--- title: Texas Instruments TI 99 / 4A Beige categories: - Computers types: - Home Computer origins: - U.S.A. years: - '1983' cpus: - TI TMS 9900 params: name: TI 99 / 4A Beige company: /companies/texas-instruments company_name: Texas Instruments specs: - label: NAME value: TI 99 / 4A Beige - label: MANUFACTURER value: Texas Instruments - label: TYPE value: Home Computer - label: ORIGIN value: U.S.A. - label: YEAR value: June 1983 - label: END OF PRODUCTION value: '1983' - label: BUILT IN LANGUAGE value: TI Basic - label: KEYBOARD value: |- QWERTY full-stroke keyboard, 48 keys\ 2 x SHIFT, CTRL, ALPHA LOCK, FCTN - label: CPU value: TI TMS 9900 (with 256 bytes 'cache', actually it accesses to 256 bytes of RAM) - label: SPEED value: 3,3 MHz - label: CO-PROCESSOR value: TMS 9918 (TMS 9929 in Europe) - Video / Sprite - label: RAM value: '256 bytes - Memory expansion card can be added : 4 KB or 32 KB (up to 52 KB)' - label: VRAM value: 16 kb - label: ROM value: '26 KB  : 8 KB ROM connected to the CPU + 18 KB ROM in byte-serial bit-mapped circuits (usually known as GROM, Graphic Only Memory)' - label: TEXT MODES value: 32 x 24 (16 colors), 40 x 24 (2 colors) - label: GRAPHIC MODES value: |- Multicolor mode : 48 x 64 with 16 colors\ 256 x 192 with 16 colors (only accesed via machine code)\ Sprites (only with TI-Extended Basic) - label: COLORS value: '16' - label: SOUND value: 3 channels, 5 octaves (110hz to 55khz) and 1 noise channel (periodic and white) - label: SIZE / WEIGHT value: 38 (W) x 25,5 (D) x 6 (H) cm / 2,15 kg - label: I/O PORTS value: Tape interface, RGB video, Joystick (2), cartridge slot (Solid State Cartridge) - label: OS value: TI's own system, but a p-code card could be added, which gave access to the UCSD p-system and a Pascal compiler. - label: POWER SUPPLY value: |- Special TI external PSU\ (pins 1,2 : 16v / 1,6A -- pins 2,4 : 8v / 0,15A) - label: PRICE value: AU $200 tabs: - photos - emulators - links - docs - videos photos: - title: LARGER VIEW subtitle: '' text: '' image: null - title: LEFT SIDE subtitle: '' text: '' image: null - title: RIGHT SIDE subtitle: '' text: A StarTrek game cartridge is inserted. image: null - title: KEYBOARD CLOSE-UP subtitle: '' text: '' image: null - title: OPENED subtitle: '' text: |- Opened system seen from the bottom side.\ A metallic magnetic shield covers the motherboard.\ At least two different power regulator circuits **(1)** and keyboards **(2)** were used. Some of them came from Japan. image: null - title: MOTHERBOARD subtitle: '' text: |- **(1)** RGB video output DIN plug\ **(2)** TMS 9918A video processor\ **(3)** TMS 9901 I/O management chip\ **(4)** TMS 9900 16-bit processor\ **(5)** 3 x GROM 6 KB chips\ **(6)** Sound generator chip (Texas 76494)\ **(7)** ROM cartridges connector\ **(8)** Tape recorder DB9 connector\ **(9)** Extension connector\ **(10)** 256 bytes Static RAM chips (2 x Motorola 6810)\ **(11)** 8 KB system ROM chip (Texas CD3227)\ **(12)** Power leads\ **(13)** Keyboard connector\ **(14)** 16 KB RAM chips (8 x 4116)\ **(15)** Joystick DB9 connector image: null - title: BACK SIDE subtitle: '' text: |- From left to right:\ • Extension connector\ • Tape recorder DB9 plug\ • Power plug. Power is supplied by and external mono or dual voltage PSU, depending on versions\ • RGB video out DIN plug 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: 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 by Fabrice Montupet - title: TI-99/4 Home Page at 99er.Net url: http://www.99er.net/ text: THE us site to visit ! - title: Web Wiz CAPTCHA url: http://www.webwizcaptcha.com text: Tons of things here ! 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: Virgil date: Tuesday 13rd October 2020 text: I am 13 and I have found one of these in a building my family owns. I am interested in it and how it has the same controller ports on it as a sega genesis does. Really neat. - author: ChrisGrillo (Malta) date: Tuesday 24th April 2018 text: I cut my teeth on this machine, learning program literally by copying the listings from magazines, and then figuring out which part did what action or sequence. My dad bought this machine for me when it was already discontinued, but as a poor family, we didn''t care. I love this machine to this day, and it is still connected to my tv. - author: Nathaniel (Texas) date: Monday 19th June 2017 text: I have a beige 99/4A that my Grandma bought at Sears on clearance. It came with the original version of the system ROM and will run all third party carts. Guess TI was trying to just make everything they could and mixed and matched surplus part stock to get rid of it at the EOL of the