The TI-99/4A was my first computer back when they did the initial price dropping - got it then since that’s all I could convince my parents to spend on something. Was planning to study medicine, but loved programming and did a lot of Extended Basic programming. Biggest project was a chemistry titration simulation since at the time we were learning titration in the HS Chem lab. Always wanted the Peripheral Expansion Box (like my somewhat more well off nerd best friend had), but that was not to be.

Sold it all to a neighbor for almost nothing (computer, speech synth, cassette storage player, a bunch of carts, etc.) then headed off to college with an Apple IIe. Studied CS, followed up with a career in programming, and never looked back.

Now heading towards the other end (towards “retirement”) and got a bit nostalgic. So…

I just bought.a NOS computer, a NOS PEB (with 32K memory, RS232, and the usual connector and disk drive cards), NOS Editor Assembler, a reasonable condition Extended Basic cart in box, a Mini Memory that had been upgraded (with a new coin battery socket and battery), then a TIPI for PEB, a FinalGROM99, and a few extras. So I guess the TI-99/4A of my old adolescent dreams, plus some modernization. I realize that with the FinalGROM99, I really did not need to acquire the Editor Assembler, Extended Basic, nor Mini Memory, but sort of just wanted those as they were back in the day.

Assuming it all functions (or can be made to function) will likely eventually do some maintenance upgrading like the keyboard, the capacitors, etc. and will likely go with the 838-IO Plus and the 838-Speech Adapter Board (and some working but maybe case beat up Speech Synch module) to have the setup be more “modern” and contained.

I will probably be horrified by the shear size of the PEB compared to all the modern dinky laptops and systems I’ve become used to. I guess it is not so different from a full height tower PC or such.

Just to get going, will be using a composite video and stereo audio output cord into a simple upscaler with HDMI output. Will likely move to a PICO9918 in the future assuming this all works out as a new obsession.

Looking forward to whatever comes / gets created from this and reconnecting with the TI-99/4A community!

Hi - I'd love to get these two games working with MAME but I can't find a simple howto. I *think* they can both work with MAME based on trying to decipher some threads on the MAME/MESS forums but does anybody know how to get these running successful using the .rpg and ,dsk files together with a command line call to MAME? Thank you.

As our machines pass the 40 year mark, what preventative maintenance do you do for them? I'm pulling my machine out of storage and am planning on replacing the thermal paste on the VDP. I assume it's eventually due a recap. Is there anything else I should do?

Today at our monthly Vintage Computer Club meeting at Indiana we all chose TI Invaders as the best version of the game across multiple platforms. Competed against Commodore, Vectrex, Famicon, Amiga, IBM Compatibles, CoCo, and couple of modern arcade reproductions. We had lotta fun.

Do they both basically get the job done or is there a reason to favor one or the other?

Desperately seeking monitor.

What is a good replacement screw for the ti994a computer shell and where is good place to get them online or in store. Any help be greatly appreciated.

Hello hive mind. I’m a relatively novice TI user getting back into it from my childhood. I have the computer, which works and has been tested on both a Commodore monitor and a modern TV with RCA inputs with no issues. However, I’d like to use it on a Sony Trinitron monitor that I’ve had for years, but get bad video when I plug it in. Attached is a pic of the behavior (this pattern scrolls very fast, it isn’t stationary). I have it plugged into the video A port on the back of the monitor with a 6DIN to RCA plug specifically for the TI, running into a BNC adapter (which worked previously with and Apple IIe and the Commodore). No amount of adjusting the horizontal or vertical holds, or any of the front controls, will solve it. The sound works and I see the video changing (like scrambled HBO back in the day), but cannot get anywhere with it. Anyone have any ideas? Thank you so much for any potential help.

I am getting a parts ti994a from ebay sold for part for $30 including shipping. Where can i get a replacwent power switch to beable to turn on the computer or is therd a way to male a makeshift switch to turn the internal switch on. Any good or diy method be grearly appreciated.

Found these at a local 2nd and Charles. $4 to $5 each cant wait to try them but i hear i need a cassette for tunnels of doom dont know what to do for that game.

When I was a kid I played a LOT of PARSEC. I discovered a "warp" function back when I was playing. From what I recall you need to fire your weapon when you are above the enemy you want to warp to, then destroy the last enemy of the first wave when above another specific scenery item. I think it was the TI logo. Or it could be the opposite. It has been a long time! The next enemy wave would then be what you "selected". If you did the killer satellites (which only appear on level 4) you would warp to level 4. I presume this was some sort of debugging/test function. Figuring this out took many many many plays of Parsec!

Did anyone else every discover this? I can't find any record of this online anywhere. I noticed you can even find the assembly source of PARSEC online (complete with comments) but I don't see this obviously in there.

Howdy! I recently picked up a TI-99/4A from a deceased relative, and it came with a shoebox of programs. I've got the machine all up and running, but the cassettes are all labeled VIC-20. I'm new to all this, but a quick search leads me to believe these are for a Commodore system. Are these compatible at all with the TI-99/4A? I just can't think of why they'd be shoved in the same box.

Hello all! New to this thread but glad you are all here. As my title states, I am experiencing this problem where the drive does not read the drive. It comes and goes. Works, doesn't work. Any thots?

Any insight or help would be most appreciated.

Thanks

The request might make not much sense as I am just looking in the dark.

I am trying to understand how in 1980's Forths worked a command "RP@", so that I can write it in 6502 assembly (Atari 8-bit, please don't hurt me). One of the sources I have is "Forth Dimension Volume 10 Number 2 page 22" where this "word" is defined for TI-FORTH as machine code: 0649 C64E 045F

This "RP@" command would store the return stack pointer somewhere.

Since I am not experienced in any assembly language (just a total beginner in 6502), all the TI994 manuals and cheat sheets look like magic.

If no one has at hand any tools to "disarm" the code I would be grateful for at least pointing to right tools (simplest possible) so that I could do so.

It would greatly help to understand how this was implemented in different architectures.

EDIT: 0649 might be a stack pointer decrease as found in https://oratronik.de/atariage/tiintern_english.pdf

I have a working Greaseweazle with a 360kb 5.25" drive and a 1.4mb 3.5" drive and I can't get a TI-99/4A disk written to save my life. I took a .DSK file and ran it through HxCLoppyEnumalot and exported the file as an .HFE file and then tried to write the file using GW.EXE and these parameters: gw write "F:\Greaseweazle\Tunnels of Doom[QUEST & PENNIES]_dsk.hfe" --tracks="c=0-39:h=0" --drive=1

What am I missing here? Does anyone have a ready-to-write file that I could experiment with? I have a FinalGROM99 but really want to use the drive in my PEB. Thanks,

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