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TI(ny)-99/4A Computer


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I have a tower case from a deceased PC that is just begging for that board!  Cannot say I've ever seen a 9958 VDP; I take it the RGB output is not composite?  Looks like no sidecar port, so I guess I'd have to replace my NanoPEB with an IDE controller.

 

Shudder to think what import duty from France to US would be, though.  Some parts I ordered from Canada a few years ago had a >100% duty added at the border.

 

K-R.

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21 hours ago, Kchula-Rrit said:

Shudder to think what import duty from France to US would be, though.  Some parts I ordered from Canada a few years ago had a >100% duty added at the border.

Strange postal experience. You should give more information/precision because I have often sent materials to the US and the duties never reached so much.

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Here is a video I made tonight:

 

Description text under the video : "This version 3 includes the specifications of the version 2 and brings three major improvments: The Yamaha V9958 VDP replaces the TMS-9918A/29A, all the SAMS memory expansion is now integrated into the motherboard so no daughterboard is needed anymore, the routing traces has been massively improved too. Other interesting point: The original Texas Instruments GROM 0,1, 2 chips are simulated by a GROM simulator, permitting to install the GROM 0,1, 2 of its own choice. As you can see, the TIny-99/4A v3 has its own GROM 0. In this video demonstration, to show you the possibilities of this feature, I have installed in GROM 1,2 the OPA* operating system that allows to catalog disks and directly launch programs. An idea among others.

* OPA is owned by OPA ( "Oasis Pensive Abacutors") ."

 

If you want a video demonstrating a special feature of the computer, tell me and I will make it.

 

Edited by fabrice montupet
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5 hours ago, fabrice montupet said:

Here is a video I made tonight:

 

Description text under the video : "This version 3 includes the specifications of the version 2 and brings three major improvments: The Yamaha V9958 VDP replaces the TMS-9918A/29A, all the SAMS memory expansion is now integrated into the motherboard so no daughterboard is needed anymore, the routing traces has been massively improved too. Other interesting point: The original Texas Instruments GROM 0,1, 2 chips are simulated by a GROM simulator, permitting to install the GROM 0,1, 2 of its own choice. As you can see, the TIny-99/4A v3 has its own GROM 0. In this video demonstration, to show you the possibilities of this feature, I have installed in GROM 1,2 the OPA* operating system that allows to catalog disks and directly launch programs. An idea among others.

* OPA is owned by OPA ( "Oasis Pensive Abacutors") ."

 

If you want a video demonstrating a special feature of the computer, tell me and I will make it.

 

Great! Do you plan to openhardware/opensource it (e.g. github)?

Which schematic/PCB  software do you use?

 

Thnx.

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2 hours ago, ti99user said:

Great! Do you plan to openhardware/opensource it (e.g. github)?

Which schematic/PCB  software do you use?

 

Thnx.

 

I do not mean to be unkind , but Fabrice Montupet is extremely busy and further more do not appreciate being asked to share in other way(s) than what he is already been doing.      To understand and follow discussions you would have to read the 12 preceding pages representing the last 4 years of discussion on the subject of the project.

 

As for software then Fabrice has stated that he is using Diptrace : Ref. and Quote :

 

As for motivation and sharing : Ref. and Quotes :

 

https://atariage.com/forums/topic/266585-tiny-994a-computer/?do=findComment&comment=3853881
 my only goal is to make me happy ?

 

https://atariage.com/forums/topic/266585-tiny-994a-computer/?do=findComment&comment=3870765
The TIny-99/4A emerged as a personal fun project, no public production has been initialy planed. At the very first time,

I think that some people will prefer to order a non-populated TIny-99/4A PCB. I apologise in advance, I will not do because It not amuses me (I like to do the work until the end). I am conscient that I could sell more PCB if I propose them non-populated but, as I said before this project has never be thought as commercial purpose. Sell less or very few does not matter to me.

 

https://atariage.com/forums/topic/266585-tiny-994a-computer/?do=findComment&comment=4424455
 Posted January 4, 2020

Thank you all ?

mglafond: A Shame? I don't appreciate your comment. As you can read in this thread, I happy to share my work, but in the way I have chosen. Please accept that.

