mister35mm Posted December 16, 2015 Share Posted December 16, 2015 Hello there everyone. I am a recent TI99/4a owner. I got one to tinker with and to run one of the cartridge versions of FORTH. As of 01:41am Wednesday December 16th, I have THREE or possibly FOUR TI99/4a's and still no FORTH of any kind. I am trying to collect one every FORTH implementation, starting with 8bit cartridges (mostly commodore) and I've setup a FORTH group on Facebook called "FORTH PROGRAMMING LANGUAGE" https://www.facebook.com/groups/PROGRAMMINGFORTH/ I am finding the ti99/4a very infuriating, as it feels like it was designed by a committee in a great hurry. In some respects it reminds me of the TRS80 model 1 level 2, with external expansion boxes for RAM, RS232 and disk drives. 1. As TI made only 250,000 PEB's it's beginning to look like building a workable system WITHOUT one is extremely challenging and frustrating. Is it the only way to add floppy disks? 2. I want to get the Ti Editor Assembler and experiment with it, but reading the documentation it appears that many of the essential tools are on floppy disk (I was going to buy a new-old-stock copy online) 3. 16k is not normally too cramped for for most copies of forth I've tried (I used to run it on an 8k Commodore Pet, with plenty of space to spare) but unless you are use only cartridges getting beyond 16kb to 32kb or more is going to be a real problem. 4. I have plans to use a monitor rather than a TV with Ti 99/4a and connecting the two seems VERY difficult unless you use a special Sony Broadcast type monitor, when you can adjust which colour (This is the correct spelling) contains the sync signal. Unless, however, I buy ANOTHER Ti99/4a, but this time an NTSC one which is MUCH easier to connect to a SCART based TV. (I have to say, every other 1980's home computer maker made this easier!!) 5. Connecting the Ti 99/4a to the outside world. On a lot of 8-bit micros, you can connect the machine's rs232 port, even if it's a weird commodore or atari one using +5 & -5volts rather than +/-12v to a regular PC serial port and use the PC as a shared disk drive or server. Remember I've NO big silver PEB and unless there's a miracle, there's not going to be one. 6. Ok, this is a bit off-beat. As a radio ham (G7VFY is my call sign) it would be really nice if there was some useful ham radio software? Morse or RTTY decode? Digital modes like JT65 or PSK31 would be nice, slowscan TV etc. Ok Finished ranting for now. Oh, and I've heard of NANO-PEB and I think I've managed to order one. regards Stephen 07956-544202 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Ksarul Posted December 16, 2015 Share Posted December 16, 2015 You will have a lot of fun here--and there are several Forth addicts in this group. . . If you've ordered a NanoPEB, that gives you access to the 32K you need for most assembly and Forth programming, and it also gives you disk volumes located on its compact flash card (and a serial port too). That gets you past the need for a standard PEB. On connecting a TI via SCART, your TI machines are the European PAL type, correct? If so you want to look carefully on eBay France to see if you can locate a PHA2037 like the one included in the auction I linked to. It is the RGB modulator that was sold only in France, and it definitely works with SCART. On the 16K in the TI console, you have to realize that the TI is a bit of an odd duck when it comes to memory. The console only has 256 bytes of CPU RAM. The 16K of RAM in the console belongs to the VDP, and isn't directly addressed by the CPU. It is not suitable for storage and execution of Assembly or Forth programs in the way you would expect from other systems. The system ROMs are also different. 8K of system ROM is really ROM, but it also has three additional ROM-like chips called GROMs, each with 6K of additional programming in them. GROM is an odd memory chip with an auto-incrementing 13-bit address bus and presents the next byte of data to the data bus based on where the GROMs are in their auto-increment cycle. All GROMs in the system increment in lock-step, with only the one actually selected presenting data. These chips are not available commercially. Cartridges may also be a mix of ROM and GROM chips--and may have either or both chip types in the same cartridge. The Editor Assembler cartridge is GROM only, while Extended BASIC has both GROM and ROM. Third-party cartridges are generally ROM only (with some exceptions). Several of us worked to get a modern substitute for GROM chips, a project that culminated in the UberGROM board. It holds a LOT more than the original TI cartridges (up to 512K of bank-switched ROM and up to 120K of GROM). Lots of useful utility images are available to be programmed into it. Look at the cartridge board thread for more on these and the other cartridge boards I make--and there are two different Forth images for the Black Guidry boards (another of the cartridge boards). 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Ksarul Posted December 16, 2015 Share Posted December 16, 2015 Oh yes, there is HAM software for the TI too--the cartridge you are looking for is the Hamsoft module, which connects to the side port of the TI, not the cartridge port. It connects to an RTTY interface. . .aptly called The Interface. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Lee Stewart Posted December 16, 2015 Share Posted December 16, 2015 Welcome aboard, Stephen! If it's Forth cartridges you want, we've got 'em. There's my fbForth 2.0 (see this thread here on AA: fbForth—TI Forth with File-based Block I/O ) and Mark Wills' (@Willsy) TurboForth (see Mark's website, ). Both Forths are discussed in various threads here on AA. ...lee 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tursi Posted December 16, 2015 Share Posted December 16, 2015 I am finding the ti99/4a very infuriating, as it feels like it was designed by a committee in a great hurry. It essentially was, but over a long period of time. 1. As TI made only 250,000 PEB's it's beginning to look like building a workable system WITHOUT one is extremely challenging and frustrating. Is it the only way to add floppy disks? They aren't terribly uncommon, just expensive to ship. There is a 'sidecar' adapter. Most people these days are using the "nanoPeb" when it comes up on EBay, which provides a Compact Flash replacement and 32k RAM to boot. This would also solve your E/A concern and memory expansion concern. For the 32k, there are also a number of internal mods you can do if you're handy with a soldering iron. 4. I have plans to use a monitor rather than a TV with Ti 99/4a and connecting the two seems VERY difficult unless you use a special Sony Broadcast type monitor, when you can adjust which colour (This is the correct spelling) contains the sync signal. Unless, however, I buy ANOTHER Ti99/4a, but this time an NTSC one which is MUCH easier to connect to a SCART based TV. (I have to say, every other 1980's home computer maker made this easier!!) yeah, I have no experience with the PAL TI-99/4A, but the NTSC one at least outputs standard composite video. You also have the option of installing an F18A from codehackcreate.com, which will give you a VGA output. It's plug and play, no soldering required (but you do have to cut a hole for the VGA cable). 5. Connecting the Ti 99/4a to the outside world. On a lot of 8-bit micros, you can connect the machine's rs232 port, even if it's a weird commodore or atari one using +5 & -5volts rather than +/-12v to a regular PC serial port and use the PC as a shared disk drive or server. Remember I've NO big silver PEB and unless there's a miracle, there's not going to be one. I think there's a version of HDX that works with the NanoPEB, and that gives you a network-like connection over RS232. But if you have that unit you can also just plug the CF card directly into your PC. You need software that can talk to it to copy the disk images across, though. I use TI99Dir, I think there are others. Can't help with HAM stuff. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
atrax27407 Posted December 16, 2015 Share Posted December 16, 2015 There is also Wycove Forth and a cartridge-based version of Fig Forth as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Lee Stewart Posted December 16, 2015 Share Posted December 16, 2015 And—lest we forget—there is still TI Forth (though not in cartridge format). ...lee Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mister35mm Posted December 17, 2015 Author Share Posted December 17, 2015 Forgive my random questioning, but is anyone still doing this:- http://www.mainbyte.com/ti99/32K16/32k16.html switchable 32kb upgrade. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Omega-TI Posted December 17, 2015 Share Posted December 17, 2015 Forgive my random questioning, but is anyone still doing this:- http://www.mainbyte.com/ti99/32K16/32k16.html switchable 32kb upgrade. I'm not sure if there are any currently available boards for this particular 32K upgrade. HOWEVER a number of us are actively getting ready for << THIS VERSION of the 32K upgrade >> in January. In fact many of us already have the parts and are just waiting for work, holidays and other things to get out of the way before we start. Check it out, you may find it a viable alternative. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RickyDean Posted December 17, 2015 Share Posted December 17, 2015 Forgive my random questioning, but is anyone still doing this:- http://www.mainbyte.com/ti99/32K16/32k16.html switchable 32kb upgrade. I believe that there is a hardware project that some members of this group are going to do together using this forum as a coordination point, that is either the same or similar. I have done two similar in the past(distant) and will eventually working on twp zeno board projects as soon as some of my other project work is complete. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RickyDean Posted December 17, 2015 Share Posted December 17, 2015 I'm not sure if there are any currently available boards for this particular 32K upgrade. HOWEVER a number of us are actively getting ready for << THIS VERSION of the 32K upgrade >> in January. In fact many of us already have the parts and are just waiting for work, holidays and other things to get out of the way before we start. Check it out, you may find it a viable alternative. looks like we had the same thought at the same time:) 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Omega-TI Posted December 17, 2015 Share Posted December 17, 2015 looks like we had the same thought at the same time:) Hey, great minds think alike! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RickyDean Posted December 17, 2015 Share Posted December 17, 2015 Hey, great minds think alike! Heh,Heh. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mister35mm Posted December 17, 2015 Author Share Posted December 17, 2015 (edited) Has anyone ever seen this ham radio cartridge/addon for the Ti99/4a? HAMSOFT FOR THE TI-99: A 99/4A-specific command module with a cable connecting the module to an interface, which in turn connects to a transceiver for Ham Radio use powered by the TI-99/4A. It was produced by Kantronics Inc. 1202 E. 23rd St. Lawrence, KS 66044 (913) 842-7745 copyright April 1, 1983. The Hamsoft module software features included: - Send/Receive Morse Code at a rate of 5-99 words per minute, - Send/Receive Radio Teletype at 60, 67, 75 and 100 words per minute, - Send/Receive ASCII text at 100 and 300 baud, - Optional upshift on space, - Optional diddle, - Parallel printer compatibility, - Keyboard audio feedback, - Optional automatic ID, - Word wraparound, - Optional automatic carriage return, - Optional automatic linefeed, - Message ports storage, - Time transmission, and - It was callable from TI BASIC. Here is a VIDEO of the VIC-20 version, which I am also looking for. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VvtqxZvCLQs Edited December 17, 2015 by mister35mm 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Omega-TI Posted December 17, 2015 Share Posted December 17, 2015 Good luck finding one of those old devices! I take it you're into old HF modes? With the advent of cheap and faster PC's, many people have migrated over to the USB sound card based devices that let the software do the heavy work. Like the various << RIGblasters >> or the << Tigertronics >> units. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mister35mm Posted December 17, 2015 Author Share Posted December 17, 2015 Ok, but that's just TOO easy! Anyway, how else can I justify having all this geriatric redundant hardware sitting around. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RickyDean Posted December 17, 2015 Share Posted December 17, 2015 Has anyone ever seen this ham radio cartridge/addon for the Ti99/4a? HAMSOFT FOR THE TI-99: A 99/4A-specific command module with a cable connecting the module to an interface, which in turn connects to a transceiver for Ham Radio use powered by the TI-99/4A. It was produced by Kantronics Inc. 1202 E. 23rd St. Lawrence, KS 66044 (913) 842-7745 copyright April 1, 1983. The Hamsoft module software features included: - Send/Receive Morse Code at a rate of 5-99 words per minute, - Send/Receive Radio Teletype at 60, 67, 75 and 100 words per minute, - Send/Receive ASCII text at 100 and 300 baud, - Optional upshift on space, - Optional diddle, - Parallel printer compatibility, - Keyboard audio feedback, - Optional automatic ID, - Word wraparound, - Optional automatic carriage return, - Optional automatic linefeed, - Message ports storage, - Time transmission, and - It was callable from TI BASIC. Here is a VIDEO of the VIC-20 version, which I am also looking for. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VvtqxZvCLQs I have to look at what I have but I do have one HAMSOFT FOR THE TI-99 at the house, just recently found a manual for it online, but haven't tried to do anything with it as of yet. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mister35mm Posted December 17, 2015 Author Share Posted December 17, 2015 (edited) Yes, the manual can be found here:- ftp://kirklanduncorked.com/datasheets%20and%20manuals/Hardware/hamsoft%20manual.pdf It is the first addon I've seen that SPECIFICALLY does not require, and is incompatible with, the PEB. Which is interesting. and it looks like this:- https://scontent-lhr3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xap1/t31.0-8/12370918_1057782664266071_5459171734117987148_o.jpg Edited December 17, 2015 by mister35mm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mister35mm Posted December 17, 2015 Author Share Posted December 17, 2015 I'd love to do this on my vintage gear.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Omega-TI Posted December 17, 2015 Share Posted December 17, 2015 I lost interest in Amateur Radio quite a few years back and let my license expire. Back in the day I was heavy into Packet, I even worked the ISS a few times on both digital and voice modes. I could normally be found on 2m/70cm and occasionally on 6m during a decent opening. Unfortunately the Internet started intruding on and eliminating the Packet HF backbone for the Packet network and the politics of the situation was not enjoyable from a hobby aspect, so I ended up pulling out of the digital stuff. Many of the OM I used to have QSO's with went and became silent keys, then life got in the way and I drifted off to other stuff. There is nothing there to entice me back. The people I used to know are gone for the most part, and it no longer seems to have that 'technological edge' that attracted me so long ago. It's mostly commercial plug & play stuff now. Over the years, the gear I've had stored in the closet has slowly dwindled away. I only have a few radios left, a couple of which are HT's with their supporting gear. Getting rid of the stuff is probably more effort than what I could ever make off of it, so there it sits. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RickyDean Posted December 17, 2015 Share Posted December 17, 2015 Yes, the manual can be found here:- ftp://kirklanduncorked.com/datasheets%20and%20manuals/Hardware/hamsoft%20manual.pdf It is the first addon I've seen that SPECIFICALLY does not require, and is incompatible with, the PEB. Which is interesting. and it looks like this:- https://scontent-lhr3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xap1/t31.0-8/12370918_1057782664266071_5459171734117987148_o.jpg Yep that's what I have except the label is missing. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mister35mm Posted December 17, 2015 Author Share Posted December 17, 2015 I thought it would be 'fun' to use the Ti99/4a for PSK31. It is explained, here:-http://aintel.bi.ehu.es/psk31.html It's a LOW speed, LOW power data mode. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mister35mm Posted December 17, 2015 Author Share Posted December 17, 2015 Yep that's what I have except the label is missing. ..er...would you be interested in parting with it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RickyDean Posted December 17, 2015 Share Posted December 17, 2015 ..er...would you be interested in parting with it? I don't know, I have always wanted to see how to use it but as stated in other areas of this forum it has been in storage for almost 20 years. I have just recently(within the last year) started pulling things out, getting the most important repaired and usable. I would have to think about it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Schmitzi Posted December 17, 2015 Share Posted December 17, 2015 This one ? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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