PeBo Posted January 18, 2015 Share Posted January 18, 2015 (edited) Here's an ebay auction. Yes, I know it's a 99/4A (duh!) but the seller states that it includes a homebrew toggle on the left side. (see attached thumb). I'm thinking of buying this console as a test bed unit (Canadian seller = nearly free shipping and no import fees!) but would like to know what Frankenwork might have been done to it, before I...well before I do some Frankenwork to it. Any ideas about what this toggle might have been installed for? It's nowhere near the motherboard....could it be a alpha lock toggle? Edited January 18, 2015 by PeBo Quote Link to comment https://forums.atariage.com/topic/233958-so-any-idea-what-this-might-be/ Share on other sites More sharing options...
Omega-TI Posted January 18, 2015 Share Posted January 18, 2015 Just guessing here, but my money is on the << CONSOLE SPEED UP >>but it might even be a pause or load interrupt. Quote Link to comment https://forums.atariage.com/topic/233958-so-any-idea-what-this-might-be/#findComment-3156627 Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Ksarul Posted January 18, 2015 Share Posted January 18, 2015 It could be several things: a load interrupt switch, an alpha-lock toggle, a 4MHz overclocking switch, or even a switch to control an in-console 32K memory modification. . . Quote Link to comment https://forums.atariage.com/topic/233958-so-any-idea-what-this-might-be/#findComment-3156634 Share on other sites More sharing options...
+OLD CS1 Posted January 18, 2015 Share Posted January 18, 2015 It could also open the beer fridge. 1 Quote Link to comment https://forums.atariage.com/topic/233958-so-any-idea-what-this-might-be/#findComment-3156681 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gazoo Posted January 18, 2015 Share Posted January 18, 2015 It could also disable the Groms for use with an HSGPL card. Then again, it could fire a Photon Torpedo at the Klingons. Gazoo 2 Quote Link to comment https://forums.atariage.com/topic/233958-so-any-idea-what-this-might-be/#findComment-3156696 Share on other sites More sharing options...
+InsaneMultitasker Posted January 18, 2015 Share Posted January 18, 2015 Maybe it transforms the TI into a Commodore 64. Quote Link to comment https://forums.atariage.com/topic/233958-so-any-idea-what-this-might-be/#findComment-3156714 Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparkdrummer Posted January 20, 2015 Share Posted January 20, 2015 Since this topic already asks the question "What is it?" I figured I'd post it here. Yet another item dug up from going thru my cart pile. The device below I acquired from a former member of the VAST Users Group here in Phoenix, J.R. Klabunde. Jan was an exceedingly intelligent individual and usually spoke way above my level of understanding. He even wrote an article or two for the defunct Arizona 99 UG - which really wasn't a users group but a private business of sorts that sold newsletters and other TI stuff. You can read one of Jans articles on the WHT, under Arizona users group Feb-Mar 1984 - "The Secret Assembler" Anyway, I got this thing from Jan and I thought it was a non battery backed supercart, but I'll be damned if I can remember. The SPDT switch is toast so I'll have to replace it. Anybody have any ideas on this thingie? conTInuing, -Ralph... 1 Quote Link to comment https://forums.atariage.com/topic/233958-so-any-idea-what-this-might-be/#findComment-3158203 Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Ksarul Posted January 21, 2015 Share Posted January 21, 2015 Definitely a RAM cartridge for the >6000 space--and it has a pass-through to plug the E/A cart into it. It looks to have a reset button too. Quote Link to comment https://forums.atariage.com/topic/233958-so-any-idea-what-this-might-be/#findComment-3158258 Share on other sites More sharing options...
+OLD CS1 Posted January 21, 2015 Share Posted January 21, 2015 Really cool find. Quote Link to comment https://forums.atariage.com/topic/233958-so-any-idea-what-this-might-be/#findComment-3158318 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Willsy Posted January 21, 2015 Share Posted January 21, 2015 Definitely a RAM cartridge for the >6000 space--and it has a pass-through to plug the E/A cart into it. It looks to have a reset button too. it looks too wide to fit in the cart port. Looks like it sits on the side port. My guess is a simple 32k. Quote Link to comment https://forums.atariage.com/topic/233958-so-any-idea-what-this-might-be/#findComment-3158532 Share on other sites More sharing options...
UKRetrogamer Posted January 21, 2015 Share Posted January 21, 2015 it looks too wide to fit in the cart port. Looks like it sits on the side port. My guess is a simple 32k. 4 x Hitachi HM6116LP-3, so definitely a RAM expansion of some design. If this one fits on the side port, we could do with someone re-engineering and selling something like this via AtariAge as a companion for the new multi-carts. Needing a PEB/nanoPEB plugged in just to use them can be a PITA when your Ti-99 isn't permanently set up. Quote Link to comment https://forums.atariage.com/topic/233958-so-any-idea-what-this-might-be/#findComment-3158549 Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheMole Posted January 21, 2015 Share Posted January 21, 2015 (edited) it looks too wide to fit in the cart port. Looks like it sits on the side port. My guess is a simple 32k. I think you might be misjudging the scale. This thing has 18 fingers on the connector (like the cartridge port), the side port needs 22. *edit* per side, that is... Edited January 21, 2015 by TheMole 1 Quote Link to comment https://forums.atariage.com/topic/233958-so-any-idea-what-this-might-be/#findComment-3158556 Share on other sites More sharing options...
carlsson Posted January 21, 2015 Share Posted January 21, 2015 Maybe it transforms the TI into a Commodore 64. In the Swedish children's TV series Kenny Starfighter (1997), the hero had a TI-99/4A that when he powered it on, was greeted with a Commodore 64 display, of course in some made-up computer system that was not supposed to be either, but it baffled me about who had casted the show must have come across a TI, thought it looked niftier on TV than a C64 but the pretended super computer was easier to do with C64 style graphics. Quote Link to comment https://forums.atariage.com/topic/233958-so-any-idea-what-this-might-be/#findComment-3158559 Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparkdrummer Posted January 21, 2015 Share Posted January 21, 2015 It plugs into the cartridge port. conTInuing, -Ralph... 2 Quote Link to comment https://forums.atariage.com/topic/233958-so-any-idea-what-this-might-be/#findComment-3158596 Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Ksarul Posted January 22, 2015 Share Posted January 22, 2015 I see you use it exactly as I had it pictured in my head when I initially looked at this--neat. I suspect the switch turns off the memory so that you can use other cartridges (other than the E/A) without removing it and so as not to interfere with them. Quote Link to comment https://forums.atariage.com/topic/233958-so-any-idea-what-this-might-be/#findComment-3159113 Share on other sites More sharing options...
Willsy Posted January 22, 2015 Share Posted January 22, 2015 I wonder if it sucks the contents of the cart out so that they can be saved to disk? It would need some companion software. Quote Link to comment https://forums.atariage.com/topic/233958-so-any-idea-what-this-might-be/#findComment-3159515 Share on other sites More sharing options...
PeBo Posted January 22, 2015 Author Share Posted January 22, 2015 Could it be a « gram kracker » type device? Quote Link to comment https://forums.atariage.com/topic/233958-so-any-idea-what-this-might-be/#findComment-3159758 Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Ksarul Posted January 23, 2015 Share Posted January 23, 2015 It is basically a supercart that doesn't mangle an E/A cart. . . Quote Link to comment https://forums.atariage.com/topic/233958-so-any-idea-what-this-might-be/#findComment-3159876 Share on other sites More sharing options...
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