Programming Graphics on the TI-99/4A - Newline99

[@CityXen]

Great overview, thanks

[@davidstclair3402]

Great presentation - brought back some memories, plus some stuff I didn't know!

[@rvignali]

Amazing channel. Great video

[@robertdominguez6002]

Just recently picked up a TI. Thanks for the video

[@Bofner]

Your content is super helpful for someone like me trying to learn about programming on old computers. Thanks!

[@GlensRetroShow]

Been a while since I used this..thanks for the refresher

[@cbmeeks]

Awesome! It's about time the TI got some love. Please make more videos like this. I would love to learn more like how to start assembly language programming on the TI...what is GROM? Etc. Maybe some F18a tutorials. :-D Keep up the great work.

[@newline9937]

I'm glad you enjoyed it. I have an assembly language video up now! I haven't done much with the modern additions to the TI yet, like the F18A. There are lots of innovative creations in the recent TI engineering community that would be exciting to explore.

[@dgrissom007]

Well presented. Concise and interesting! Good luck with your channel!

[@newline9937]

Thank you!

[@PixelMaker04]

Hey. It's someone else who does TI99/4A stuff. I'm still learning, but enjoying myself in the process.

[@newline9937]

Excellent! I hope you find the videos helpful.

[@PixelMaker04]

@@newline9937 So far they are. I've seen a few things I want to try at some point.. I've got a couple of vids posted as well showing me going through a couple of the type-in programs.

[@AllGamingStarred]

Extended BASIC should've never been needed in the first place. The 4A on paper seemed like a beast but TI screwed up. If I were the person making and selling the TI, I would do this: 1.48K RAM standard, no need for scratchpad ram, 16k video RAM 2. Ability to call Machine code functions from BASIC 3. ALL commands from Microsoft BASIC in addition to the one's in standard TI BASIC 3.5 BASIC improved: No double interpreted crap. All lines are parsed, and sent to the CPU immediately upon entry or tokenized if needed. Prioritize speed over ease of use. 50% is acceptable. 4. Ditch the crappy Joysticks, allow use of Atari or Sega 5. A better keyboard with backspace and run/stop 6. IF needed (big if), sell a cart that adds more memory but adds no new commands 7. $100 complete with documentation and stuff for hobbyists 8. ARM processor for base model, 6502 for reduced price.

[@scottlarson1548]

It still jabs me that the machine has 16K of RAM which you cannot use for programs or storage since it's all dedicated to video. All you get to use is 256 bytes on a couple of static RAM chips which is more like the architecture of a game console. So to do programming, you need to buy an expensive memory expansion which also suggests it was marketed to be a game console for most customers instead of a personal computer.

[@alerey4363]

It's a bigger pitty the TI-99/4A had a 16 bit microprocessor (unheard for a home computer back in '81) but the rest of the system (buses, i/o, memory) was all 8-bit; those bad design and marketing decissions got TI out of the home computer business when Commodore pushed their 8 bit machines (vic20 first, C64 after) into agressive competition mode

[@scottlarson1548]

@@alerey4363 TI decided it would be cheapest to reuse the CPU they were using for their minicomputer line instead of designing a brand new microprocessor from scratch. After all they were the largest producer of integrated circuits so they could do whatever they wanted. But man, you know producing that huge 64 pin CPU must have been expensive.

[@alerey4363]

@@scottlarson1548 not cheap enough because Tramiel crushed TI with price lowering and TI home computer business was gone in 3 years from launch date

[@scottlarson1548]

@@alerey4363 The Commodore 64 didn't exist when the TI 99/4 was released. It was designed to compete with the Apple II and the TRS-80, not the VIC-20.

[@alerey4363]

@@scottlarson1548 if you read my post carefully I stated vic20 undermined the TI99 and then the C64, being a killer machine way better than the vic20, put the final nail in the coffin for TI (vic20 was introduced in 1980, TI in 1981 and C64 in 1982; the timeline corresponds exactly to the TI being sandwiched between to price-killer products by the agressive Tramiel)

[@ZettDarkstone]

look to msx1 same vdp all modes in basic possible

[@martindejong3974]

Yes, and MSX had (at least 16K and often much more) real external (to the VDP) RAM so it could use all 16K of the VDP for graphics.

[@ChronicKPOP]

destroys the vic 20

[@AllGamingStarred]

How i understand sprites: Data statements using 0 and 1 How TI does sprites "Let's use a hex system instead of binary data statements" No wonder it's easier on the spectrum. All you have to do is poke them here? I need to understand both hex and binary then use hex? No wonder TI's machine failed