The TI 99/4A
TI 99/4A, usually referred to (well by us gnomes at least) simply as the Texas Instruments, was the first computer I ever touched and the only computer of mine I just can’t remember where to find. Damn! This Space Invaders cartridge was so utterly amazing, and so unbelievably better than its Atari 2600 version, I’d just love to play it again… Show it to them silly Atari loving kiddies. Take it out for a beer even. Ah, the days, the days…
Nostalgia aside though, the TI 99/4A was also a rather impressive machine for its time. It was 16-bit, could output 256-colour graphics, had an almost proper keyboard, could use Atari’s digital and quite lovely one-button joysticks, could load programmes via tape or cartridge, was immensely expandable and had loads of RAM (that was 16Kb actually). As for the games, well, a visit to the TI-99/4A videogames house should convince you. For the rest, watch this commercial (and please avoid the dreaded Bill Cosby one):
Interested for more? Great, here are some sites you might just enjoy:
- TI 99/4A Wikipedia page
- TI 99/4A @ Old Computer Museum
- TI 99/4A @ Obsolete Computer Museum
- A Windows based emulator
- TI games @ MobyGames
24 Jan 2007, 7:40 pm
You know, I kinda feel nostalgia isn’t as good as it used to be…
24 Jan 2007, 9:35 pm
beautiful and programmable too…. massive memory…. stupendous..
25 Jan 2007, 7:25 am
Why would you believe that Mr.FK?
Stupefying too Mr.Elderly… And its BASIC was quite an extended and very powerful one.
25 Jan 2007, 10:05 am
That is amazing timing! Just 2 hours ago I was clearing a path in our attic for the guys doing some work on our house and I came across a box with my old TI 99/4A in it.
Years ago I wrote a clone of Atari Tank Combat in Extended Basic. Lately I’ve been working on porting it to PyGame. Would love to see the original again. Anybody know a way to read the old casettes into one of today’s TI emulators?
25 Jan 2007, 10:22 am
Hmmm… there is a way of reading from a Spectrum cassete, but TI? Haven’t heard of anything, though t should be possible…
Wish I could also find my beloved TI. Seems to have just vanished… Damn.
25 Jan 2007, 10:30 pm
…vanished? brilliant!!!!!!
(runs out of room, runs back in wearing his sherlock holmes outfit…..)
right! (takes out notebook)
where were you on the evening of the victims disappearance…?
26 Jan 2007, 7:11 am
Can’t remember… It was near Sounion at some point… Then I think it enterd a basement n Athens… It’s been years detective… Wooow, nice pipe.
27 Jan 2007, 10:36 pm
(taking clue from the suspects answers…)
..were you smoking anything on the evening in question?
28 Jan 2007, 9:30 am
Don’t believe so…. Besides some PRINCE cigarettes… Was quite a few years ago… ‘t least I think so…
28 Jan 2007, 9:28 pm
aha Prince! thats important…. (rubs chin…) just where in the room did you last see the victim…. now think carefully….. this could be crucial….
29 Jan 2007, 11:54 am
It was … uhm… no, no… ah!
Under the TV I believe!
29 Jan 2007, 9:17 pm
a hah…. I knew it!!!!….
just a few more questions and the we’ll move into the deduction scene….
…concentrate now mr.gnome, have you changed your TV since the last time the victim was last seen alive……?
30 Jan 2007, 6:38 am
Uhm.. (concentrating hard) don’t think so… (concetrating harder)… it’s all blurry… (conc…. faints)
30 Jan 2007, 9:59 pm
…(beign a detective the elderly is unsure what to do in situations like this…..)
erm, well this is a new one on me…. fainted…. right, well… okay
(ponders on the correct course of action, closes notebook…. leaves the room….)
31 Jan 2007, 6:14 am
(comes around)
Elderly? Elderly? Huh?
02 Feb 2007, 8:37 pm
……..
03 Feb 2007, 10:44 am
So, guess I’ll just wait over here, right?
03 Feb 2007, 6:35 pm
…….
04 Feb 2007, 8:22 am
Uhm right… guess I’ll stay for a while…
05 Feb 2007, 10:51 pm
….cough!……ooops!… (comes out from behind curtain….)
alright you found me… what’ll we play now?
06 Feb 2007, 8:00 am
How about “find the ti 99/4a”?
04 Dec 2007, 9:44 pm
There’s a very active Yahoo user’s group for the TI-99/4a. In fact, they have had an active (and sometimes zealous) community since the machine was orphaned in 1983.
If you’re looking to get a TI again, they’re fairly common on eBay, along with software. Cartridges are easy to get, disk software less so.
I got some links on my site at http://www.adamantyr.com/crpg I’m working on a vintage-style CRPG for the TI at the moment.
05 Dec 2007, 3:32 pm
Thank you for the info and tips Adam, greatly appreciated. As for your game, well, I’ll soon blog it. Seems brilliant!
23 May 2011, 2:11 pm
What a great machine!