TI-994a How-To

[edburns]

Regarding TOD, is possible to run the data files directly in cartridge, without using the disk. My last MegaPack 4.0 (available on Atari Age: https://atariage.com/forums/topic/31265 ... nt=4967326 ) has 9 games in .M99 format (under the SSS_Games directory).

A new, updated Magapack will be released soon and it will include 49 TOD games in .M99 format. The disk will only needed to save your game progress.

Hello tmop, This sounds very useful. I would like to try this new Megapack with the 49 TOD games in .M99 format. What is the best way for me to be notified when it is available?

Thanks,

Ed

[FoxbatStargazer]

I got the official build of this core from the downloader and am getting black screen now, although I can bring the menu up. I even insert some carts and still black screen. This was all working for me previously. I made sure all the video processing stuff was set as well (the "no interpolation" filter and every other filter turned off.)

[virtuali]

I got the official build of this core from the downloader and am getting black screen now, although I can bring the menu up. I even insert some carts and still black screen. This was all working for me previously. I made sure all the video processing stuff was set as well (the "no interpolation" filter and every other filter turned off.)

It's the BIOS files that changed, they are now split in several files, download the Megapack 4.0 linked before in the thread, it comes with all the required files and a readme.

[tmop]

Regarding TOD, is possible to run the data files directly in cartridge, without using the disk. My last MegaPack 4.0 (available on Atari Age: https://atariage.com/forums/topic/31265 ... nt=4967326 ) has 9 games in .M99 format (under the SSS_Games directory).

A new, updated Magapack will be released soon and it will include 49 TOD games in .M99 format. The disk will only needed to save your game progress.

Hello tmop, This sounds very useful. I would like to try this new Megapack with the 49 TOD games in .M99 format. What is the best way for me to be notified when it is available?

Thanks,

Ed

Hi Ed,

I'll post a message in this thread to inform. It will be available really soon.

[tmop]

As promised, the new MegaPack 4.1.0 is available for download on TI99IUC site (at the end of the article):

https://www.ti99iuc.it/web/index.php?pa ... hXoyoqZOUk

Of course it includes the 49 TOD games in cart format.

Note that Realms of Antiquity cannot be included, since it's a commercial game. If you want to play on MiSTer you can purchase it on Steam.

Have fun!

[eewoke]

As promised, the new MegaPack 4.1.0 is available for download on TI99IUC site (at the end of the article):

https://www.ti99iuc.it/web/index.php?pa ... hXoyoqZOUk

Of course it includes the 49 TOD games in cart format.

Note that Realms of Antiquity cannot be included, since it's a commercial game. If you want to play on MiSTer you can purchase it on Steam.

Have fun!

Thanks a lot tmop!!

[kathleen]

As promised, the new MegaPack 4.1.0 is available for download on TI99IUC site (at the end of the article):

https://www.ti99iuc.it/web/index.php?pa ... hXoyoqZOUk

Of course it includes the 49 TOD games in cart format.

Note that Realms of Antiquity cannot be included, since it's a commercial game. If you want to play on MiSTer you can purchase it on Steam.

Have fun!

Amazing ! Thank you so much !

[arcadeshopper]

I've noticed lately my tipi stopped working with the mister, the only changes I've made is running update
is it just me? or did something change?

[Flandango]

Nothing has changed since February's release and mine is still working.
Not sure what version of the core you had prior, but double check to see if the settings under the Hardware Menu have the Tipi enabled and make sure the tipi dsr is loaded under the Select TIPI DSR.

[rhester72]

Does anyone have:

the Myarc-FDC-80Track DSR (crc32 7BF4862B) provides access to 3.5" Floppy Images

^ this as mentioned here:

https://github.com/MiSTer-devel/TI-99_4A_MiSTer

handy?

[Flandango]

You can find it in TMop's MegaPack 4.1.0 (linked a couple of replies above this one).

[arcadeshopper]

Nothing has changed since February's release and mine is still working.
Not sure what version of the core you had prior, but double check to see if the settings under the Hardware Menu have the Tipi enabled and make sure the tipi dsr is loaded under the Select TIPI DSR.

Yes nothing has changed from the working cores, no cores are working now. Tried a new sdcard image, no dice. going to have to troubleshoot the issues may be the adapter or io board.

[Flandango]

Yes nothing has changed from the working cores, no cores are working now. Tried a new sdcard image, no dice. going to have to troubleshoot the issues may be the adapter or io board.

If the adapter checks out, verify the IO6 jumper (next to or around the User IO port) is set to I/O and not 3.3v.

[NML32]

Is ADC loading WAV or Tapes working?
I'm not having any luck loading WAV files. I tried loading it from my phone and transferring it to cassette tape.
I can faintly hear the tape loading sounds coming from the MiSTer.
Here are some WAV files I'm trying. https://github.com/sonic2000gr/TI99

20220517_190029-screen.png (93.66 KiB) Viewed 9419 times

[arcadeshopper]

volume is too low if no data found

[NML32]

volume is too low if no data found

bummer, I tried full volume with my phone and tape deck.

