[Floppy Drive Question]

This seems insanely expensive

 

http://www.mgtape.com/PTI60098SAS.aspx

 

Is this what I want to buy? Also could you link me to the proper cable to connect the controller to the second drive please?

[Floppy Drive Question]

First I would like to say to thanks to everyone for their help. I finally got my TI-99 PEB in a state where it seems to not crash *knocks on wood* which is awesome so I am feeling like it is time for another dumb question!

 

So I have a PEB with 32K card, RS 232 card, disk controller and full height 5.25" floppy drive. All are TI brand and original stock. I also have a second disk controller card and full height 5.25" floppy drive. (among other misc stuff)

 

My question is I see that the disk controller seems have some exposed circuits out the back of it. Is it possible to hook up another floppy drive to it? Is it possible to put two disk controller in the same PEB? If so how would one go about powering the second floppy drive? Is there a place to buy a 5.25" external floppy drive housing with the 4 pin power plug? Would it be better to hook up a hard drive as opposed to a floppy drive? I also have a 2 cassette player cable (no cassette players) would this be a better or maybe additional option?

 

My goals are to use original equipment if possible. I know there are some awesome mods available, and I have a second PEB I would like to get some of those for in the future, but I am trying to make my current original machine as functional as possible.

 

All of these questions were spawned as I play the Legends RPG and save my game to the original disk every time. It would be cool I thought to have a second disk drive so that I could make copies of my games disks without altering them permanently.

 

Again I apologize for my lack of knowledge and dumb questions and appreciate any help.

[TI-99 Troubleshooting]

So I just bought another console on ebay for $50. Now, I remove my speech synthesizer to see if I can get the interface cable to reseed and the game/disk boots up fine! I am not sure it will last, but ironically I JUST sold my spare speech synthesizer yesterday..... ugh

[TI-99 Troubleshooting]

Hi,

an easy test for the 32K (if you do not have the diagnostix-tool from TI) is just to start the DU2K-Utility from FloppyDisk.

 

What is this? Do you have a link by any chance? Hopefully this is a cart, since I would not be able to run any disk based programs.

 

In case of a defective 32K-Card you should get a blank, light-green screen and the console hangs.

 

My 32K card reads fine when I type the SIZE command in XB, wouldn't this indicate a broken/defective card?

 

I do not say that this is for sure, and that this is a good test, but better then no check if you don´t have the Diagnostics-tool.

In every case, should should try the diagnostics-tool to run against your PEB and your 32K.

 

Is the diagnostic software listed above for testing the PEB itself?

 

You also could try to run some programs with and without the 32K, to find out wether the TI hangs again.

 

So I powered the TI on yesterday to show my dad something and the disk died. I switched out the interface cable and disk drive itself from my other PEB and couldn't get it to work. When it switched them back, then viola! it worked again until.... it died in the middle of playing Legends and hence my post above. The only difference is that I have the 32K in slot 4 instead of 2, but it has worked and not worked in slot 2. Very confusing as I cannot eliminate a variable and seem to get different results without changing anything (isn't this a sign of madness??)

 

very important: if you switch off all your equip to dismount the 32K, WAIT at least two minutes (2 !) before dismounting it.

Also test this "hanging" software without the whole PEB if possible, maybe try to save your program to cassette maybe,

of coming from floppydisk in origin.....

 

I do not have a TI cassette recorder, but I do have the cable to connect it. I suppose if any tape and recorder would work then I could try taping over some old Guns N Roses, but what program would I tape?

 

You could also try to reseat the Flexcard-Interface properly, and to check that there is no dust in the slots of the PEB,

and that the contacts of your cards are "clean".

 

I did reseat the flexcard. Is there a good way to clean the contacts? I know with old video games I always clean the contact with rubbing alcohol, is this acceptable here? Should I just clean ALL of the contacts on the exposed board pins as well as PEB slots?

 

But overall, this "just dropped to XB" is very suspicious, maybe the module or the slot ?

