and all of the text for the front controls is in Japanese, so it was definitely designed for that market. I also know of at least one active TI user in Japan and now that I've been looking for TI stuff on Yahoo! Japan, I see the random bit show up, so there are apparently more owners/users/collectors out there.