Old TI computer

Post by **bicostp** » Fri Oct 14, 2005 4:39 pm

OK, so I found a couple old TI 99/4a's in the garage attic, and I tried them both. One works like new, the other has some issues. It works fine for a while, but then the screen image gets garbled ("(c) Texas Instruments" turns into "8hQ lgiugre,xlkjgqhfku", or something along those lines. Plus after a while it won't recognixze some BASIC commands ("call clear", which clears the screen, for example.)

It's kind of bad, because I thought I might be able to make a laptop out of it someday. (I really don't want to tear the good one apart)

I've got a couple cables for them that hook up to an audiocassette recorder (for saving data

) and an RS-232 expansion box. My but hasn't technology improved since 1981!

Any ideas?

kade · Post by **kade** » Fri Oct 14, 2005 4:40 pm

you could give me one.

totokan · Post by **totokan** » Fri Oct 14, 2005 4:41 pm

1) check power. Maybe the power coming into it (cablewise) is screwed up.
2) something inside could be overheating.
3) ITS OLD. It's not made to last 20 years or so.

Post by **bicostp** » Fri Oct 14, 2005 4:47 pm

totokan wrote:1) check power. Maybe the power coming into it (cablewise) is screwed up.
2) something inside could be overheating.
3) ITS OLD. It's not made to last 20 years or so.

1. I used the same power adapter and RF modulator on both.

2. Maybe. Or maybe a "solid state" (as TI loves to say soooo much) connector is messed up? (an IC pin perhaps?)

3. Then why do my 6-switch Ataris work fine (especially since the TI ands Atari boxes were right next to each other.

)

totokan · Post by **totokan** » Fri Oct 14, 2005 4:49 pm

Hey, #2 is most likley. along with #4, check the screen, maybe it's screwed up.

nos_slived · Post by **nos_slived** » Fri Oct 14, 2005 5:40 pm

Open it and look for spiders or moths.