Good times Ladies! I had a TI994A in about 1984 I think at 12 years of age. Added "sidecar" modem at some point just did know what to do with it, had a sound card to make playing games more fun and also had a cassette tape recorder for saving my very basic graphics programs. Really wish I had pursued computer science and/or programming further but didn't. My next computer was a clone type windows 98 machine I bought in 1999, the internet was getting popular and I just had to know what it was all about....
10:00 When TI Extended Basic is selected, it will look on the disk for a program called "LOAD". If it does not find it, or a disk, it will then drop to Immediate Mode. LOAD can be a menu program to select from a group, or a Loader for another program. You will need a Disk Manager cartridge or program, to Initialize or format a disk, or to catalog one. Double Sided (but not Double Density) disks CAN be used in that Single-Sided drive, but you will only have the one side available for data.
I just wanted to say a few things about topics in your TI99/4A Peripheral Expansion Box and Modern Alternatives... Yes. There is a "TIPI" - card for the Peripheral Box (P-Box, for short). You still need a RaspberryPI to run it, but, that is fairly easy and some have actually added it to the "inside" of the P-box. The "firehose" card/cable has now got an "alternative" to it being the "main" card of the P-Box "setup". It is called the "838-IO plus" -card (and connectors). There all kinds of cards for the P-Box --->>>(The IDE card - The 838-IO card - The TIPI PEB card - The PGRAM card - as well as a host of others). I also wanted to note that the TIPI "System" is also available as a "side car" peripheral in TWO TYPES---> The first is a "TIPI sidecar" that requires a 32K "sidecar" device as well, to function...The second is a TIPI/32K "sidecar" that also plugs into the "expansion port" and BOTH require an additional RaspberryPI device. Also...the "BackBit pro" device acts very similar to a "FinalGROM cart" that is available as well (and it's "sibling" card) as the FlashGROM. Really enjoyed your presentation, and, thank you for the info on the BackBit pro cart! :-) Have a Nice Day (The TI99/4a way) 🙂
I love your show. People should stop taking themselves too seriously. That's why I like your show. It's cool, it's informative, and it's fun! 8 bit really feels like a hobby again; that makes fun.
I had one of those with the expansion box. The 9900 chip was actually cool. 16 bit with only 3 registeres cause any 16 word aligned area could be the registers. And you could do direct memory to memory operations. I had two, the chicklet keyboard one and the regular keyboard.
you get a TI and just start collecting all the stuff for it and learn as you go. I started with just a console and rf modulator and a few game carts. And went on from there. Ended up with the loaded PEB, cassette, big monitor using the composite signal, dual disks 360k DSDD drives, hayes modem,speech synth etc.....good times. All this newer tech is really cool. For me, accessing the web and internet would be the most interesting these days. Thanks. My first computer and this was about 87.
That DB9 connection on the back is for a cassette drive. I know the TI-99/4a is not the best retro computer out there but it has a spot in my heart. brings back memories. The Brewing Academy has some stuff for the TI-99/4a.
I wanted a TI99 back in the 80s cause it was the only computer I thought I could afford but settled on a used Atari 800. Which was awesome and smelled like a putrid litter box and ashtray rolled into one. Aww the smell...
Geez, never got the notification onto this. I'm planning on sending the RS-232 card (for whatever that's worth) from a third-party. The UCSD card doesn't come up much. It's usually as expensive as the PEB. It is as good as most UCSD systems (keeping in mind that UCSD Pascal is both a programming language and an OS. I think you need the card to use the Assembly Language system. Been a minute. You should be able to use any DD diskette - it will just format to less and will be limited to single-sided writing (not unlike the 1541 "flippies"). Your drive capacity may be limited to 90K. The rotational speed is slower and the sectors are spread further along each track (single density). SD diskettes were always Single Sided (SS). (SSSD) The R/W head was the same size for the SSSD through the DSDD diskettes. Problems arose with the DSHD diskettes (mostly when reading from diskettes).
