You system configuration

[matthew180]

Let's try to get an idea of what kids of hardware people have available. This helps us all consider what kinds of new games or hardware would be useful to the majority of people in our community. Since I can not possible include every possibility in the poll, feel free to post your system specs in this thread including how you like to use your system and what kinds of new hardware you might like to see.

 

I'll kick it off:

 

99/4A, speech synth, stock PEB, SSSD TI disk controller, 3 floppy drives (DSK1: 3.5", DSK2: 5.25" half height, 5.25" full height original in an external enclosure), TI RS232, XB, E/A, joysticks, cassette deck. I also have a CF7 that I just picked up at the 2010 Faire. I keep the original setup for nostalgia mostly, and use the CF7 for testing and moving files (I used to use the serial port and MagicFM.) I'd like a 99/4A laptop.

[lucien2]

Hey, I can't find the checkbox "I only run emulators"

[+InsaneMultitasker]

Geneve system installed in PC case containing:

TI PEB backplane, PC power supply, Geneve card, Myarc Floppy Controller connected to 5.25" drive, Myarc Hard and Floppy controller connected to MFM hard drive and 3.5" drive, TI RS232, Horizon RAMdisk, IDE card with CF installed, SCSI card connected to 2 EZ135 internal drives, and a SIDBlaster card.

 

TI system:

PEB system with varying controller cards (MFM,SSCI, or floppy), TI RS232, 32K, speech, Practical Peripherals 9600bps modem. EA, XB, MiniMem (for debugging and hardware repair/testing). Used primarily as my workbench system and card repair system.

CF7+ system with Funnelweb environment for testing programs, etc.

 

Connectivity: serial to ethernet via UDS10 device allows transfers of files over my network

[jaybird3rd]

My 99/4A system (mostly still in storage, unfortunately) consists of: several 99/4A consoles; a PEB with 32K RAM, Floppy Controller, and RS232 cards, along with a full-height 5.25-inch floppy drive; an MBX (complete in the box) with a couple of MBX games; Extended BASIC and E/A cartridges (both with full documentation); Speech Synthesizer; Mini-Memory cartridge (with a new battery that I installed); a pair of TI joysticks, an Atari joystick adapter, and a Wico 99/4A trackball; a cassette cable and a third-party cassette recorder; composite video cable and Commodore 1702 monitor.

[Tursi]

I have a pretty stock setup for the most part - console with internal 32k RAM (/not/ on the 16-bit bus), CF7 card is a recent acquisition which has done the trick for transferring programs that fit on a disk image. I have two PEBs each with TI controller, TI 32k, and TI RS232. Serial cable runs from the PEB to my PC. One PEB has one floppy drive and one has two (5.25 and 3.5"). Neither PEB has been attached to a TI for months. My console also has the PS/2 keyboard adapter installed. And of course numerous spare consoles.

[Opry99er]

I voted, but my vote might be a bit confusing.

 

I run a stock TI with a stock CF7.

 

I also run a TI with a PEB. This is my primary setup... It includes the following components

 

-Speech synth

-TI rs232

-TI disk controller

-Corcomp 32k memory

-(1) 5.25" drive

-(2) 3.5" drives

-MBX expansion system

-Cassette recorder

-Navarrone cart expander with (XB, EA, MiniMem) and hopefully will get these installed into my console someday. =)

 

*******

I'm quite interested in this poll. It'll be interesting to see what people use!

[marc.hull]

My TI system has 32K in the console w/ switchable wait states, Switchable crystal and several buttons and dials controlling implanted carts, a pause and rest button. My PEB has a RS232, Triple Tech card, WHT SCSI card, 3 MEG ram disk, SID Blaster and Corcrap FDC. My storage is dual 5.25 and 3.5" floppy disks with a switch to change designations, Two 256MB CF cards connected to SCSI/IDE bridge cards. I routinely use a Hayes 2400 baud modem and an Epson MX-80 printer. My joysticks are converted NES control pads. I also have a brand new (to me) IDE card with a 256 MB cf card attached.

 

My Geneve system consists of a PFM modified Geneve, 512K Myarc memory card, WHT SCSI card Myarc FDC and Rave speech adapter all hooked to a Jankey 1084s. Floppy Drives are both 3.5" mitsumi. Hard drives are 256 MB SCSI platters (I never had any luck with the syquest drives.)

[Opry99er]

Wow Marc.... You've got the world by the balls with that setup!!!

 

OT, but a question about your NES controllers.... I have some 3rd party NES controllers with headphone jacks built into the controller. On the plug-side, there is the standard NES plug and an RCA male plug for plugging into the Audio out jack on the NES (I think they ALL had them, but I'm sure some did, obviously)... Would it be possible to use a female/female coupler and run the TI audio through the controller and into my headphones which are plugged into the controller?

[marc.hull]

Wow Marc.... You've got the world by the balls with that setup!!!

 

OT, but a question about your NES controllers.... I have some 3rd party NES controllers with headphone jacks built into the controller. On the plug-side, there is the standard NES plug and an RCA male plug for plugging into the Audio out jack on the NES (I think they ALL had them, but I'm sure some did, obviously)... Would it be possible to use a female/female coupler and run the TI audio through the controller and into my headphones which are plugged into the controller?

 

Although I don't know what you are describing I think the answer is yes. Were these designed so a player could use headphones on the NES ? Take a picture.....

[Opry99er]

[marc.hull]

 

 

I would have to say a definite yes to that one then. Nes controllers are super easy to turn into TI controllers. Perhaps your first project...

[Opry99er]

Would you like one? I have two. . I'd be happy to send you one.

