Serial cable and software for TI-99 terminal *output*

[Zerock]

A buddy of mine's got a TI-99/4A, and I'm thinking about getting one myself. Something I'd like to do is use my old DOS computer as a terminal for it.

 

What I'm having trouble being confident about is what type of cable to use for this. I've seen people say to use a null modem and others say to use a straight-through. I don't own any serial cables, so I'd like to get this sorted out before I spend money on something that won't work. I've got a 9-pin connector on the DOS computer side, and friend has a nanoPEB which provides a 9-pin on the TI side.

 

I've already got terminal software for DOS, so that side is covered. What needs to be done on the TI side so that it emits terminal signals? He's got the Terminal Emulator II cartridge, but my intuition tells me that's for when you want to use the TI as a terminal, not when you want to terminal INTO the TI. I'd be pleased to be wrong, though.

 

I scanned many FAQ pages looking for this information as well as tech docs so I could tell the baud rate to use. Basically all I've got is my intuition, but I'm a mid 90s kid so that's not worth much for 80s tech.

[RickyDean]

I believe according to TI-FAQ that a straight through cable is needed, though I distinctly remember years ago that I had to create a special null modem for something to do with transferring disks.

 

'Once you can run Extended Basic on V9T9, have a working serial

connection between your TI and IBM, and are in TI Extended Basic
on your TI, you are ready to go. By the way, remember that the
serial cable between your TI and IBM is a straight through cable
like would go to your modem instead of a real null modem cable.
For some reason, TI decided to make the TI's serial port a DCE@magma.ca>

instead of a DTE like most other computers.'

 

http://www.99er.net/tifaq2.html

Edited July 24, 2018 by RickyDean

[+9640News]

Combat Commando,

 

Maybe I am reading too much into what you wrote, but assuming you get a system put together, what are desiring to accomplish when you connect the TI and your DOS computer together?

 

The serial cable will allow data transfer through terminal emulation software to move file and diskettes.

 

What you will not be able to do is to type commands on the DOS computer and have the TI execute them by redirecting keyboard input to the serial input port.

 

Just want to make sure you are not misinformed about anything.

 

Beery

[Zerock]

Combat Commando,

 

Maybe I am reading too much into what you wrote, but assuming you get a system put together, what are desiring to accomplish when you connect the TI and your DOS computer together?

 

The serial cable will allow data transfer through terminal emulation software to move file and diskettes.

 

What you will not be able to do is to type commands on the DOS computer and have the TI execute them by redirecting keyboard input to the serial input port.

 

Just want to make sure you are not misinformed about anything.

 

Beery

 

 

That is indeed what I was going for. So that's just not possible? I assume it is possible the other way around, right?

[+9640News]

It has been so long since I have done it, but yes, you should be able to type commands in a terminal emulator on a TI-99/4A connected to a MSDOS machine, and those commands executed if you have the redirect/pipes/etc configured properly.

 

The reverse, as mentioned, is not possible at the moment without some custom software that I do not think exists at this point in time. The TI-99/4A "operating system" is not smart enough to receive characters over the RS232 treating it as input from a TI keyboard to run programs, select menu options, etc. It is only as smart as the Terminal Emulator which is displaying what was received over the RS232 port and saving files.

 

Beery

[Zerock]

I believe according to TI-FAQ that a straight through cable is needed, though I distinctly remember years ago that I had to create a special null modem for something to do with transferring disks.

 

'Once you can run Extended Basic on V9T9, have a working serial

connection between your TI and IBM, and are in TI Extended Basic

on your TI, you are ready to go. By the way, remember that the

serial cable between your TI and IBM is a straight through cable

like would go to your modem instead of a real null modem cable.

For some reason, TI decided to make the TI's serial port a DCE@magma.ca>

instead of a DTE like most other computers.'

 

http://www.99er.net/tifaq2.html

 

Something I noticed of interest: the nanoPEB documentation says that its interface is in DTE configuration.