The old model that you have is the better choice as it had direct access to the fuse on the back. With the newer model (which btw, is labelled "Texas Instruments Expansion System", dropping the 99/4.) you have to get into the power supply part of the inards if the fuse blows. A friggin' pain. You can also cable connect two boxes if you run out of room for expansion cards. (in 2022 there are lots of options, so it can get tight). And picking two of them up to clean around them is going to PUMP. YOU. UP! So hey, free work outs! And the back port is the cassette port. For a printer port you"ll need RS232.
A 99/4a was my first computer! I had two; the first one had the linear power supply board under the cartridge slot. It overheated (as they all did) and failed. I returned it and got another, which had the PWM supply board, and it was great. I miss it, and especially my Yacht-Z game! Subscribed!
You certainly like to test the robustness of things 😊 Although I think this time the robustness of Taylor was tested too, lifting that monster expansion box - thought you were going to rupture yourself!
Yeah I bought mine from Triton with 32 k memory disk controller and drive. I paid 300.00 dollars. I didn't like the monster cable so I gave my box away. I would just like to have a disk drive and an interface so I can run my assembly disk. I have the memory and speech interface. I just kept the games and Milton Bradley game console but the headset needs to be rebuilt with new foam. I miss playing big foot and the baseball game. You can give each player a name and when you call out their name they catch the ball. Easy outs. The baseball game is designed for two players but I can play both sides with a little practice. You could program random pitches with minor modifications. My favorite thing is the three voice tone generator. You can program J. S. Bach 2 and 3 part inventions and Fugues. Not many other computers could do that most had only one voice. Maybe a noise voice . The apple computer can do four part harmony but you need a special board for a price. Their computer was way more expensive. I got my 99/4a for 99 dollars. 73
Manager: "I need you to design an expansion unit for our customers that don't have train fetishes." Engineer: "Fine, but I hate this job so I'm gonna make it the size of a mainframe, able to kill any small child it falls on, and it shall connect to the computer with a cable the size of Santa's belt." Manager: "Whatever - it looks like Commodore's running us out of the market by next year."
Crack that whip! I’d love to get my grubby hands on a PEB. I picked up a TI, TIPI, Sidecare Ram, Speech Synthesizer, bunch of TI cartridges, and more at VCF-MW. Looking forward to seeing more TI 99/4A shenanigans!
Dang, you really did get all the things. Since we flew and didn't check bags we were lucky to make it back with the Atari 400 we snagged. Taking the Atari thru security was kinda funny.
I’ve got to get a TI-99/4A. It’s got that big industrial look, particularly with the PEB. Makes you think it’s going to be super powerful, but them seems like a cross between a Tandy and some European system. The PEB is magnificent 😂
I have a nanoPEB, it's clunky and doesn't want to work right. There are three versions of the TIPI. A sidecar with external pi, a more all in one with a pi zero that will fit in a gutted synthesizer case, and the TIPI PEB which is a card that goes into the PEB
@@fractalMD Yeah, he's really cool to hang out with, super nice guy and I've been watching his channel for a while now. TBH, y'all are fun to hang out with too :)
you need to buy the Dragon's Lair cartridge for TI99/4 it looks close to the arcade, all the VIDEO LASER DISK was encoded for the TMS9918!!!! and saved in ROM!.
Amy and Taylor, As far as the single density disks go. You might be able to find disk images for it and then use a Greaseweazle to create real media for the system. At least that is what I do when tinkering with the CoCo :D
You should check out my new 838-PEB that replaces this with a modern PC case and power supply. It is designed for use with the new 838-IO Plus card that replaces the bulky flex interface card.
@@fractalMD Videos I made of the new 838-PEB in action: Video #1: ua-cam.com/video/Kap86ksHbUE/v-deo.html Video #2: ua-cam.com/video/xh1Mq1HeC8M/v-deo.html
That'd be an interesting crossover with Mondragon Chiropractic... "So how did you hurt your back?" "Well, I was lifting a sidecar solution for the TI99/4A when..."
16Bit Home Micro Computer that should have used the TMS99105A which has Floating Point functionality, if only they had given the unit a full 16bit data bus and a 24bit address bus things might have been better.
Have 2ea TI99/4As many games plus others and accessories. but most of all a Sony WEGA 36 to view them on, and all working great. How do I find someone that wants them?
