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Picked this up at the weekend, Texas Instruments TI-99/4A. Know nothing about them or even heard of them before!  Computer, 2 power supplies, 2 RF units (one a bit dodgy) and the joysticks. This from wiki: "The Texas Instruments TI-99/4A was an early home computer, released in June 1981, originally at a price of USD $525. It was an enhanced version of the less-successful—and quite rare—TI-99/4 model, which was released in late 1979 at a price of $1,150. The TI-99/4A added an additional graphics mode, "lowercase" characters comprised of small capitals, and a full travel keyboard. Its predecessor, the TI-99/4, featured a calculator-style chiclet keyboard and lacked any provision for lowercase text." After a bit of soldering and struggling to tune in a modern telly I got it up and going:  Home screen:  Two game cartridges, Munch Man:  Tombstone City:  It's cool but already I'm wondering what I'm going to do with it, so may end on ebay before long. Oh and yes I did do the usual: 10 print "bum" 20 goto 10 You have to don't you?! |
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New one to me, not seen one of those. Very retro loving that. Great old skool design features.  Cartridge system rather than cassette tape then. very cool. |
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 it doesn't matter if it's a Morris Marina or a Toyota Celica - it's what you do with it that counts |
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Jun 23, 2009 10:15:28 GMT
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Ive got a boxed Texas ti 99 too
got the tape lead and some tapes for it.
as usual with these old computers the tape loading is slow and a hassle.
Ive seen websites for these that have lots of add ons that greatly increase the power of the computer.
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Jun 23, 2009 11:21:28 GMT
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Ha, we had 2 of these when i was a kid, must have been in the mid 80s, my dad might still have them actually.
I'm not sure what you will do with them either, get them sold.
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Jun 23, 2009 15:35:52 GMT
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[Homer] "To Start Press Any Key". Where's the ANY key? I see Esk ["ESC"], Catarl ["CTRL"], and Pig-Up ["PGUP"]. There doesn't seem to be any ANY key. Woo! All this computer hacking is making me thirsty. I think I'll order a TAB. [presses TAB key] Awp...no time for that now, the computer's starting.[/Homer] |
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grant
Part of things
Posts: 206
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Jun 24, 2009 10:43:47 GMT
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I think i'll get a moo-moo , I don't want to look like an idiot.
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Jun 24, 2009 23:26:32 GMT
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Oh and yes I did do the usual: 10 print "bum" 20 goto 10 You have to don't you?! I seem to remember if you put a semi colon at the end of the first line it'll fill the whole screen up instead of going straight down the edge.  |
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Volvo back as my main squeeze, more boost and some interior goodies on the way.
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Ray Singh
Posted a lot
More German exotica in my garage now
Posts: 1,993
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Great find my friend.
I remember BBC microcomputers at school. We had a load of them.
I went around typing a similar sort of code into each one. Locked the keyboard out too so the teacher couldn't turn them off.
Happy days.
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grant
Part of things
Posts: 206
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Jun 25, 2009 11:17:34 GMT
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What do those codes do? 10 print bum 20 goto 10? sounds fun.
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Jun 25, 2009 13:07:37 GMT
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Ah, BASIC.
The TI computers were rather unusual for their day, they were in fact full-on 16 bit business class machines under the hood. They were packaged for the home market because TI didn't want them eating into their business minicomputer sales. they weren't very successful because of poor consumer software and high price.
Meanwhile IBM had no such worries with their 16 bit business microcomputer, and the rest is history.
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"Jeremy Clarkson, a man we motor enthusiasts need on our side like Lewis Hamilton's F1 car needs a towing ball and a Sprite Musketeer" My motor |
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Lex
South East
日本車 <3
Posts: 2,404
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Hello World
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Resto-UKal |
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I do remember the TI99/4A having possibly the slowest BASIC interpreter of any machine around at the time. The standard 10 PRINT "simon stevens is gay "; 20 GOTO 10 routine used to take an absolute age to fill the screen up, compared to virtually anything else in Boots.
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triumph2000uk
Part of things
pre facelift 1971 triumph 2000 owner .
Posts: 133
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I used to have one many years ago but did something stupid and broke it up i have no idea why i love the old computers i think it was there was not much i could do with it i had a few cartrdges .The TI-99/4 series holds the distinction of being the first 16-bit personal computer. I love old computers have had one of these an acorn electron two msx a sony and toshiba a sinclair ql this got broken up i could never get a psu so got bored of it i still have two bbc,s and 2 amiga 500,s .
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Cartridge system rather than cassette tape then. very cool.