 

https://atariage.com/forums/topic/266585-tiny-994a-computer/?do=findComment&comment=4425975
This question of publicly providing Gerber files and electronic schematics of the microcomputer has already been asked to me. But I don't remember if it was on this forums so I answer here:
I am present and active in the retro-computing community since more than twenty years and I could see that, unfortunately, the wish of the authors of non-commercial projects has never been respected: Their projects shared for free on the Internet have systematically taken up by unscrupulous people who offered them for sale to enrich themselves. It's not acceptable. This project has taken so many days and night to me, a project for which I am not trying to earn money,  I don't want it to be stolen.  For this reason, I indicated from the start that the files allowing the production of the TIny-99/4A will not be publicly released. I hope that you will understand my position on this subject. I am sorry about this situation, driven by a sad fact of life in our society.

 

 

ALSO :

As I have understood it then Fabrice Montupet  is 'sharing' with the world in this forum , by 'selling' populated boards (to the extend that he can get components and have the wish to do the work!) , and by publishing information on his own personal website :

http://www.ti99.com/ti/index.php?article138/tiny-99-4a-v2

 

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19 hours ago, fabrice montupet said:

Strange postal experience. You should give more information/precision because I have often sent materials to the US and the duties never reached so much.

I thought it was strange (actually shocking), too.  It's been many years since the incident, so I do not remember the details.  Not even sure which vendor, or where they were.  I'm thinking British Columbia but the memory is so hazy.  Just remember it seemed excessive.  I really needed the parts and could not find them anywhere else.

 

Also, I agree with you and TI99ER about not making the board open-source.  You put a lot of work into that board and it would be seriously wrong for someone else to grab it for profit.

 

K-R.

 

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  • 2 weeks later...
On 4/16/2021 at 10:02 PM, Kchula-Rrit said:

Shudder to think what import duty from France to US would be, though.  Some parts I ordered from Canada a few years ago had a >100% duty added at the border.

I buy car parts from Japan often, so I am quite intimately familiar with the US duty structure.

 

In the US, there is a personal use duty exemption up to $800.   If it is declared above that, then you will get hit with duty, which varies depending on what the item(s) are.  The most common percentage I come across is 2.5% for automotive parts, but some things are much much higher.   Sometimes, depending on how it is declared, that $800 limit will include the shipping cost, even though it is not supposed to.

That said, some services on some carriers (UPS Standard comes to mind), will charge a customs brokerage charge and a "duty" charge regardless of exemption.  I've been hit with a $40 Import Charges bill on a $200 item from Canada because of this.  $35 "brokerage fee" and $5 "Duty", even though it should have been exempt. 

 

TL;DR:  Items coming from France to the US, so long as they are declared under $800 USD, should not be subject to Import Duty.

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  • 7 months later...

Your project is so cool!

I just had to look and admire your different ver. of the TIny, AGAIN. Your setup to work in a ATX case is just great. Also that there is so much added to the motherboard. More or less all good thing are integrated. And maybe stuff invented now, should adapt to your form factory. Since there is STILL so much development, it should also be made to the modern TIny.

Would love a full video of all the options to the TIny, show off how the different stuff that is intergraded into the motherboard. Also what you might want to do in ver. 4 (IF you are thinking about it).

BUT I also understand that this will give you more push and wanting for a TIny. I think that you would have many costumers to your TIny. I would love to to a poll for the interest of your TIny. But I will not ?

Well... All I can say is that your TIny make me wish for a "new" computer! And I just love your clean execution of the TIny!

Please "tease" us more ? with a video! Christmas present? :D

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  • 1 month later...

Hi Fabrice,

 

I just looked at the v3 demo again. In particular I'm interested in knowing:

  • Will you stick to the v9958 ?
  • Is the SAMS on the motherboard 1MB?

Do you have any updates on the project?

 

Reason I'm asking is that I would like to look into what it takes to get a proper 9938/9958 version of Stevie working.

(now that I have a Stevie 24x80 build for classic99 working, it seems like one of the logical next steps)

 

https://github.com/MirrorPusher/Stevie/issues/44

 

Would be kinda cool to do a Stevie version that supports the TinyPC

Edited by retroclouds
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Yes, it could be really cool for the TIny99/4Av3 to support Stevie  ?

On its last stage, the computer embeds the V9958 but under the VDP there is also the footprint to place a F18A. That said, I wasn't able to test if it works because I have never found one to buy and no time to build one.
The motherboard a 1MB SAMS.
I must find time find parts suppliers and to build a batch.

 

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  • 11 months later...

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