FinalGROM problems

[Lumpy]

I have a FinalGROM cartridge I purchased earlier this year and it has never worked properly. When I first received the cartridge it was not recognized at all when plugged into the port. The only option was TI Basic. This was with the one TI-99 I had at the time, a beige unit with the 1981 startup screen. I have ten other cartridges (XB, TEII, and several TI and Atari games)and they all work fine in this computer. I tried changing the port connector and reloading the SD card with several different images but nothing worked. I contacted the seller and I returned the cartridge to him and he says he replaced it but I still had the same issues with the unit he claims was replaced.

I then went out and found and purchased three other TI-99/4A computers. Two black and silver units and a V2.2 beige unit with the 1983 startup screen. The two black and silver units display the FinalGROM menus and work with many but not all of the program choices (this is with a PEB and TI 32K installed and running). The V2.2 beige unit displays the initial FinalGROM menu but choosing anything locks up the computer with a blue screen and three vertical lines.

In all cases the LED on the FinalGROM never comes on nor do either of the reset buttons on the FinalGROM (TI reset or FG reset) work on any of the four computers. I tried to update the AVR and PLD files by copying the files to a blank SD card and powering on but no LED activity and no changes. I checked over the FinalGROM for solder issues but I don't see any problems.

Any other suggestions I could try? I would really like to get this going but at this point I think there is an issue with the FinalGROM.

 

[Asmusr]

2 hours ago, Lumpy said:

I have a FinalGROM cartridge I purchased earlier this year and it has never worked properly. When I first received the cartridge it was not recognized at all when plugged into the port. The only option was TI Basic. This was with the one TI-99 I had at the time, a beige unit with the 1981 startup screen. I have ten other cartridges (XB, TEII, and several TI and Atari games)and they all work fine in this computer. I tried changing the port connector and reloading the SD card with several different images but nothing worked. I contacted the seller and I returned the cartridge to him and he says he replaced it but I still had the same issues with the unit he claims was replaced.

I then went out and found and purchased three other TI-99/4A computers. Two black and silver units and a V2.2 beige unit with the 1983 startup screen. The two black and silver units display the FinalGROM menus and work with many but not all of the program choices (this is with a PEB and TI 32K installed and running). The V2.2 beige unit displays the initial FinalGROM menu but choosing anything locks up the computer with a blue screen and three vertical lines.

In all cases the LED on the FinalGROM never comes on nor do either of the reset buttons on the FinalGROM (TI reset or FG reset) work on any of the four computers. I tried to update the AVR and PLD files by copying the files to a blank SD card and powering on but no LED activity and no changes. I checked over the FinalGROM for solder issues but I don't see any problems.

Any other suggestions I could try? I would really like to get this going but at this point I think there is an issue with the FinalGROM.

 

You need to talk to @ralphb who developed the FinalGROM. He should be right here.

[HOME AUTOMATION]

3 hours ago, Lumpy said:

I tried to update the AVR and PLD files by copying the files to a blank SD card and powering on but no LED activity and no changes.

Sounds like you're having quite an adventure...

 

You did remember to rename the files to update.pld, and update.avr?

 

Oh... and you have to boot them one at a time.

[Lumpy]

Thanks for the reply and yes I did rename them to update and did them one at a time.

[+arcadeshopper]

really sounds like a bad card, you should contact the person you bought it from and get it replaced

 

Greg

[+DuaneAL]

I had a similar issue with mine.  The FG works with original and V2.2 roms on original boards but not QI system boards iirc.  One of my beige units came up as 1981 but somehow had a QI board and wouldn't work.  The LED issue and the reset does sound like a bad board though.

[Lumpy]

Thanks for the responses. I contacted the seller and he has agreed to replace it again. Here's hoping it works this time.

 

 

[+arcadeshopper]

If anyone has a QI motherboard and would like to swap for a non-qi send me a pm

 

 

[+Ksarul]

Yeah, the real problem is between the QI motherboards (with the silver fingers at the sideport connector (as opposed to the copper fingers on previous boards)) and the FinalGROM. The cartridge port in those boards lacks two signals found on the earlier versions, and that creates problems for the FinalGROM. If the FinalGROM isn't working on boards with the copper fingers shielding the sideport connector, the problem is likely the FinalGROM, not the computer (although it may be a good idea to check the cartridge port connector and remove the felt to eliminate one other possible problem).

[+FALCOR4]

Here are pics I send to sellers to help determine QI MoBos from non-QI, if that's helpful.  Like Ksarul stated. the CRU lines don't come out to the cartridge port on the QIs.

[Lumpy]

Just an update. The seller replaced my Finalgrom and it now works fine in the black and silver consoles I have.