[Opry99er]

I would have to say a definite yes to that one then. Nes controllers are super easy to turn into TI controllers. Perhaps your first project...

 

Yes... It sounds like a good starter project. I have spare joysticks lying around and I also have a brand new joystick 9 pin bare metal piece with exposed connectors. Should I Frankenstein splice an old cable or go with the NOS (1986 on the box) component?

[marc.hull]

I would have to say a definite yes to that one then. Nes controllers are super easy to turn into TI controllers. Perhaps your first project...

 

Yes... It sounds like a good starter project. I have spare joysticks lying around and I also have a brand new joystick 9 pin bare metal piece with exposed connectors. Should I Frankenstein splice an old cable or go with the NOS (1986 on the box) component?

 

Most likely easiest and most educational would be to take an old pair of TI joysticks and cut the cord on the joystick end (not the connector end. .) Strip the wires (can't remember how many there are) and figure out which is common, which is the button and which are the directions. That way you can use the cable assembly with out going through the pain of building one.

 

Put a sprite on the screen and use call joyst & call key to move it around and detect the button. randomly touch wires until something happens. One of those wires will be the common one. Lather, rinse repeat until all 6 wires are sorted out and labeled. Although I don't think it would really hurt anything you should keep the wires from grounding out on any nearby objects when bare.

 

Report back your findings.

[+save2600]

Seconded - Yeah, it's really easy to re-wire a pair of TI joys for use with better controllers. You can hack Atari 2600 extension cables too so you have an easy way of swapping different joysticks as well.

 

Re: system configs, I really wish I would have kept my TI monitor, PEB and everything inside it, but back in the 90's - you didn't have as nice of a community such as this developing and talking about new software all the time. At least, I was not aware of one. Wasn't aware of all the great sites either, FTP's even with downloadable software like we have today.

 

As it stands now, I have the computer, Extended Basic, Mini Memory, Speech Synthesizer and a tape drive. I wouldn't mind getting a PEB again if the right deal came along

[+Vorticon]

I would have to say a definite yes to that one then. Nes controllers are super easy to turn into TI controllers. Perhaps your first project...

 

Yes... It sounds like a good starter project. I have spare joysticks lying around and I also have a brand new joystick 9 pin bare metal piece with exposed connectors. Should I Frankenstein splice an old cable or go with the NOS (1986 on the box) component?

 

Most likely easiest and most educational would be to take an old pair of TI joysticks and cut the cord on the joystick end (not the connector end. .) Strip the wires (can't remember how many there are) and figure out which is common, which is the button and which are the directions. That way you can use the cable assembly with out going through the pain of building one.

 

Put a sprite on the screen and use call joyst & call key to move it around and detect the button. randomly touch wires until something happens. One of those wires will be the common one. Lather, rinse repeat until all 6 wires are sorted out and labeled. Although I don't think it would really hurt anything you should keep the wires from grounding out on any nearby objects when bare.

 

Report back your findings.

You call that easy How about just going to Thierry Nouspikel's site and just looking up the joystick connector pinouts As far as I am concerned, I found that the Prostick sold by TexinTreasures works beautifully although it does require an adapter. My score on Parsec took a quantum leap upwards after I started using it he he...

[matthew180]

As it stands now, I have the computer, Extended Basic, Mini Memory, Speech Synthesizer and a tape drive. I wouldn't mind getting a PEB again if the right deal came along

 

I *gave away* a PEB at the 2005 Faire, along with a ton of other spare gear (books, carts, acoustic coupler, etc.) Every time I have been to the Faire, there has always been at least 1 PEB for sale or free to a good home.

[marc.hull]

As it stands now, I have the computer, Extended Basic, Mini Memory, Speech Synthesizer and a tape drive. I wouldn't mind getting a PEB again if the right deal came along

 

I *gave away* a PEB at the 2005 Faire, along with a ton of other spare gear (books, carts, acoustic coupler, etc.) Every time I have been to the Faire, there has always been at least 1 PEB for sale or free to a good home.

 

This is probably a heart breaker for some so I am sorry if this upsets you. About 3 years ago I met Tim in Tulsa to go through the late Harold Mayo's TI gear. There were a stack of PEB's seven feet high and 2 deep in the garage (sort of a tower of Mayo.) Unfortunate part is that they had been left to the elements and were growing some green moss on all the copper. Imagine a garage constructed partly of PEB's .

[John Doe]

Edited February 22, 2014 by Tony Knerr

[99'er Forever]

Nothing fancy.

 

PEB with 32k,Myrac RS232, TI disk controller, 1 IBM 5.25 drive, speech synthesizer

 

and too many boxed consoles.

[unhuman]

Bare TI + CF7+, speech synthesizer.

 

I have XB + Mini memory (I should test the battery)

 

Still looking for E/A cart

[Opry99er]

Oh hell Howie, you GOTTA have an EA cart!!! PM me your address.

[unhuman]

Oh hell Howie, you GOTTA have an EA cart!!! PM me your address.

 

PM SENT! Thanks!

[Opry99er]

The one I'm sending you was slated to be hard-installed into my machine... So if you come across another one free somewhere, send it my way! This will allow you to play just about every game for the TI... CF7, XB and EA. Great stuff, man. . Enjoy!!!

[unhuman]

The one I'm sending you was slated to be hard-installed into my machine... So if you come across another one free somewhere, send it my way! This will allow you to play just about every game for the TI... CF7, XB and EA. Great stuff, man. . Enjoy!!!

 

Oh I know what it means! I've started to use real hardware again - and just don't have an E/A (although I had one as a kid) - which is more fun with the kids... Hard installing sounds yummy!

 

-H