@@fractalMD Minneapolis, MN is where it is and 2- tI994As with many games, etc go with the TV, but act fast the wife says Best Buy recycling within the week. Maybe you know someone here to pick it up. Stand too optional.
@@sagecoach Do you have Twitter? If you tweet this info and tag us we'd be happy to retweet it for you to see if you could get some hits near you. Would hate for this to get recycled. I know for sure there are ppl that would love this.
But that's TMS990 not 6502 I had a 994a back around 1981. I think we got rid of it because either I or it broke where you put the cartridges in. That would work better if you didn't break the cable before trying it... Just recently I got my ti99sim working again in Linux and was trying to do more challenging things with it. I did succeed in sharing the system joystick to the ti, starting the extended basic, and loading a few discs, which seem to load automatically if they are attached at the time you start extended basic. I had a friend with the expansion box and he showed me Arcturus so it was a sort of long time goal to make it work and I did. But that being the case I remembered it as better or something and it is really horrible.
At least 40% of my interest in these videos is now about the casual yet targeted physical abuse of old computers. I fully expect the next appearance of the C64 will involve folding dryer-fresh towels (run without dryer sheet) right next to the notoriously static-sensitive joystick ports.
Good times Ladies! I had a TI994A in about 1984 I think at 12 years of age. Added "sidecar" modem at some point just did know what to do with it, had a sound card to make playing games more fun and also had a cassette tape recorder for saving my very basic graphics programs. Really wish I had pursued computer science and/or programming further but didn't. My next computer was a clone type windows 98 machine I bought in 1999, the internet was getting popular and I just had to know what it was all about....
It's never too late, just start a youtube channel and use it as an excuse.
@@fractalMDgood one and so true. 73
Age 20 ish
10:00 When TI Extended Basic is selected, it will look on the disk for a program called "LOAD". If it does not find it, or a disk, it will then drop to Immediate Mode. LOAD can be a menu program to select from a group, or a Loader for another program. You will need a Disk Manager cartridge or program, to Initialize or format a disk, or to catalog one. Double Sided (but not Double Density) disks CAN be used in that Single-Sided drive, but you will only have the one side available for data.
I just wanted to say a few things about topics in your TI99/4A Peripheral Expansion Box and Modern Alternatives...
Yes. There is a "TIPI" - card for the Peripheral Box (P-Box, for short). You still need a RaspberryPI to run it, but, that is fairly easy and some have actually added it to the "inside" of the P-box. The "firehose" card/cable has now got an "alternative" to it being the "main" card of the P-Box "setup". It is called the "838-IO plus" -card (and connectors). There all kinds of cards for the P-Box --->>>(The IDE card - The 838-IO card - The TIPI PEB card - The PGRAM card - as well as a host of others). I also wanted to note that the TIPI "System" is also available as a "side car" peripheral in TWO TYPES---> The first is a "TIPI sidecar" that requires a 32K "sidecar" device as well, to function...The second is a TIPI/32K "sidecar" that also plugs into the "expansion port" and BOTH require an additional RaspberryPI device. Also...the "BackBit pro" device acts very similar to a "FinalGROM cart" that is available as well (and it's "sibling" card) as the FlashGROM.
Really enjoyed your presentation, and, thank you for the info on the BackBit pro cart! :-) Have a Nice Day (The TI99/4a way) 🙂
I love your show. People should stop taking themselves too seriously. That's why I like your show. It's cool, it's informative, and it's fun! 8 bit really feels like a hobby again; that makes fun.
Don't think we will ever be accused of taking ourselves too seriously! So glad you are enjoying the show. :)
I couldn’t agree more
I had one of those with the expansion box. The 9900 chip was actually cool. 16 bit with only 3 registeres cause any 16 word aligned area could be the registers. And you could do direct memory to memory operations. I had two, the chicklet keyboard one and the regular keyboard.
Bringing back the memories!
you get a TI and just start collecting all the stuff for it and learn as you go. I started with just a console and rf modulator and a few game carts. And went on from there. Ended up with the loaded PEB, cassette, big monitor using the composite signal, dual disks 360k DSDD drives, hayes modem,speech synth etc.....good times. All this newer tech is really cool. For me, accessing the web and internet would be the most interesting these days. Thanks. My first computer and this was about 87.