[rhester72]

Also slightly confused about something pedantic.

Edu-Pack is as simple as simple gets - an 8K CROM. If loaded natively, all works fine - 2 for Letter World, Enter, Q for Keyboard Left, 1 for Difficulty, and the game begins. Great.

Convert it to a M99 - which again, is as simple as simple can be - and the cart hangs after you select the difficulty level.

Why? (Yes, I know it doesn't *need* to be in M99 format...I'm just trying to mentally unravel why it doesn't work in that form.)

Both attached for simplicity.

[Flandango]

Also slightly confused about something pedantic.

Edu-Pack is as simple as simple gets - an 8K CROM. If loaded natively, all works fine - 2 for Letter World, Enter, Q for Keyboard Left, 1 for Difficulty, and the game begins. Great.

Convert it to a M99 - which again, is as simple as simple can be - and the cart hangs after you select the difficulty level.

Why? (Yes, I know it doesn't *need* to be in M99 format...I'm just trying to mentally unravel why it doesn't work in that form.)

Both attached for simplicity.

I can't seem to get the CROM to work once I get to the difficulty selection screen. Nothing is registering. I'll play with it a little bit more when I get home from work.

[rhester72]

How odd.

When I wrote that, if I loaded the CROM with "Load Full Cart", it worked.

I just tried loading it with "Load Rom Cart", and it behaves as loading the M99 and hangs when selecting difficulty. However, when I use "Load Full Cart" with the CROM, it now *also* fails...I can't get the CROM to work now no matter what I do.

Ugh. LOL

[rhester72]

Also, a quick usability question - is there any reason that "Load Full Cart" *shouldn't* imply detaching any existing cart first? If you don't do so manually, you wind up with "ghosting" as the new data overlays the old (and if the older cart had more data...oops!). Might be worth it to force a detach when loading full carts to avoid user error/confusion...I can't think of a use case where you wouldn't want that.

[arcadeshopper]

volume is too low if no data found

bummer, I tried full volume with my phone and tape deck.

You need an inline amplifier

[NML32]

volume is too low if no data found

bummer, I tried full volume with my phone and tape deck.

You need an inline amplifier

Thank you, I’ll look into that.

[arcadeshopper]

Yes nothing has changed from the working cores, no cores are working now. Tried a new sdcard image, no dice. going to have to troubleshoot the issues may be the adapter or io board.

If the adapter checks out, verify the IO6 jumper (next to or around the User IO port) is set to I/O and not 3.3v.

Yes that's fine I didn't change anything from the working configuration. It looks like maybe my IO board has gone bad. I'm also getting some interesting audio static in the menus and some cores.. I think I'll order another one and try that

[NML32]

volume is too low if no data found

bummer, I tried full volume with my phone and tape deck.

You need an inline amplifier

Something like this?
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07JQ7FXXL/

[arcadeshopper]

bummer, I tried full volume with my phone and tape deck.

You need an inline amplifier

Something like this?
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07JQ7FXXL/

maybe.. I'd try something that doesn't do anything to the signal myself.. like the old radio shack amp. https://www.ebay.com/itm/144555294213

[Flandango]

I've also had some success with using a pc/laptop's headphone out that allowed me to disable audio effects and then played with the volume out to get to a nice point were it's loud enough but not distorted.

[Flandango]

Yes that's fine I didn't change anything from the working configuration. It looks like maybe my IO board has gone bad. I'm also getting some interesting audio static in the menus and some cores.. I think I'll order another one and try that

Is this over HDMI or are you going out the IO board for audio? Just curious because that definitely doesn't sound good (no pun intended).

[arcadeshopper]

Yes that's fine I didn't change anything from the working configuration. It looks like maybe my IO board has gone bad. I'm also getting some interesting audio static in the menus and some cores.. I think I'll order another one and try that

Is this over HDMI or are you going out the IO board for audio? Just curious because that definitely doesn't sound good (no pun intended).

hdmi.. here's a video
https://photos.app.goo.gl/8Qh7kP9bjUDC2h4e8

[Flandango]

Also, a quick usability question - is there any reason that "Load Full Cart" *shouldn't* imply detaching any existing cart first? If you don't do so manually, you wind up with "ghosting" as the new data overlays the old (and if the older cart had more data...oops!). Might be worth it to force a detach when loading full carts to avoid user error/confusion...I can't think of a use case where you wouldn't want that.

No reason at all, just something I overlooked. I can probably add that in once I figure out why Edu_Pack's first game doesn't work correctly and find a fix for it.
Speaking of Edu-Pack, I did discover that if you are the Q/P/Joystick button select screen.....just as you press the button/key, start spamming the difficulty you want and in most cases it works. Not sure why but once the difficulty screen comes up, it seems to "timeout" and go into an infinite loop ignoring all key presses. I'm slowly walking through the game's code and trying to see what the core isn't handling right.

[rhester72]

@Flandango if there's anything I can do to help, please let me know. I've pretty exhaustively (re)tested SSS since the conversion to M99 and that's the only weirdness I've seen. (There are, however, numerous issues with the python M99 conversion scripts - that's for another day.)