[RickyDean]

I don't know for sure, but I believe the NanoPeb uses a Ibm compatible uart and is accessed as a 'COM' port, whereas the CF7+ uses a 9902 uart compatible port and is accessed as 'RS232'. Others here can clarify that, I'm sure.

[+arcadeshopper]

nanopeb - null modem

regular ti rs232 - straight through

 

both in the faq

[+Vorticon]

I have used my TI as a Linux console connected to a PC via serial. You do need however a terminal program like TELCO in order to do so. For remote commands via serial however, as Beery said, you need custom software. I did that with my TI Wireless Weather Station using Rich Extended Basic on the TI and an Arduino in the remote station. Details here: http://atariage.com/forums/blog/659/entry-13546-wireless-weather-station-managed-by-the-ti-994a-final/

[RXB]

It has been so long since I have done it, but yes, you should be able to type commands in a terminal emulator on a TI-99/4A connected to a MSDOS machine, and those commands executed if you have the redirect/pipes/etc configured properly.

 

The reverse, as mentioned, is not possible at the moment without some custom software that I do not think exists at this point in time. The TI-99/4A "operating system" is not smart enough to receive characters over the RS232 treating it as input from a TI keyboard to run programs, select menu options, etc. It is only as smart as the Terminal Emulator which is displaying what was received over the RS232 port and saving files.

 

Beery

I Demoed this using RXB and RS232:

(most crappy video ever made by me, but it did actually work!)

 

[x24b]

I Demoed this using RXB and RS232:

(most crappy video ever made by me, but it did actually work!)

 

Of course you did! You are so amazing. Thanks for being around, tinkering and sharing.

 

What is possible? Can the TI send and receive a file to another server? To DropBox?

That function alone would revolutionize access to the TI. While at work, I could drop a file into DropBox, go home and access it on the TI and vice versa.

With the TIPI how much more functionality is available?

With a true 80 column Word Processor and Multiplan Spreadsheet, modern printer usage and DropBox...

All of a sudden, my TI starts to look like a home office or tiny business machine like in the old days.

 

Games are fun, but productivity would keep it on my desk in my home office and out of the closet.

 

A Newbie buys an ebay 99/4A, buys and installs his shiny new F18A MK2 VDP replacement, and a newly designed side car with 32k RAM, 2 SD card connections, TIPI, Internet DropBox type access, RS232 Printer hookup, 80 column Word and Multiplan software, Speech Controller attached, and nothing else!

 

Workin' hard...

and then you feel like a quick 30 games of Hunt the Wumpus are in order.

Yah' just do it!

[Asmusr]

What is possible? Can the TI send and receive a file to another server? To DropBox?

That function alone would revolutionize access to the TI. While at work, I could drop a file into DropBox, go home and access it on the TI and vice versa.

With the TIPI how much more functionality is available?

 

With the TIPI it would be possible (with a change to the RPi software) to save files on a cloud drive instead of on the Raspberry PI's SD card. For instance, you could use the Google Drive API like js99er.net, and I guess there's a similar API available for Microsoft OneDrive.

[daafies]

nanopeb - null modem

regular ti rs232 - straight through

 

both in the faq

 

straight through, meaning rts on rts, cts on cts, txd on txd, rxd on rxd, cd on cd, dsr on dsr, dtr on dtr, sg on sg ?

 

thanks

[+arcadeshopper]

 

straight through, meaning rts on rts, cts on cts, txd on txd, rxd on rxd, cd on cd, dsr on dsr, dtr on dtr, sg on sg ?

 

thanks

1 to 1 2 to 2 etc all the way through. you can see below that txd on the ti matches RXD on the pc ..and so does the handshaking

 

Greg

 

Ti pinout:

1 Ground

2 RXD

3 TXD

5 CTS

6 DSR

7 Ground

8 DCD

20 DTR

 

PC pinout:

[daafies]

greg, thanks.