That is EXTENSIVE!
That DB9 connection on the back is for a cassette drive. I know the TI-99/4a is not the best retro computer out there but it has a spot in my heart. brings back memories. The Brewing Academy has some stuff for the TI-99/4a.
We love our TI 99/4a!
Growing up, my babysitter's husband had a TI99... many fun hours playing games!
Nice!
I wanted a TI99 back in the 80s cause it was the only computer I thought I could afford but settled on a used Atari 800. Which was awesome and smelled like a putrid litter box and ashtray rolled into one. Aww the smell...
Dude!
I’m pretty sure I’d enjoy playing moon patrol!! That music was hoppin’ 😂
ba dum tisssssss
Boing boing!
The PEB box is a heavy beast! I always laugh seeing the "fire hose" cable to plug it in. You could totally use it as a belt to hold your pants up LOL!
Like my pants, your pants, everyone's pants!
@@fractalMD I heard that in Oprah's voice LOL! "You get a belt, and you get a belt!" 🙂
Geez, never got the notification onto this. I'm planning on sending the RS-232 card (for whatever that's worth) from a third-party. The UCSD card doesn't come up much. It's usually as expensive as the PEB. It is as good as most UCSD systems (keeping in mind that UCSD Pascal is both a programming language and an OS. I think you need the card to use the Assembly Language system. Been a minute. You should be able to use any DD diskette - it will just format to less and will be limited to single-sided writing (not unlike the 1541 "flippies"). Your drive capacity may be limited to 90K. The rotational speed is slower and the sectors are spread further along each track (single density). SD diskettes were always Single Sided (SS). (SSSD) The R/W head was the same size for the SSSD through the DSDD diskettes. Problems arose with the DSHD diskettes (mostly when reading from diskettes).
No notification! We need to sternly discipline the algorithm!
The old model that you have is the better choice as it had direct access to the fuse on the back. With the newer model (which btw, is labelled "Texas Instruments Expansion System", dropping the 99/4.) you have to get into the power supply part of the inards if the fuse blows. A friggin' pain.
You can also cable connect two boxes if you run out of room for expansion cards. (in 2022 there are lots of options, so it can get tight). And picking two of them up to clean around them is going to PUMP. YOU. UP! So hey, free work outs!
And the back port is the cassette port. For a printer port you"ll need RS232.
Omg. Two of these monsters in a row would be a whole thing! Like, let me start stretching now.
"...had its own power supply" ... Stares at you in Sega CD 32X
😀
You two are hilarious! Yeah, that thing it heavy, I dread when I have to move mine.
It's nuts!
A 99/4a was my first computer! I had two; the first one had the linear power supply board under the cartridge slot. It overheated (as they all did) and failed. I returned it and got another, which had the PWM supply board, and it was great. I miss it, and especially my Yacht-Z game! Subscribed!
That's awesome. Welcome!!!! Glad to have ya.
You certainly like to test the robustness of things 😊 Although I think this time the robustness of Taylor was tested too, lifting that monster expansion box - thought you were going to rupture yourself!
She is SUPA STRONG!
Yay, the TI-99 PEB. I remember drooling over this in the catalog but could never afford it.
😃😃😃
Yeah I bought mine from Triton with 32 k memory disk controller and drive. I paid 300.00 dollars. I didn't like the monster cable so I gave my box away. I would just like to have a disk drive and an interface so I can run my assembly disk. I have the memory and speech interface. I just kept the games and Milton Bradley game console but the headset needs to be rebuilt with new foam. I miss playing big foot and the baseball game. You can give each player a name and when you call out their name they catch the ball. Easy outs. The baseball game is designed for two players but I can play both sides with a little practice. You could program random pitches with minor modifications. My favorite thing is the three voice tone generator. You can program J. S. Bach 2 and 3 part inventions and Fugues. Not many other computers could do that most had only one voice. Maybe a noise voice . The apple computer can do four part harmony but you need a special board for a price. Their computer was way more expensive. I got my 99/4a for 99 dollars. 73
You guys have all the toys!
We know the **nicest** ppl.
the S&M House of TI99... brutal large but ya gonna luv it! haha. It does look cool though. I have to pick up our Corgi like that PEB.
