Justin Payne Posted April 1, 2016 Share Posted April 1, 2016 FYI. Hopefully this will help but I mentioned the West Fest in the latest XEGS Cart by Cart Podcast. Maybe it will work against the festival. ? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Omega-TI Posted April 1, 2016 Author Share Posted April 1, 2016 Might as well use a TI to advertise a TI get together... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=08TrBMAfLF4 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Omega-TI Posted April 10, 2016 Author Share Posted April 10, 2016 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Omega-TI Posted April 10, 2016 Author Share Posted April 10, 2016 Hey everyone, as you know, Ksarul has donated the GRAND PRIZE for TI-Fest West this year... and it's a beautiful piece of art in it's own right. Anyway, since I could not help myself and decided to take a peek, I figured I might as well share the view. Thanks Jim, who ever wins this thing is gonna love it! FRONT VIEW BACK VIEW 11 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+jedimatt42 Posted April 10, 2016 Share Posted April 10, 2016 That is awesome to see! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RXB Posted April 10, 2016 Share Posted April 10, 2016 Pretty and very very cool! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Schmitzi Posted April 10, 2016 Share Posted April 10, 2016 Nice !! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Ksarul Posted April 10, 2016 Share Posted April 10, 2016 One note, this iteration of the layout will only work in 1MB mode. I have to make some changes to the inputs of the memory mapper chip to make the expansion work as a 4MB board. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Omega-TI Posted April 10, 2016 Author Share Posted April 10, 2016 One note, this iteration of the layout will only work in 1MB mode. I think that's an issue anyone would be happy to work with! Sure a heck of a lot better than 32K. Once you start cranking these babies out, it'll be nice to see some of the more recent programs adopt some sort of test to determine if one is installed and possibly use it's memory. I have no problems envisioning programs like Stuart's Browser or TIMXT having massive scroll back buffers, or maybe someday in the future Tursi or someone might make a F18A & SAMS capable GIF or JPG viewer or finally having the space for a GUI shell, a whole new class of games, or .... or .... or ... The future is looking bright. I have what is probably a silly question, I really have no clue, but could MDOS be tweaked to work on a TI that has an F18A and a SAMS card or is that totally out of the realm of possibility? It's probably not due to the different systems architecture, but I thought it never hurts to ask the experts here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RXB Posted April 10, 2016 Share Posted April 10, 2016 One note, this iteration of the layout will only work in 1MB mode. I have to make some changes to the inputs of the memory mapper chip to make the expansion work as a 4MB board. Without to much trouble I can modify RXB to work with a 4 Meg SAMS board. Here is the RXB SAMS documents: PAGE AMS1 AMS MAPPER ****************************************************************** The AMS card has tons of documents as to its function and use. So to re-explain these docs would be pointless. Read the docs or find some, sorry but the RXB package is already huge. In PASS mode the mapper register setup is equivalent to: mapper address mapper page num address range -------------- ------ -------- ------------- HEX Dec HEX Dec memory area --- --- --- --- ----------- >4004 = 16388 is MR02 = >02 = 02 points to >2000 - >2FFF range >4006 = 16390 is MR03 = >03 = 03 points to >3000 - >3FFF range >4014 = 16404 is MR10 = >0A = 10 points to >A000 - >AFFF range >4016 = 16406 is MR11 = >0B = 11 points to >B000 - >BFFF range >4018 = 16408 is MR12 = >0C = 12 points to >C000 - >CFFF range >401A = 16410 is MR13 = >0D = 13 points to >D000 - >DFFF range >401C = 16412 is MR14 = >0E = 14 points to >E000 - >EFFF range >401E = 16414 is MR15 = >0F = 15 points to >F000 - >FFFF range (MR=Mapper Register) In MAP mode the mapper register setup is equivalent to: EXAMPLE1 mapper address mapper page num address range -------------- ------ -------- ------------- HEX Dec HEX Dec memory area --- --- --- --- ----------- >4004 = 16388 is MR02 = >10 = 16 points to >2000 - >2FFF range >4006 = 16390 is MR03 = >11 = 17 points to >3000 - >3FFF range >4014 = 16404 is MR10 = >12 = 18 points to >A000 - >AFFF range >4016 = 16406 is MR11 = >13 = 19 points to >B000 - >BFFF range >4018 = 16408 is MR12 = >14 = 20 points to >C000 - >CFFF range >401A = 16410 is MR13 = >15 = 21 points to >D000 - >DFFF range >401C = 16412 is MR14 = >16 = 22 points to >E000 - >EFFF range >401E = 16414 is MR15 = >17 = 23 points to >F000 - >FFFF range (MR=Mapper Register) PAGE AMS2 In MAP mode the mapper register setup is equivalent to: EXAMPLE2 mapper address mapper page num address range -------------- ------ -------- ------------- HEX Dec HEX Dec memory area --- --- --- --- ----------- >4004 = 16388 is MR02 = >19 = 31 points to >2000 - >2FFF range >4006 = 16390 is MR03 = >01 = 01 points to >3000 - >3FFF range >4014 = 16404 is MR10 = >09 = 09 points to >A000 - >AFFF range >4016 = 16406 is MR11 = >00 = 00 points to >B000 - >BFFF range >4018 = 16408 is MR12 = >07 = 07 points to >C000 - >CFFF range >401A = 16410 is MR13 = >18 = 30 points to >D000 - >DFFF range >401C = 16412 is MR14 = >05 = 05 points to >E000 - >EFFF range >401E = 16414 is MR15 = >04 = 04 points to >F000 - >FFFF range (MR=Mapper Register) As you can see you can switch pages around all you want. Each 4K page of the AMS memory can be engaged even into every 4K section of the 32K at once. Thus giving multiple copies of the same 4K in every 4K chunk. Doing this has few uses but it demonstrates the flexibility of the AMS mapper. RXB uses AMS memory like this: 1. 32K is used for pass mode. Think of it like a normal TI. 24K for XB programs and variables, and lower 8K assembly support. 2. 32K is used for future use. Stashed away for RXB future use. Pages 0,1,4,5,6,7,8,9 are for future use. 3. 4K pages of the rest of the AMS are for AMSBANK, a RXB routine that needs two (2) 4K pages of the AMS for the lower 8K of Assembly support. Pages 16 to 255 AMSBANK. 4. If a 256K AMS is used by RXB then 32K PASS mode, 32K future use, and the rest for AMSBANK. So 32+32=64 and 256-64=192 then 192K of AMS 4K pages would be 192/4=48 or 48 pages of AMSBANK. Now the lower 8K needs two 4K pages because of course 8/4=2 so 48/2=24 and that means 24 8K assembly support routines from one XB program. PAGE AMS3 5. BSAVE and BLOAD in RXB are subroutines to save or load the lower 8K as Program Image files. 33 sectors in length they are only used by BSAVE or BLOAD. The reasons for BSAVE is to save the lower 8K in one easy to load chunk. ALSAVE that creates hidden loaders has one huge disadvantage. ALSAVE can only save one assembly support program at a time. Also it can't load more than one support routine and XB program to run it. BLOAD can load many support routines into the AMS and control them from one XB program. BLOAD and BSAVE can do what ALSAVE can't. Also up to 1Meg can be loaded into the AMS from one XB program and the same program run the assembly support routines. 6. ISR (Interrupt Service Routine) hooks are used by many XB programs so CALL ISROFF and CALL ISRON are for RXB to control the problems created by them. Also compatibility between software packages is ensured. 7. AMSBANK is the primary way RXB manages memory. pages 16 to 255 are numbers in AMSBANK as 0 to 240 so pages 2,3,10,11,12,13,14,15 are for pass mode and pages 0,1,4,5,6,7,8,9 are unused for future use. Thus 240*4=960K of AMS is in AMSBANK. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+InsaneMultitasker Posted April 11, 2016 Share Posted April 11, 2016 One note, this iteration of the layout will only work in 1MB mode. I have to make some changes to the inputs of the memory mapper chip to make the expansion work as a 4MB board. As things get off the ground, it would be nice to see a list of programs that take advantage of SAMS. schmitzi?!? Rich - does B. Snyder's XB Packer work with RXB? If you update RXB, do you want to take a stab at updating XB Packer? I believe I have all of the source code from him tucked away. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tursi Posted April 11, 2016 Share Posted April 11, 2016 maybe someday in the future Tursi or someone might make a F18A & SAMS capable GIF or JPG viewer Tursi will never be making a GIF or JPG viewer, he's happy working uncompressed. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RXB Posted April 11, 2016 Share Posted April 11, 2016 As things get off the ground, it would be nice to see a list of programs that take advantage of SAMS. schmitzi?!? Rich - does B. Snyder's XB Packer work with RXB? If you update RXB, do you want to take a stab at updating XB Packer? I believe I have all of the source code from him tucked away. I could do that I guess but I am not that great at Assembly vs others. And I think XB Packer was Assembly with a little GPL thrown in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+InsaneMultitasker Posted April 11, 2016 Share Posted April 11, 2016 I could do that I guess but I am not that great at Assembly vs others. And I think XB Packer was Assembly with a little GPL thrown