--- title: Texas Instruments TI 99 / 2 categories: - Computers types: - Home Computer origins: - U.S.A. years: - '1983' cpus: - Texas Instruments TMS 9995 params: name: TI 99 / 2 company: /companies/texas-instruments company_name: Texas Instruments specs: - label: NAME value: TI 99 / 2 - label: MANUFACTURER value: Texas Instruments - label: TYPE value: Home Computer - label: ORIGIN value: U.S.A. - label: YEAR value: April 1983 - label: BUILT IN LANGUAGE value: Lighted TI Basic - label: KEYBOARD value: QWERTY calculator type, 48 keys - label: CPU value: Texas Instruments TMS 9995 - label: SPEED value: 10.7 Mhz - label: CO-PROCESSOR value: Unknown - label: RAM value: 4 up (up to 36 kb) - label: ROM value: 32 KB - label: TEXT MODES value: 32 x 24 - label: GRAPHIC MODES value: Unknown - label: COLORS value: Monochrome - label: SOUND value: No ! - label: I/O PORTS value: Expansion port, Hex-Bus port, NTSC video out, tape-recorder - label: POWER SUPPLY value: External AC adaptor - label: PRICE value: $99.95 (1983) tabs: - photos - emulators - links - docs - videos photos: - title: B&W PICTURE subtitle: '' text: '' image: null emulators: - title: Mess emulator url: http://www.mess.org platform: MS DOS text: Emulates all of the TI-99 versions, including the Geneve card - title: PC99 url: http://pw2.netcom.com/~mjmw/index.html platform: MS DOS text: Quality emulator for the TI 99/4A - title: Classic99 url: http://www.harmlesslion.com/software/Classic99 platform: Windows text: Open Source & freeware TI-99/4A emulator for Windows 9x - title: Win994a url: http://www.99er.net/win994a.shtml platform: Windows text: Win994a is a TI-99/4A simulator written by Cory Burr that installs and runs in Windows - title: MacV9T9 official homepage url: http://perso.club-internet.fr/pytheas/english/MacV9T9.html platform: Apple text: MacV9T9 is a TI99 emulator for the Macintosh links: - title: planet-99.net url: http://www.planet-99.net/ text: Lots and Lots of 4A software on this site. Disks, Cartridges, Articles - the lot! - title: Somtimes url: http://sometimes.99er.net/ text: Demo cartridges - title: The TI-99/4A Home Computer Page url: http://www.99er.net text: THE U.S. site to visit for TI stuff ! - title: TI-99 4/A Webring url: http://e.webring.com/hub?ring=ti994a text: You know what it is ;-) - title: TI-99 Forever ! url: http://www.ti99.com/ text: Excellent site, full of infos - title: TI-99 Forever ! url: http://www.ti99.com text: Excellent site by Fabrice Montupet - title: TI-99/4 Home Page at 99er.Net url: http://www.99er.net/ text: THE us site to visit ! - title: TI-99/4A SHRINE url: http://www.geocities.com/Athens/7374/ti.html text: Complete site full of infos - title: TI99-4a url: http://www.netten.net/~garycox/ti99idx.htm text: Some infos and reviews of Chicago TI Fairs - title: Web Wiz CAPTCHA url: http://www.webwizcaptcha.com text: Discussion about Texas Instruments computers docs: - title: USER'S REFERENCE GUIDE url: http://www.classiccmp.org/dunfield/ti/index.htm cover: null text: |- [**USER'S REFERENCE GUIDE**](http://www.classiccmp.org/dunfield/ti/index.htm)written by Texas Instruments  compiled/archived by Dave Dunfield\  type of document : PDF\  source : [Daves Old Computers](http://www.classiccmp.org/dunfield/) - title: BEGINNER'S BASIC url: http://www.classiccmp.org/dunfield/ti/index.htm cover: null text: |- [**BEGINNER'S BASIC**](http://www.classiccmp.org/dunfield/ti/index.htm)written by Texas Instruments  compiled/archived by Dave Dunfield\  type of document : PDF\  source : [Daves Old Computers](http://www.classiccmp.org/dunfield/) - title: BASIC REFERENCE CARD url: http://www.classiccmp.org/dunfield/ti/index.htm cover: null text: |- [**BASIC REFERENCE CARD**](http://www.classiccmp.org/dunfield/ti/index.htm)written by Texas Instruments  compiled/archived by Dave Dunfield\  type of document : PDF\  source : [Daves Old Computers](http://www.classiccmp.org/dunfield/) - title: GETTING STARTED WITH THE TEXAS INSTRUMENTS TI99/4A url: http://shawweb.myzen.co.uk/stephen/book.htm cover: /media/museum/docs/couvs/vide.gif text: |- [**GETTING STARTED WITH THE TEXAS INSTRUMENTS TI99/4A**](http://shawweb.myzen.co.uk/stephen/book.htm)written by Stephen Shaw  compiled/archived by Stephen Shaw\  type of document : HTML\  source : [Stephen's Main Web Page](http://shawweb.myzen.co.uk/stephen) - title: PROGRAMMING DISCOVERY IN TI BASIC STUDENT GUIDE url: http://www.99er.net/docs.html cover: null text: |- [**PROGRAMMING DISCOVERY IN TI BASIC STUDENT GUIDE**](http://www.99er.net/docs.html)written by Texas Instruments Computer Advantage Club  compiled/archived by Rich at www.99er.net\  type of document : Unknown\  source : [TI-99/4A Home Computer Page](http://www.99er.net/) - title: TI-99/4A CONSOLE & PERIPHERAL EXPANSION SYSTEM TECHNICAL DATA url: http://www.99er.net/docs.html cover: null text: |- [**TI-99/4A CONSOLE & PERIPHERAL EXPANSION SYSTEM TECHNICAL