Terry Brooks in June.

I picked three new Terry Brooks books in June, One today. The one today was a real treat as I had never actually seen the book in person, "Street Freaks" and in hard cover. I will try to get these added to my book DB.

The other two books are:

"The Dark Legacy of Shannara - Ward of Farie" softcover

- and -

"The Fall of Shannara - the Stiehl Assassin" soft cover.

My TI-99 machines.

This is just a show and tell post.

This is my two TI-99/4As - my 2nd and my 3rd side by side.


TI #3 On my primary Dell monitor using TI's S-Video/Standard Audio to RCA to HDMI


TI #3


TI #2 beside my file/audio file server


My video switching system between my computers.






Testing math functionality against other retro computers like Atari, Apple, Commodore, and IBM


My favorite game controller for the TI-99 is Sega's Genesis




TI #2 displaying a randomizer application on my TV


TI #2 displaying a different randomizer on my TV


TI #2 displaying on my TV.


My TI #2

TI-99 32K expansion

The most common TI-99/4A 32K RAM chip is the 28 pin AS6C62256 RAM chip.  Any solution I look at will likely use this chip.

The exact spec is 32k Ram AS6C62256-55PCN 28DIP 0.6″.  It is a 32kx8 memory array chip which was very common, but not when the TI-99/4A was released.  Texas Instruments used a totally different configuration.  Below has the pin description. 

All the additional pieces you will need for a TIPI setup. 

SN74HCT245N IC TXRX NON-INVERT 5.5V 20DIP

CD74HCT21E IC GATE AND 2CH 4-INP 14DIP

SN74HCT138N IC DECODER/DEMUX 1X3:8 16DIP

2N3904BU Transistor NPN 40V 0.2A TO92-3

ICS-314-T 0.3″ IC SOCKET, DIP, 14P 2.54MM

ICS-316-T 0.3″ IC SOCKET, DIP, 16P 2.54MM

ICS-320-T 0.3″ IC SOCKET, DIP, 20P 2.54MM

ICS-628-T 0.6″ IC SOCKET, DIP, 28P 2.54MM

CONN EDGE DUAL FMALE 44POS 0.100 395-044-524-202 (Requires Modification)

44 PIN (Two Row 22PIN 2.54mm Pin Header) (Made with Smaller pieces)

3 PIN 2.54mm Pin Header (For Power Jumper)

2.54mm Jumper

DC 2.1×5.5mm power jack

3mm RED LED

680 Ohm 1/4W Resistor

2 ) 1k Ohm 1/4W Resistors

10k Ohm 1/4W Resistor

4 ) 0.1uf (104) capacitors

2.54mm Round Female Socket Pin Header Strip (88Pins are required)

TI-99/4A side port

I now have the 44 pin side port for the TI-99/4A mapped out and documented.

You can find my documentation here:

https://mrgibson.com/TI/TI-side-cart.php

But there is a lot more to this than the connections. As I continue to research, I will post here.

working with TI-99 4/A in 2025

This is a photo of one of my TI-99/4A computers that is hooked up to the file serving computer on the right. I would like to take this further and use this secondary computer as a RAM management for the TI also.

Why? Well the 32k RAM expansion gives you additional memory for TI-Extended BASIC, assembly language programs and GPL programs. The additional RAM is also is required for:

- Most of the upper end utilities and few fun 3rd party and many of the cooler home-bew stuff.

- Editor Assembler requires 32k memory expansion.

- Extended Basic can use up to 24k of the 32k memory expansion and 8k is available for loading assembly language programs.
- Logo can use 32k

- Microsoft Multiplan requires 32k memory expansion

- TI-writer requires 32k memory expansion

So how to go about it?  I'm going to study the pin configuration and chipsets used for existing solutions, then hopefully make something cheaper and more efficient that will work with what I have to work with.  Then document it like I have for other TI related projects to share and help others.

So, hopefully more to come soon.

I finally picked up another TI Expanded BASIC module/cart

I have been looking and looking and looking for a TI Extended BASIC cartridge for some time now. I finally purchased one tonight. Just happened to come with a TI-99/4A that I didn't need, but it looks better than the TI I have now.

This TI looks pretty clean.



No visible warping, scrapes, or scratches.



Cart looks really good too.

Some system photos from this weekend.

Atari 800

Atari 800XL, Atari 130XE, Atari XEGS

Magnavox Odyssey 2

Texas Instruments TI-99/4A

Bally Computer System Videocade

Yearly Illinois Game Con - my haul!

Darth Duck.  Hey, it's funny.

This is the complete Quest for the Rings (overlay, tokens, game board/map, cartridge) for Odyssey 2. Had it before, loved the game, but sold my childhood copy. They wanted $15. I purchased this for just $10.  I can't believe I found it.  I can't believe I purchased for that price.

Four NES carts for $32. I didn't actually have an original Mario/Duck Hunt Cart. I am hoping that the Defender II is actually Stargate. Also curious about about the Super Pitfall since I love Pitfall and Pitfall II for Atari 2600.

Six Calcite and Quarts geoids for just $5.  Trust me that is a good deal.

New copy of Five Nights at Freddie's for $15 for the Switch.  Felt like that was a pretty good deal. 

COMMODORE GRAPHICS

10 COLOR 0,1
20 COLOR 4,7
30 COLOR 1,16

40 COLOR 2,1

50 GRAPHIC 3,1

60 XP=90:YP=45

70 XR=3.14*1.5

80 XF=XR/XP

90 ZF=XR/YP

100 FOR ZI=-YP TO YP

110 ZT=ZI*XP/YP

....

170 Y1=INT(YY-ZI+90)

180 DRAW 1,X1,170-Y1

190 DRAW 2,X1,171-Y1 TO X1,190

200 NEXT XI

210 NEXT ZI