PEB Use Poll - Do you use a PEB?

[+pixelpedant]

I'm curious to know what the trends are in PEB usage, these days!

[Nick99]

My PEB is dedicated for the Geneve.

[suberbanator]

you forgot the option for 2 PEB boxes and yes both are in use on the same system

[HOME AUTOMATION]

I'm not using any(3) ...call me when they're worth $500-$1000!

[+Lee Stewart]

I have four PEBs. Two were in regular use while the kids were home—last kid of seven left ~25 years ago. I have had one in more or less regular use until ten years ago or so. Since then, it has been mostly with nanoPEBs, when I use the TI at all—mostly for verification of fbForth cartridges and programs. These days I am constantly using Classic99 for all things TI-99/4A—mostly development or some programming challenge or other.

 

...lee

[+save2600]

Haven't had a PEB box the last 25 years. Used a CF7+ for a while until I had 32k internal memory put in my machine + now a FinalGROM cart, and I'm all set.  

[jrhodes]

No PEB for me. FG99 + SAMS 1MB+TIPI on side port.

There is a card for the PEB that i would consider to be my only reason of ever getting one: SID99.

I would love it if there was a way to use that from the side port without a full PEB.

[GDMike]

PEB, tipi, and supercart with assembly programming and Forth is my thing these days. 

Edited June 4, 2022 by GDMike

[XLERB]

My circa 1985 (close-out purchase) rocker switch PEB sat in the basement since 1993 or so. I took it out in January and found that someone (neither son will admit to it) disconnected all the 120V wires and connections. I posted a thread here for help getting it re-wired and finally figured it out. So I’m using that with my second (1985 purchase) beige console and all the cards (32K, TI disk controller and 2 half-height Panasonic drives, Cor-Comp Triple Tech w/ my original speech board, a Myarc RS232, and now a TIPI/PEB). Everything works great and I’m back using it regularly with a FinalGROM. I, too, love the massive PEB with its jet airplane sound.

[krslam]

Sure I use mine. Where else would I put the monitor?

[wierd_w]

I have a damaged PEB (that was damaged by DHL not knowing how to properly handle a large package), that I have been fearful to turn on.

 

I should make a monolithic replacement plastic top for my PEB, now that I have a printer large enough to do that with.

[+Ksarul]

I have about half a dozen of them set up in various parts of my house, for TI-99/4A, Geneve 9640, SNUG 99/4P, and TI-99/8 systems. I use another one as part of my heavily-driven test system for use doing burn-in testing of boards that I assemble/repair.

[+arcadeshopper]

I have about 6-7 too.. set up are 3.. TI geneve and workbench TI

[+dhe]

Ditto Arcade Shopper and Ksarul.

[globeron]

I have 2x one for TI and one for Geneve9640. Also have 32k. 2x Nanopebs for standalone consoles. 

[Reciprocating Bill]

Rocker switch PEB with two half-height drives, a Myarc controller, RS-232 driving an Apple Imagewriter and a TIPI. 32k ram is built into the console, so my 32K card is retired. I replaced the fan in the PEB so it no longer sounds like a shop vac sitting on my desk. FinalGrom or SuperCart at the other end. I like the blinkenlights. 

 

I also have a NanoPEB but found getting files into and out of the thing too cumbersome. Now it is in full retirement due to the console having built-in RAM expansion.

[SkyPilot]

Many new things for the P-Box in the past few years, except a direct plug-n-play replacement switching power supply.

[+RXB]

I have 2 PEB always 1 set up and running.

Just bought and installed Speech add in card, so Speech is now in PEB now and the new replacement card for Fire hose card.

[+InsaneMultitasker]

One PEB time-share - used for hardware repair, /4a testing, and Geneve OS development.  Still has the original fan aka warning device and white noise generator.  5 minutes of inactivity and I can be out like a light  

The other system is a mid-tower ATX case with the PEB backplane/cage guts inside; was my primary system at home and during TI Faire excursions, but has been running Heatwave for the past number of years.  I was going to put HW into the PEB until I realized it is much harder to swap hardware in/out at a 90 degree angle.

[AwkwardPotato]

I missed the heyday of the TI and its contemporaries by a couple of decades so my main PEB (older push-button style) is permanently set up, noisy fan and all. No modern amenities here! It's a basic 32K, RS-232, two disk drives setup, although it may get an HRD in the future to make E/A use a little more comfortable.

 

Also have a spare push-button PEB: cheap local pickup with 32K and disk controller, but missing the RS-232, flex, and drives. Sitting around in case I happen across a Geneve or an entire set of SNUG cards. I can dream

[+dhe]

off topic, but my push button pbox's switch is kind of sticky. Anyone else have this problem and have you found a fix?

[GDMike]

Try deoxitizing it... I've only had issues with my ti-99 internal ps switch in the past, never the PEB switch. Are you in high humidity or stored the PEB at some time in a humid area? I suspect the spring is oxidized.

Edited June 5, 2022 by GDMike

[oddemann]

What if one modernized the PEB? I think that all cards can be made much smaller and all possible cards could have space within a smaller footprint. Or is it better to code it all into a Raspberry Pi? (if possible?)

If I understand correctly, there are some "half" substitutes for the PEB, or are there modern 100% substitutes for the PEB?

[GDMike]

But I like my TI with PEB and it's glory noisy fan 

[apersson850]

I have one standard expansion box, one rebuilt with less noisy fan, two half-height drives and some connectors replaced with connectors for Euroboard wire-wrap expansion cards and one home-built, which just hosts more drives.