 

 

i made a 25 to 9 cable. using the pinouts here: https://www.lammertbies.nl/comm/cable/RS-232.html scroll down to " RS232 DB25 to DB9 converter" (minus the RI)

 

however no luck :/

[daafies]

link didnt work. heres the table:

 

DB9 - DB25 conversion

 

DB9 DB25 Function

1 8 Data carrier detect

2 3 Receive data

3 2 Transmit data

4 20 Data terminal ready

5 7 Signal ground

6 6 Data set ready

7 4 Request to send

8 5 Clear to send

9 22 Ring indicator

Edited February 14, 2019 by daafies

[+arcadeshopper]

link didnt work. heres the table:

 

DB9 - DB25 conversion

 

DB9 DB25 Function

1 8 Data carrier detect

2 3 Receive data

3 2 Transmit data

4 20 Data terminal ready

5 7 Signal ground

6 6 Data set ready

7 4 Request to send

8 5 Clear to send

9 22 Ring indicator

 

1-8

2-3

3-2

4-20

5-7

6-6

7-4

8-5

9-22

G-G

 

what didn't work? What are you trying? if you set up a terminal on both sides with the same baud rate data bits and parity and stop bits you should be able to type on one side and see it on the other

[daafies]

Exactly what you describe. Telco on ti and i tried a variety of pc programs. Ill go over the cable again when i get home. Thanks for confirming the wiring for the cable. I dont have the RI and chassis ground tho. Maybe thats it.

[+arcadeshopper]

Exactly what you describe. Telco on ti and i tried a variety of pc programs. Ill go over the cable again when i get home. Thanks for confirming the wiring for the cable. I dont have the RI and chassis ground tho. Maybe thats it.

Ri doesn't matter but always do gnd

 

Sent from my LG-H872 using Tapatalk

[daafies]

Got it to work. Thanks for the help!

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[+arcadeshopper]

great now install hdx on your pc and make your life easier with the hdx client see the FAQ for more info

[Opry99er]

Yep!!!! This, above.... what Greg said...

 

 

HDX server on the PC is a game changer, no doubt.

[+TheBF]

A buddy of mine's got a TI-99/4A, and I'm thinking about getting one myself. Something I'd like to do is use my old DOS computer as a terminal for it.

 

What I'm having trouble being confident about is what type of cable to use for this. I've seen people say to use a null modem and others say to use a straight-through. I don't own any serial cables, so I'd like to get this sorted out before I spend money on something that won't work. I've got a 9-pin connector on the DOS computer side, and friend has a nanoPEB which provides a 9-pin on the TI side.

 

I've already got terminal software for DOS, so that side is covered. What needs to be done on the TI side so that it emits terminal signals? He's got the Terminal Emulator II cartridge, but my intuition tells me that's for when you want to use the TI as a terminal, not when you want to terminal INTO the TI. I'd be pleased to be wrong, though.

 

I scanned many FAQ pages looking for this information as well as tech docs so I could tell the baud rate to use. Basically all I've got is my intuition, but I'm a mid 90s kid so that's not worth much for 80s tech.

 

I bought an off the shelf 25pin MALE to 9 pin FEMALE "straight through" cable and it works perfectly. ( I bought some adapters at the same time because I didn't believe it would work)

 

Forth is of little interest to most folks but what the heck.

This way of operating from PC to TI-99 is what I have been working on for CAMEL99 Forth. It's really quite fun.

You get a buffered keyboard, 80 columns and screen buffer!

 

It's now working but the input on the TI is polled so I have to throttle sending code to the old girl.

I have interrupt code working that lets me send full speed but it's not integrated into the kernel yet.

 

But source code on the floppy disk works just like normal. It's like having a dual screen 99. One for graphics and one for control.

 

How you would do that for BASIC is beyond me but it would probably take some serious re-writes of the TI-BASIC interpreter. (?)