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TI-99/4a MiSTer Core


yell0w_lantern

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I created a couple issues about this in the github repo... silence... 

 

The readme is worthless. I'm pretty sure most of what is in there has nothing to do with what is actually available on the MiSTer implementation. 

 

I enjoy the MiSTer for platforms where my retro hardware isn't as good as the FPGA version... not the case with my 4A. 

 

 

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10 hours ago, yell0w_lantern said:

Hello,

I just got my MiSTer together and am struggling to get the TI core running. I guess there's a command to get the system roms combined into a single rom to use as the boot rom. I don't understand if this is a Windows DOS prompt or Linux or what. Any tips would be greatly appreciated.

 

For the TI99 core on MiSTer you can read my article on the TI99IUC site (it's in Italian...), updated to the latest core with Speech support. At the end of the article there is my MEGA Pack with all the needed TI99 stuff (all tested and working). There is a readme.txt file in English inside the .zip file. If you have additional questions just ask. ?

 

The article link is: http://www.ti99iuc.it/web/index.php?pageid=articoli_tech&artid=194#.X4_UlpJxeUk

 

Note that recently the TI99 core was ported from MiSTer to MIST/Mistica and SIDE FPGAs if someone has one of them. 

 

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8 hours ago, jedimatt42 said:

I created a couple issues about this in the github repo... silence... 

 

The readme is worthless. I'm pretty sure most of what is in there has nothing to do with what is actually available on the MiSTer implementation. 

 

I enjoy the MiSTer for platforms where my retro hardware isn't as good as the FPGA version... not the case with my 4A. 

 

 

Use this page https://github.com/GHPS/pyTIrom for initial help on the script to create system rom and carts. The instructions on the TI99 repository are related to Erik's code used for MiSTer version.

 

Anyway, I've already done all the conversion work and it's available on the link in the previous post. ;-) 

 

 

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10 hours ago, tmop69 said:

Use this page https://github.com/GHPS/pyTIrom for initial help on the script to create system rom and carts. The instructions on the TI99 repository are related to Erik's code used for MiSTer version.

 

Anyway, I've already done all the conversion work and it's available on the link in the previous post. ;-) 

 

 

Thanks! I got your files onto my MiSTer and the TI started up perfectly. :)

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  • 2 weeks later...
42 minutes ago, arcadeshopper said:

superfly doesn't work.. is this a bug in the fpga?  or a bad conversion of the cart?

It's working correctly starting from Core 20191020.

 

Previous versions:

some garbage on the player's selection screen (Use TI Computer Keys/How many Players?). The game starts, but when the superfly is captured it's not possible to continue to play.

 

I think you should also enable the speech, but this also on the real TI99 with FinalGROM. I'm not sure if in my package I have a "perfect" dump and/or if there are better versions available.

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1 hour ago, arcadeshopper said:

I see a disk controller rom can be included, but how do you configure the disks?

 

At the moment the disk is not supported. ? Only +32K and Speech, no disk or tape. There is an option for cpu overclock, useful for slow TI BASIC games in SSS format.

 

The most interesting feature is the ultra sharp resolution offered on a FullHD monitor. Add some scanlines for a complete retrò look. And you can use high quality arcade controllers or gamepads instead of the poor TI joysticks.

 

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  • 2 weeks later...

Since the MiSTer port of the 99/4A is based on my code I guess it starts to be the time to put together MiSTer myself too, have had the parts lying round a long time. I tried the MIST port a while ago, as I know how to operate MIST. I've been recently working on the icy99 version which is better (IMHO) structured but not done yet. I am planning to add TIPI support to icy99, as that should (?) be quick way of getting disk support.

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20 minutes ago, speccery said:

Since the MiSTer port of the 99/4A is based on my code I guess it starts to be the time to put together MiSTer myself too, have had the parts lying round a long time. I tried the MIST port a while ago, as I know how to operate MIST. I've been recently working on the icy99 version which is better (IMHO) structured but not done yet. I am planning to add TIPI support to icy99, as that should (?) be quick way of getting disk support.

This is a great new to have the original author of the TI99 core to return back to it and support the MiSTer and Mist ports! ? We definitively need the disk (and tape?) support added to this great core.

 

 

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  • 5 weeks later...

It seems that now the Mist core has the disk controller support:

 

The PHP1240 disk controller card is implemented in the core, which has a WD1771 FM-only FDC (single density).

The supported image format is v9t9 (sector dump). These images usually have the .DSK extension.

Only single-density images are supported at the moment (40 tracks/side, 9 sector/track), either single-sided or double-sided.

 

mist-binaries/cores/ti994a at master · mist-devel/mist-binaries · GitHub

 

I hope to see soon the implementation also in the MiSTer core! ? 

 

 

 

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  • 5 months later...

Great news for the TI99 core on MiSTer!

 

An unofficial version was released yesterday from a user (Flandango) on the MiSTer forum that decided "to learn some fpga development and get familiarized (somewhat) with Quartus then to try to add the floppy feature to the Ti994/a core". ? He wrote: "I never owned the system, nor do I have a Mist to compare with but I think I got a core working with two floppy drives.".

 

I've tested the core today and the disk works great! ? 

 

In particular, these are the tests I've done:

 

- XB Games Autoload. Tested with some random games: Bandit, Column Attack (Asgard), Karate Challange (Asgard);
- Wycove Forth autoload game: Space Station Pheta;
- TI BASIC: load/save game;
- Extended BASIC: merge file;
- Adventure Modules: load adventure, save/load game;
- Disk Manager 2. Disk catalog, file copy from DSK1 to DSK2, load copied file from TI BASIC;
- From XB, autoload of BEAX. Test with EA5 file game (Macropede);
- Editor/Assembler Module. Test with "Editor-Assembler PHD 5062" disk. Load Editor;
- Editor/Assembler Module. Load EA3 Game (Monaco race);
- Load of Wycowe FORTH disk;
- XB Game Autoload. Legends v1.1 (Asgard).

 

I only had a problem with Old Dark Caves 2 with an IO Error 26 (2 is SEEK OR STEP and 6 is NO DISK/DRIVE or DRIVE NOT READY from the disk manual), but I need to chek with MAME if is a problem of the copy used.

 

The original thread is on the official forum: TI99 MiSTer Core.

 

For your convenience, in attachment the core (unofficial for now), the system roms including Disk and Speech and the full rom for XB (with Speech and Disk).

 

Please, test it and report your feedbacks to the author (... don't forge to thanks him for this update).

 

 

 

Ti994a_20210526.zip [MiSTer][TI99 Core] System ROM+GROM+DISK+SPEECH.zip [PROGR] TI Extended Basic v110 (1981)(Texas Instruments)[PHM 3026]_FULL-ROM (Disk+Speech).zip

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New beta version of the TI99 core for MiSTer from Flandango (available on MiSTer forum: MiSTer TI99 Core).

 

Now you can format the disks (SSSD and DSSD), the USER LED will light up when the disk motor is spinning. There is also a firts attempt for PAL/NTSC switch.

 

It seems that there are still problems with Old Dark Cave 2 game (any suggestions where to look at from emulator gurus @mizapf, @Tursi, etc.):

"I still have issues with the Old Dark Caves 2 game. I can get it to load most of the time if I have Speech enabled (5200), Attach the Disk first, then load the system rom that contains Extended Basic. I couldn't get it to work much with RXB."

 

For those on this forum with MiSTer, please, help with the tests, so we can improve the core!

 

In attachment the core, for you convenience.

 

 

Ti994a_20210607.zip

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