DATA**](http://www.99er.net/docs.html)written by Texas Instruments  type of document : PDF\  source : [TI-99/4A Home Computer Page](http://www.99er.net/) - title: SPEECH SYNTHESIZER MANUAL url: http://www.99er.net/docs.html cover: null text: |- [**SPEECH SYNTHESIZER MANUAL**](http://www.99er.net/docs.html)written by Texas Instruments  type of document : PDF\  source : [TI-99/4A Home Computer Page](http://www.99er.net/) - title: DISK MEMORY SYSTEM MANUAL url: http://www.99er.net/docs.html cover: null text: |- [**DISK MEMORY SYSTEM MANUAL**](http://www.99er.net/docs.html)written by Texas Instruments  compiled/archived by Rich at www.99er.net\  type of document : Unknown\  source : [TI-99/4A Home Computer Page](http://www.99er.net/) - title: RS232 INTERFACE CARD MANUAL url: http://www.99er.net/docs.html cover: null text: |- [**RS232 INTERFACE CARD MANUAL**](http://www.99er.net/docs.html)written by Texas Instruments  compiled/archived by Rich at www.99er.net\  type of document : Unknown\  source : [TI-99/4A Home Computer Page](http://www.99er.net/) - title: DATA RECORDER MANUAL url: http://www.99er.net/docs.html cover: null text: |- [**DATA RECORDER MANUAL**](http://www.99er.net/docs.html)written by Texas Instruments  compiled/archived by Rich at www.99er.net\  type of document : PDF\  source : [TI-99/4A Home Computer Page](http://www.99er.net/) videos: - title: TV commercial featuring Bill Cosby url: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OhsgvW9P7tI text: 'Length: 30 s' comments: - author: Jeremy Benisek (United States) date: Saturday 27th October 2018 text: |- I have one of these and would like to sell it. Any one interested? Please contact JB@dontpanic.biz - author: Mark (USA) date: Friday 18th July 2014 text: |- There''s an interesting site about TMS99xx stuff : http://www.avjd51.dsl.pipex.com/ Has quite a lot of stuff on the TI TMS9900/TMS9995 hardware including a breadboard self-build computer based on the TMS9995 Well worth a look ! - author: John Creviston (Texas) date: Wednesday 19th February 2003 text: |- I am in posession of a TI99/2. I am looking for an original power supply/wall transformer.\ I do not own this machine, but am acting on behalf of the owner.\ It might possibly be available for auction if there is enough interest. Please write for pictures for if you have questions. john creviston related: - /museum/texas-instruments-computer-99-8 - /museum/texas-instruments-ti-99-4a - /museum/texas-instruments-ti-99-4a-beige oc_id: 267 source: url: https://web.archive.org/web/20230608160518/http://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?c=267 date: '2023-06-08' --- The Texas Instruments TI 99 / 2 (in-house named "Ground Squirrel") was intended to compete in a lower price range than the TI 99/4A (i.e. in the same range that the Sinclair Spectrum). But when the price war with Commodore forced TI to slash the price of a 99/4A to that level, there was no market for the 99/2 anymore.\ Therefore, this prototype never made it to the shelves of the computer shops. **Harry LittleJohn** and **Mark Jander**, the designers of the TI-99/2, explained its concept in a Byte magazine article:\ We beleived a major portion of our market would be first-time computer buyers looking for a minimal investment in the world of computers. We kept the price low to compete directly with low-priced computers such as the Timex/Sinclair 1000. We felt strongly that the first-time buyer must not be intimidated by the product. The console, we decided, must be simple and the keyboard must be no more complicated than a typewriter keyboard. To ease the upward migration to more sophisticated computers, we decided to make our computer part of an integrated proct line basec on the 99/4A.\ Having identified these requirements, we selected the following characteristics for the TI-99/2:\ **1** - A computer system for less than $100 including a minimum of 2 KB of RAM and 16 KB of ROM.\ **2** - A built-in, two-channel black-and-white RF modulator for connecting the system to a standard TV.\ **3** - A built-in interface for a standard audio-cassette recorder to provide economical mass-storage capability.\ **4** - A built-in Hex-bus interface to provide compatibility with the line of low-cost peripherals.\ **5** - An operating system that would be a subset of TI_99/4A TI-BASIC. For cost reasons, the 99/2 would not use the Graphic GROM of the 99/4A and, therefore, 99/4A cartridges would not be compatible with the 99/2.\ **6** - No sound, color, or joystick capability would be supported again because of cost constraints.\ **7** - The full system bus structure would be available at an expansion port. This would facilitate memory-expanding Solid State Software cartridges or any other future system expansion.\ **8** - A nonintimidating 48-key typewriter-like keyboard with only two legends per key top. Lowercase letters would not be supported.