Also, chek for clean and proper contacts here.

 

A test-console would be possible, but I am sitting here in germany, as shippingcosts don´t like that

 

Yea I am in Minnesota. I only wish I knew someone local that could help me troubleshoot. Sometimes it just works better in person.

 

Viel Erfolg

Ralf

 

Hi Ralf,

 

I'll try to respond in the body of your message ^^^ Thanks very much for your response.

[TI-99 Troubleshooting]

Do you have a second console to try? The fact that it "just dropped into XB" has me wondering if it might be in the console ltself.

 

That's actually what Chris recommended that I do. My console has a big dent in it and until recently I had to wiggle it around to get it to even display color.

 

Anyone have a console they know works and would be willing to part with? Should I do this as the next step. I am just afraid of sinking more $$$ into this and still not having a working machine. My wife is very understanding but at some point she will kill me Should I just ebay a console then?

[TI Related -- Ebay / Heads Up Notice]

 

Thanks to years of using emulators, I have a complete collection of the Scott Adam's and Questprobe Adventure series, but like everything else TI related, I am trying to get copies of originals where I can...

 

I've found a few sources of tapes and disks and prices have been VERY reasonable so far (ranging from free to $5 a title).

 

Then yesterday I saw these ads...

 

- Buckaroo Banzai (disk)

 

- Spiderman (disk)

 

- The Hulk (disk)

 

- Sorcerer of Claymorgue (tape)

 

and gained a new appreciation of how little I've been paying...

 

even so, $122 with shipping ???? (in the US - nearly $200 on this side of the border)

 

Is that really what these are worth nowadays or has pot been legalized in Iowa?

 

Just curious, because sometimes prices seem outrageous but turn out to be dead on within collector circles.

 

(Is it even wise to buy sealed 30 year old magnetic media? Is there not a distinct possibility that these could be degaussed by now? Or is physical ownership so valuable that such things don't matter?)

 

I haven't tested mine as I am still trying to get a reliable disk drive to work, but I bought all three of these from Iowa. (not the NES box) Also apparently there was a TrueValue store that was locked up one day out of business for 30 years and reopened about a year ago so that's where all this NOS came from. There are/were at least two guys on ebay selling stuff from the store that was TI related.

 

[TI-99 Troubleshooting]

Hi Schmitzi,

 

Thanks for the response. The 32K card I bought separately from my original PEB. While it was in that PEB when I was trying to get it working, it did not come with it. Do you think this could be the problem? When I run a SIZE command in XB it seems to be functioning properly, but I am really new to all this I am willing to try anything.

 

The old PEB kept giving me a I/O 56 error on the disk drive. It wouldn't let me run any tests in Disk Manager 2.0 at all. Also I got the drive and controller from Chris Schneider (Thanks Chris!!) and he was even kind enough to ship me a second controller and drive to test because the first set wouldn't function. Sadly the second set wouldn't function either, hence why I just bought an entire new PEB.

 

Basically I have spent around $1000 (I wont list all my equipment unless you really want me to) and have nothing to show for it. The console still plays carts, but I really want to play disks, and get a lantronix and all that other fun stuff....

[TI-99 Troubleshooting]

I apologize if this is supposed to go in a different part of the forums.

 

So I recently bought a second PEB (couldn't get the first one to work) and was playing Legends on it last night. In the middle of the game the game just drops to XB. When I try to run anything on the disk drive it tells me I/O error 00. The red light doesn't come on and the disk controller light doesn't come on. It's like the thing is dead. Anyone have any suggestions?

 

Thanks very much in advance to any insight.

[Games - Ghosts 'n Goblins]

I was watching this last night:

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HtiS7rPjkvY

 

It seems that perhaps the TI is technically superior to some of these machines?

 

Is there any way to get this game on the TI?

 

Are there any similar games?

 

Sorry for the dumb questions!

[WTB: Strike Three! for the TI-99/4a]

I just got one from eBay. Black shell complete FAKE copy with copy of the manual. I am sending it back.