in. When/if someone starts a SAMS/AMS thread, I can re-upload the source there. It isn't clear to me if this is the final release source code; I couldn't find my XB Packer program disks to compare. XBPacker AMS SAMS 12 SourcePC99.DSK 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RickR Posted April 12, 2016 Share Posted April 12, 2016 Uh, you're scaring off us newbies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Omega-TI Posted April 12, 2016 Author Share Posted April 12, 2016 Tursi will never be making a GIF or JPG viewer, he's happy working uncompressed. Well, when that 4 meg SAMS card Jim is working on gets released, uncompressed will not be an issue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuck D. Head Posted April 12, 2016 Share Posted April 12, 2016 Uh, you're scaring off us newbies. Scaring off might be a little strong for me, but yes, I know I will struggle to add much to the many conversations to be had. I will have to keep it to the basics; "I like parsec", "them stock joystick sure are stiff and unresponsive", or "I would love to find a PEB for a decent price". 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Omega-TI Posted April 12, 2016 Author Share Posted April 12, 2016 Scaring off might be a little strong for me, but yes, I know I will struggle to add much to the many conversations to be had. I will have to keep it to the basics; "I like parsec", "them stock joystick sure are stiff and unresponsive", or "I would love to find a PEB for a decent price". I wouldn't worry too much about the heavy duty programming stuff... until or if you are ever ready to tackle it. Many of these guys have been doing that sort of stuff for 30+ years and probably know their TI's more intimately than their own wives I'm sure! A lot of us here have eyeballs that glaze over when we see E/A code, I'm one of those guys. Truth is, everyone here has different talents, interests and motivations. Everyone is welcome. Many of us returning guys took a while to get our feet wet again. Really, if you have a TI or even run emulation only you're still welcome. When I got back into the TI is was due to Tursi's Classic99 emulator. I had forgotten so much over the years it was not funny, but it was fun! Then I met up with a TI user about 50 miles north of me who got me into real iron... oh boy... it's all his fault! Over time you'll pick up more knowledge, try new things, get more goodies and will probably be helping out one of the next batch of newbies. Now since you are coming to Fest West, you just might get that PEB you are looking for! 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+swlovinist Posted April 19, 2016 Share Posted April 19, 2016 I am excited to go, even if I am late. I will be there around 1:30 or 2:00 but plan on staying until it ends. I will be bringing an extra beige model and games for trade or sale. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+swlovinist Posted April 20, 2016 Share Posted April 20, 2016 Also wanted to see if there was anyone who would be doing repairs on TI 99 units at the event. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+arcadeshopper Posted April 20, 2016 Share Posted April 20, 2016 Also wanted to see if there was anyone who would be doing repairs on TI 99 units at the event. Probably need to let us know what you need repaired so we can be prepared to make it repaired Greg 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+swlovinist Posted April 20, 2016 Share Posted April 20, 2016 Probably need to let us know what you need repaired so we can be prepared to make it repaired Greg I have a beige non QI system that powers up with a black screen. Case in great shape. This is an extra unit of mine so not the end of the world if it would be a pain to fix. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+arcadeshopper Posted April 20, 2016 Share Posted April 20, 2016 I have a beige non QI system that powers up with a black screen. Case in great shape. This is an extra unit of mine so not the end of the world if it would be a pain to fix. Have you opened it up? Checked for power voltages? I can bring a internal power supply and possibly a vdp. It usually is one of those. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RXB Posted April 20, 2016 Share Posted April 20, 2016 I got my PGRAM cards repaired but they still refuse to work at all in either of my P-box. I think the issue may be the Interface cards. Not a single other card gives me problems, just the PGRAM cards. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Omega-TI Posted April 21, 2016 Author Share Posted April 21, 2016 More day's! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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