Looool. The Corgi PEB comparison is so clutch.
New fan here.. awesome stuff!
Thanks, and welcome!
Manager: "I need you to design an expansion unit for our customers that don't have train fetishes."
Engineer: "Fine, but I hate this job so I'm gonna make it the size of a mainframe, able to kill any small child it falls on, and it shall connect to the computer with a cable the size of Santa's belt."
Manager: "Whatever - it looks like Commodore's running us out of the market by next year."
This is literally the only way that conversation could have gone down.
I love the remote reboot!
It's my favorite thing.
Everything's bigger in Texas! It looks like a supercomputer with that thing! And hooray for the Evey Button!
It's skynet!
I was half expecting that cable to attack like a python.
But for real!
I have to get one of those (the Peripheral Expansion Box) and the modern cards as well for my TI99/A.
Highly recommend!
TIPI is available in PEB and sidecar forms
We might be looking into that.
@@fractalMD Did you all get to PRGE? I had systems set up at my booth with TIPI there
@@arcadeshopper I wish. It looked like a lot of fun.
Crack that whip!
I’d love to get my grubby hands on a PEB. I picked up a TI, TIPI, Sidecare Ram, Speech Synthesizer, bunch of TI cartridges, and more at VCF-MW. Looking forward to seeing more TI 99/4A shenanigans!
Dang, you really did get all the things. Since we flew and didn't check bags we were lucky to make it back with the Atari 400 we snagged. Taking the Atari thru security was kinda funny.
@@fractalMD My tiny Saturn Ion was packed.
@@EricsEdgeVideos I'll bet!! Ha!
3:33 I think that is called BPDC ("Bondage-Purposes-Data-Connector")
Loooool
I’ve got to get a TI-99/4A. It’s got that big industrial look, particularly with the PEB. Makes you think it’s going to be super powerful, but them seems like a cross between a Tandy and some European system. The PEB is magnificent 😂
Truly magnificent!
Someone needs to 3D print some gothic flying buttresses for the interface.
Like full Notre Dame style!
there is a P-Box version of the TIPI interface. It works great. Arcadeshopper has a few.
Nice!
I always wanted one, but I have never seen the side view. It is a beast. I was better off with my standalone drives.
You could live in it!
"God's Own Surge Protector" needs to go on a shirt 🤣🤣
Taylor is hilarious like this 24/7. And I'm definitely thinking of adding some more t shirt designs......
I have a nanoPEB, it's clunky and doesn't want to work right. There are three versions of the TIPI. A sidecar with external pi, a more all in one with a pi zero that will fit in a gutted synthesizer case, and the TIPI PEB which is a card that goes into the PEB
Hmmmn.
Adrian Black just did a show on this same peripheral ... Luckily we have doctors standing by for any physical injuries...lol
Adrian is just the best. Heating pads and icy hot all around!
@@fractalMD Yeah, he's really cool to hang out with, super nice guy and I've been watching his channel for a while now. TBH, y'all are fun to hang out with too :)
@@johanlaurasia back atcha, John!
If I had the skills I would (1) redesign the board to use a true 16-bit bus. (2) add a functioning backspace key (3) onboard speech synth.
I believe in you!
You May use Double Density floppies with the original Hardware, only High Density will not work.
Oooh, good to know
The lack of the old aircraft fan of the PEM will make things quieter.
Ha! But I mean that is like half the fun.
My first computer, in beige.
"I love peripherals!" lol!
PERIPHERALS!!!
Ma'am 😳That slap! 😅
Right?!?!?!??!?!?
you need to buy the Dragon's Lair cartridge for TI99/4 it looks close to the arcade, all the VIDEO LASER DISK was encoded for the TMS9918!!!! and saved in ROM!.
Oooooh
Amy and Taylor,
As far as the single density disks go. You might be able to find disk images for it and then use a Greaseweazle to create real media for the system.
At least that is what I do when tinkering with the CoCo :D
Oh and the use of a Greaseweazle could also be a nice demo too :D
I am a fan of this name, Greaseweazle.
