Retrospect Posted September 28, 2012 Share Posted September 28, 2012 The port at the top of the console was meant to be for an Infra-Red so I'm told, apparently these ports were still in the TI99/4 from 1979, just covered over with the new aluminium shell.... Has anyone ever seen one of these rare prototypes, anyone got any more pics of one other than this ? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moulinaie Posted September 28, 2012 Share Posted September 28, 2012 The port at the top of the console was meant to be for an Infra-Red so I'm told, apparently these ports were still in the TI99/4 from 1979, just covered over with the new aluminium shell.... Has anyone ever seen one of these rare prototypes, anyone got any more pics of one other than this ? What was the use of such a port? IR josticks? Printers? Modems? Have you some informations? Guillaume. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Retrospect Posted September 28, 2012 Author Share Posted September 28, 2012 http://www.computerhistory.org/collections/accession/X720.86 That's the page I got it from, I have read somewhere else on the web (can't remember where! damn) that the TI99 was meant to have infra-red upon release in '79 but they pulled it at the last minute because they thought it was too ahead of it's time and it might scare buyers off ..... The IR was for remote controllers, and other peripherals (not sure what) .... as I say , I can't remember the website of the information I originally read (a year or so ago) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moulinaie Posted September 28, 2012 Share Posted September 28, 2012 http://www.computerh...cession/X720.86 That's the page I got it from, I have read somewhere else on the web (can't remember where! damn) that the TI99 was meant to have infra-red upon release in '79 but they pulled it at the last minute because they thought it was too ahead of it's time and it might scare buyers off ..... The IR was for remote controllers, and other peripherals (not sure what) .... as I say , I can't remember the website of the information I originally read (a year or so ago) That reminds me that the Exel french computer was designed by three ex-ingeneers from Texas Instruments and had IR port for separate keyboard and joysticks. http://www.ti99.com/exelvision/website/ Guillaume. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Willsy Posted September 28, 2012 Share Posted September 28, 2012 http://www.computerh...cession/X720.86 That's the page I got it from, I have read somewhere else on the web (can't remember where! damn) that the TI99 was meant to have infra-red upon release in '79 but they pulled it at the last minute because they thought it was too ahead of it's time and it might scare buyers off ..... The IR was for remote controllers, and other peripherals (not sure what) .... as I say , I can't remember the website of the information I originally read (a year or so ago) Hmmm.... I'm not so sure. A lot of the software specification documents (GPL etc) from ~1978 survive, and, as far as I can remember, none of them have ever mentioned infra-red. You would expect to see mentions of it somewhere.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tursi Posted September 28, 2012 Share Posted September 28, 2012 No, it's true. The original system had up to four infrared connected, analog joysticks. The 99/4 ROM still has the ability to read the analog joysticks and MESS has implemented support for them. The range of the sticks was -7 to +7. You can also see this in the old Diagnostics cart which has room for four sticks and analog returns. It's also true that the port was still in the plastics in the 99/4, just covered up. Most 99/4s are slightly different in what is covered and what is not. Other points to note - that unit has the headphone jack at bottom left - some 99/4s covered that hole up with a plastic plug. On the right side the console, the "Solid State Software" badge actually fills in the slot for the volume slider, some 99/4s have that volume slider installed. High resolution pictures of my old 99/4, dismantled and with focus on areas that differ from the 99/4A, are here: http://harmlesslion.com/gtwo/v/Projects/ti994/ I've never seen it called a Dimension 4, though, that's interesting. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RXB Posted September 28, 2012 Share Posted September 28, 2012 I saw some IR GPL source years ago and saw a volume slider on a TI that Tursi mentioned in a store one day back when I first bought my first TI. More then likely that was a demo or something. In the XB source code I used to have the hand written notes on side bar showed a hand drawn IR flow chart. Also I think IR is mentioned in the GPL manual. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Retrospect Posted September 29, 2012 Author Share Posted September 29, 2012 That reminds me that the Exel french computer was designed by three ex-ingeneers from Texas Instruments and had IR port for separate keyboard and joysticks. http://www.ti99.com/...vision/website/ Guillaume. You have reminded me! ... I did read also that the IR was for Joysticks AND an external keyboard for the Dimension 4, How ahead of it's time was that ... its a shame they didn't release it, it wouldn't have taken anything away from the TI99, just added to it ... imagine playing Parsec with analog sticks or having a choice of keyboards for programming on! By the way, I've just heard news that TI are stopping making the OMAP chips, saying there's too much competition from Apple and Samsung ..... this reminds me of 1984, when they pulled out of the home computer sector due to competition from Commodore. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tursi Posted September 29, 2012 Share Posted September 29, 2012 Really!! Do you have a link for the OMAP stop? We are working on something using that chip at work... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Retrospect Posted September 29, 2012 Author Share Posted September 29, 2012 Really!! Do you have a link for the OMAP stop? We are working on something using that chip at work... Sorry, I was misinformed , they're not stopping it completely , there's news of it here; http://www.itproportal.com/2012/09/27/texas-instruments-to-refocus-omap-products-away-from-smartphones-and-tablets/ 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Retrospect Posted September 30, 2012 Author Share Posted September 30, 2012 Seems to me, Apple and Samsung are dominating the market for smartphones and tablets, it's a shame that TI felt the need to move they're product away from that sector into something "less heated" such as car technology. I've been told Apple are getting quite trigger-happy with lawsuits too. They apparently are suing Samsung (or HAVE sued Samsung) over something silly like "You're smartphone looks like ours" .... Sorry, but don't Samsung make the Retina screen for Apple?! Anyhow, I would have loved for TI to have actually succeeded in that market sector and perhaps maybe even released a tablet of they're own but it isn't going to happen ...... they only make chips as it is, such as DLP for projectors etc etc With the current trend for retro computers coming back (Commodore C64 and VIc 20) it would be great to see a return of the TI-99/4A in a brushed aluminium shell with all the mod cons ... where the cartridge port was there should be a DVD drive,,,,, this is all a dream of mine but wouldn't it be great! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Willsy Posted September 30, 2012 Share Posted September 30, 2012 Here's another link: here Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Retrospect Posted September 30, 2012 Author Share Posted September 30, 2012 (edited) pffft Apple do nothing but bite the hand that feeds them. I wish Texas all the best of luck with they're move to other appliances, probably the best thing for them to do since the market for tablets and phones is so cut throat with market domineering.... leave Apple and Samsung to it I say. So, upon reading these news articles it looks like Texas are dropping the OMAP due to not being in the tablet/phone market .... ? Edited September 30, 2012 by Retrospect Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tursi Posted October 1, 2012 Share Posted October 1, 2012 Looks like they are only giving up on phones and tablets. We're an embedded product, so I guess we can expect support until TI pulls the plug on it in full. Explains why they were so eager to sign us, though! Time to go lean on the sales rep for that promised TI Swag. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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