9 Apr
1998
9 Apr
'98
3:18 p.m.
Today, I found two things in the trash. One is a VCR
that eats tapes.
Please e-mail me privately if you know what to do about that. The
other is a TI99/4A with all of the packaging, but without the main
manual, and any cartridges it might have come with. I will still go
back tomorrow and check to make sure I didn't leave anything. Anyway,
do I HAVE to have a cartridge to power it up? When I turn it on with
the enormous TV switchbox, the TV shows nothing but snow. I flip all
of the switches, but none fix the problem. Also, the little light on
the TV switchbox doesn't turn on. Suggestions? Also, was there a
word processor or something for it? Could someone send me a cartridge
or two?
The TI-99/4A is a nice little computer... No, you don't need a cartridge
to
start it up, but programs are distributed through them, as well as
cassettes and floppies. Anyways, when you turn it on, it will show the
splash screen, and will then go to a menu where you can select either the
TI-Basic, which is in the ROM, or a program from a cartridge. If it's not
showing anything on the TV, then either you need a new RF modulator, a new
TI-99, or everything is fried. OK, I have my TI-99 in front of me here. On
the right there is a hole in the side with a door on it, that is the
expansion bus. Moving to the back, on the right there is the power
connector and a DB-9 that, IIRC, is for the cassette tape interface. On
the left side of the back panel is a 5-pin DIN connector that the RF
modulator plugs into. And on the left side panel is a DB-9 for hooking up a
joystick. I think the only thing I DON'T like about the TI-99 is the
keyboard. It's just plain annoying. I don't suppose there is any way to
hook up an extended keyboard from a PC?
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