@@fractalMD ,
Here is a link to where to get the firmware and possible options for acquiring the Greaseweazle. :D
github.com/keirf/greaseweazle/wiki
You should check out my new 838-PEB that replaces this with a modern PC case and power supply. It is designed for use with the new 838-IO Plus card that replaces the bulky flex interface card.
Sounds pretty cool.
@@fractalMD Videos I made of the new 838-PEB in action:
Video #1: ua-cam.com/video/Kap86ksHbUE/v-deo.html
Video #2: ua-cam.com/video/xh1Mq1HeC8M/v-deo.html
I hope Taylor will be okay after lifting that beast. She might want to see a chiropractor or something.
Bengay at the very least.
That'd be an interesting crossover with Mondragon Chiropractic...
"So how did you hurt your back?"
"Well, I was lifting a sidecar solution for the TI99/4A when..."
@@WhatHoSnorkers That old chestnut.
16Bit Home Micro Computer that should have used the TMS99105A which has Floating Point functionality, if only they had given the unit a full 16bit data bus and a 24bit address bus things might have been better.
If only!
Have 2ea TI99/4As many games plus others and accessories. but most of all a Sony WEGA 36 to view them on, and all working great. How do I find someone that wants them?
Oh gosh. I mean we'd love it. But I can see shipping being pricey.
@@fractalMD Minneapolis, MN is where it is and 2- tI994As with many games, etc go with the TV, but act fast the wife says Best Buy recycling within the week. Maybe you know someone here to pick it up. Stand too optional.
@@sagecoach Do you have Twitter? If you tweet this info and tag us we'd be happy to retweet it for you to see if you could get some hits near you. Would hate for this to get recycled. I know for sure there are ppl that would love this.
@@fractalMD No, I am on no social networks. How far away are you?
@@sagecoach We are kickin it down in Memphis. Our address is under the about section if you need it.
But that's TMS990 not 6502 I had a 994a back around 1981. I think we got rid of it because either I or it broke where you put the cartridges in. That would work better if you didn't break the cable before trying it... Just recently I got my ti99sim working again in Linux and was trying to do more challenging things with it. I did succeed in sharing the system joystick to the ti, starting the extended basic, and loading a few discs, which seem to load automatically if they are attached at the time you start extended basic. I had a friend with the expansion box and he showed me Arcturus so it was a sort of long time goal to make it work and I did. But that being the case I remembered it as better or something and it is really horrible.
Thank you youtube algorithm for bringing me chicks who did TRS-80s...
We do exist!
Amy is gorgeous
Hey, I'll take it. 👍🏻
How much did it cost to post that?
Like, emotionally?
@@fractalMD Like, monetary cost?
@@notanfningain Surprisingly little due to generous donations from kind and lovely ppl. 😃
@@fractalMD I think notanfningain is asking how much it cost to ship the PEB.
@@tomcorwine3091 That's the thing, I'm not sure cause we didn't pay that cost.
TiPi is a big deal. WiFi connectivity, chat rooms, download and play any game you want right from your TI.
Alllll the things
backbit is NOT a disk drive, 06:47 it's a cartridge replacement.. only good for loading cartridge binaries from SD card.. and now drop tested ;)
It takes a lickin' and keeps on tickin'
Oops, I got that wrong! The full disk support is for commodore and tandy coco, not ti994a. Thanks.
@@TaylorAmyShow Firmware support for various things can be added, based on user demand :-)
Bathroom scale and weigh it? Really? C'mon.. every PEB wants to be called 'Beautiful Skinny PEB' ..just one time. 😪
Big is beautiful, too!
More physical abuse of subpar old computers, this time the flagrant lack of care for a potentially brittle 40-year old ribbon cable! Such dedication.
If you break the cable, you make a new cable and get new video content making the cable. Old stuff breaks. All things break.
At least 40% of my interest in these videos is now about the casual yet targeted physical abuse of old computers. I fully expect the next appearance of the C64 will involve folding dryer-fresh towels (run without dryer sheet) right next to the notoriously static-sensitive joystick ports.
@@jpcompton Thanks for the free idea!!! 🤣🤣🤣
@@davidbunt Moar CONTENT!!!
She never hit the computer... plus these are really robust, they even work upsidedown.. 😂😂
Is Amy single?