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History of video games/Platforms/Texas Instruments TI-99/4A

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  • An 1981 Texas Instruments 99/4A computer with two joysticks attached.
    An 1981 Texas Instruments 99/4A computer with two joysticks attached.

History

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TI Basic on a TI-99/4A

The Texas Instruments TI-99/4 was released in 1979 at a cost of $1,150.[1][2]

The improved Texas Instruments TI-99/4A was released in June 1981 at a cost of $525.[1][3]

Despite costing less than $100 by fall of 1982, and by being promoted by then popular comedian Bill Cosby, the TI-99/4A was severely challenged in the market by fierce competition in the low end segment, and by the video game crash of 1983.[2]

Production of the Texas Instruments TI-99/4A ended in 1984 with about 2.5 million systems sold.[4][5]

Technology

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Compute

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The Texas Instruments TI-99/4A is powered by the 16-bit TMS9900 processor clocked at three megahertz.[3]

A TMS 9918 or TMS 9929 handles video processing.[4]

The TI-99/4A has 16 kilobytes of RAM and 16 kilobytes of video RAM.[3][4]

Hardware

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Speech Synthesis
Speech synthesis software output from a TI-99/4A, advanced at the time.
Problems listening to this file? See media help.

The TI-99/4A has 26 kilobytes of ROM.[3]

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360 View

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Details

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  •  
    The TI99/4A with cartridge on top.

Accessories

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  •  
    Texas Instruments Program Recorder and cassette tape.
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    Program Recorder side with labeled parts.
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    Disk Controller Card.
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    RS-232 Interface Card.
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    32 kilobyte memory expansion card.

References

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Wikipedia has related information at Texas Instruments TI-99/4A

 

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Texas Instruments TI-99/4A

  1. ↑ a b "Full Page Reload". IEEE Spectrum: Technology, Engineering, and Science News. Retrieved 28 November 2020.
  2. ↑ a b Pollack, Andrew (19 June 1983). "THE COMING CRISIS IN HOME COMPUTERS (Published 1983)". The New York Times. Retrieved 28 November 2020.
  3. ↑ a b c d "Texas Instruments TI-99/4A computer". oldcomputers.net. Retrieved 28 November 2020.
  4. ↑ a b c "OLD-COMPUTERS.COM : The Museum". www.old-computers.com. Retrieved 28 November 2020.
  5. ↑ "Texas Instruments Model 994A Personal Computer". National Museum of American History. Retrieved 28 November 2020.


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