The most and least bang for the buck...

[Omega-TI]

Most of us have regretting purchasing at least one item at some point in our TI journey.  Also, for many of us, there are some items, now that we have them, cannot use our TI's without them.  So, with this in mind, what was your biggest let down in a purchase and what has been your biggest thrill?

 

My worst purchase was the Super Sketch, it did not work very well, took up too much desk space and could not be used in the matter I originally intended.

 

For the biggest thrill I have to combine two items, the TIPI and the FinalGROM with a couple of recent software releases to tie them together, those two items compliment each other and raise the TI to new heights.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[jrhodes]

 

Most bang, has certainly been from the FinalGrom99.

"Least bang" would certainly describe the nanopeb. I don't regret getting it, as it's been on my want list for a good while.

I do have two TI consoles, so I will keep Tipi on my main system, and the nanopeb on my second console.

Hopefully the nanopeb will be replaced with a full PEB someday, just can't seem to set aside the cash.

[+mizapf]

Most bang for me: Geneve; restricted to TI-99/4A: Editor/Assembler

Least: Moonsweeper (never had a game earlier or later that I stopped playing after the first day)

[GDMike]

Explorer by Miller's graphics was just super Along with ramdisk.

Hmmm, can't think of anything that's terrible..

[+InsaneMultitasker]

Biggest thrill was probably my first PEB.  The leap from cassette-only to disk/32k/rs232 was amazing and along with that system came a 300 baud modem that opened up a whole new 'world'. 

 

Biggest let down:  games I bought that looked -nothing- like the pictures in the catalog and/or manual!   Such naivety. 

[pixelpedant]

Most Bang: FlashROM99 

 

In that it made a much bigger difference, for my use of my TI-99/4A, on its entering the picture, than FinalGROM did in its replacing the FlashROM99.  Particularly given my cartridge library was never very large or well-curated. 

 

Least Bang: Widget/Expander 

 

I know some people like it (or liked it, before FinalGROM/UberGROM kind of killed it).  Just as a convenience device, I didn't really see the appeal much (and obviously now that's pretty much gone). 

[1980gamer]

Biggest Thrill..  Extended Basic back around late 82 early 83.  Changed everything!

Worst,  this is only for me....  Mini Memory.  I got this at a flea market for $10.  But I could never figure out how to use it.  I only had a console and cassette deck.

I don't remember why I couldn't use it.  I was most likely just not smart enough.  As the only person in the house that had any knowledge.  I couldn't ask for help etc.

Now, we have this forum and google etc.  I don't even know if I have the manual or the cart at this point?

 

 

 

[HOME AUTOMATION]

I would have to say just the opposite. MINIMEMORY opened all the doors for me, I can't remember exactly what I paid or whether it came from Tex-Comp or Joy. Though it was a little pricey, compared to other items at the time. I got XB as a gift, later, never used much. I did use XB for my text to speech hack!

 

So, I suppose Oscar bar code reader was a flop for me. Maybe mine was broken. Think I paid $7-$15 for it.

 

But, of course... The CONSOLE itself has always been the clincher!

[Tursi]

Biggest thrill for me back in the day was the RAMdisk, that opened up so much for me.

 

Biggest waste of pennies was Super Marios Bros, the XB almost-game that "pushed the TI to its limits". I guess it inspired me to do better, anyway.

 

[GDMike]

I got a couple three mm carts. But there just in my cabinet looking pretty, the shiny battery is cool too, if you open it. I just never fooled with it, I should and maybe some day I'll write something that only works on mm. But it is a beautiful cart.

[GDMike]

I also liked the idea about a supersketch too, but it's awkward. 

Couldn't the supersketch be converted to a handheld mechanical mouse? 

[digdugnate]

best bang: for sure the FinalGROM99.  Such a cool multicart.

 

least bang: of the stuff I own, probably my TI-WRITER or MS Multiplan binders.  I like having them in my collection, but it's pretty much just that.

 

bang-i'd-like-but-can't-justify-cost:  I still really want a nice-looking MBX system (console, joystick, headset)- it'd be cool to play the stuff like when i was a kid.

[Omega-TI]

10 hours ago, GDMike said:

I also liked the idea about a supersketch too, but it's awkward. 

Couldn't the supersketch be converted to a handheld mechanical mouse? 

Weird, if it could, but even then there is nothing handheld about that thing, it takes up major space on any desk.  And as for accuracy, that thing never seemed to be that detailed.  Now day's I'd go for a TIPI mouse or a trackball as a fall back.

[Omega-TI]

38 minutes ago, digdugnate said:

least bang: of the stuff I own, probably my TI-WRITER or MS Multiplan binders.  I like having them in my collection, but it's pretty much just that.

 

TI writer was a thing BITD, then BA-Writer, especially the version Tursi made into an 80 columns, but yeah, now days, I find EDIT80 fills 90% of my needs.

[Asmusr]

Best bang: F18A

Least bang: PEB

[1980gamer]

Forgot one...   The first Game Cart I ever bought for the TI was Centipede.

I was so happy!  Couldn't wait to get home and play it.

 

What a bummer, it was joystick only.  I didn't have the joysticks  

I had to wait 3 or 4 weeks to buy the Y adapter for 2600 joysticks.  I think it was by wico?

Then the game wasn't that great...  But finding out key value 18 was the joystick fire button changed everything... Until I then learned about collision detection.  LOL

 

Wow, thinking back at the HOURS I sat in front of that 13 inch tv and 99/4A

[GDMike]

I think the minimenory cart sold for$99

And the chess game also sold for$99

Or was it the Blackjack and poker game?

I went through a few $99 items. Kmart might have just been high.

[+FarmerPotato]

I wasn't the one paying the money, for a lot of things BITD. Thinking back, I don't think I got any disappointments when I spent my own money (Blasto, for instance, or the Markus Weiand Adventure Editor.)

 

All considering, I think $200 for a used CC9900 expansion and 2 DSDD drives, in 1984, had incalculable returns. I still

have one of those puppies, reading 100s of disks into Kryoflux.

 

I worked for the summer of 1987 , at minimum wage, straightening pins on salvaged ICs ,and keeping inventory in Wordstar and Lotus 123. That money went toward a new Geneve 9640. Since I used the heck out of it until 1992, I consider it good value.

 

Last night, I found out I can buy a pin straightener for $7. If only I had one back then, I could have asked for a raise.

 

 

[Shift838]

I would also have to 2nd, my biggest HELL YEA moment was when I got my PEB and no longer had to rely on cassette to load and save data.

 

I think the worst game I ever played and I still have it was Espial.  I forget how much my Dad paid for it back then and of course I was not going to tell him it sucked as I talked him into buying it for me.

 

 

 

 

[+FarmerPotato]

2 hours ago, Shift838 said:

 

 

I think the worst game I ever played and I still have it was Espial.  I forget how much my Dad paid for it back then and of course I was not going to tell him it sucked as I talked him into buying it for me.

Oh wow. I finally saw that turkey in the modern era. When it was first advertised in the TEX-Comp catalog, 3 of us (8th graders) pooled our money to buy it. They didn't ship it. TEX-Comp refunded our money. I thought the game had gotten cancelled.