machines. Even though the computer is almost a decade older than I am I have enjoyed it and still break it out every now and then to play Zero Zap or Parsec on. - author: Gilmoure (New Mexico, United States) date: Wednesday 5th April 2017 text: I still have my beige TI-99/4a (16k of RAM!) and it still works (except I no longer have a tube tv for display. :-( ). I also have the cassette player I used with it and there''s a tape in there but I''m afraid to even plug it in or try and open the player. Figure the tape has welded itself to the read head or something. For what it''s worth, I now admin super computers. Great way to start. - author: Mark (United States) date: Saturday 1st April 2017 text: |- My farther purchased one for me when I was around 14 or 15. I lived in a little town called Newport Pagnell (where Aston Martins are made) just outside Milton Keynes. My first computer. Remember learning BASIC, copying programs from magazines with the thinnest paper. Loved it. Learned to debug because I would never copy correctly, still use those same techniques today... Pretty sure having this computer and loving it helped me get my apprenticeship at Allen-Bradley in 1981 and career in tech ever since... - author: Scott (USA) date: Saturday 26th September 2015 text: |- Got one for my 9th birthday, love the look of the black/silver but just for nostalgic purposes I want to get a the beige because that is what I had.\ I also remember well using a random cassette recorder for saving basic programs. I have very fond memories of these books I use to order from the monthly scholastic brochure thing, they were called "Micro-Adventure" and it was like sliced-bread to me at 9. You went through the fiction Sci-Fi type stories but at the part where the team was looking at a bomb you would type in a program that would have a countdown timer or something like that. LOVED it.\ My favorite game was "MicroSurgeon" by far. A really impressive game actually for that small system, it had three windows on-scree showing verious things. One was the inside of the person you were working on, another was the hospital room and another had the heartbeat and vitals monitor. Really great stuff. P.S. Speaking of Schoolastic does anybody else remember a magazine you could get through them called "K-Power"? I''ve never seen one since but they were full sized fun 8 bit mags. Wish I could look through one now. - 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: etownAndy (USA) date: Tuesday 4th January 2011 text: |- Actually, some versions of the beige console could use third-party cartridges with no problem. The version that can''t displays "(c)1983 v2.2" on the startup screen. The QI (Quality Improved) motherboard differed in many ways. For one, the side expansion port lost the brass-colored "fingers". Second, the tranformer plug only contains two pins because only 5 and 16 volts are needed whereas the original also supplied 8v. Finally, there is no top shield, and a heat sink is placed on the TMS9918A video chip. - author: Beachbumb date: Saturday 10th April 2010 text: I had this when I was a kid. Burgertime and Star trek games and a radioshack cassette recorder to record my programsI made in Basic. Also had the voice simulator plugin pack. Drempt about getting the big floppy disc box. - author: andy (sydney) date: Sunday 23rd July 2006 text: 'My step dad gave me a ti 994a beige when i was 13. immediately i taught myself basic from the excellent manual that came with it. I got caught a couple of times with the function key reseting issue. Funny story: my brother accidentaly spilt an entire cup of coffee into it while it was turned on. we powered it off, turned it upside down to let the coffee drain, and let it rest standing up against the back fence outside for a week. then bought it in, turned it on, it was as if nothing had happened. They dont make electronics like they used to...... I loved that computer. sigh.' - author: CodeBoy061269 (Saint Petersburg, Florida) date: Sunday 12th September 2004 text: I was given a TI-99/4A for my 14th. birthday, in 1983. I had been taking continuing education courses at The University Of South Florida during Summer break from junior high school. Eventually, all my computer equipment stopped working. You can go to ebay and buy a lot of that stuff, though. That's what I did, and now, when I'm not working with my PC, I can relive the old days. Also, free emulators are available on line that, for all intents and purposes, temporarily turn your PC or Mac into a TI-99/4A. - author: Lyn (USA) date: Sunday 3rd August 2003 text: I recall purchasing the TI99 back around 1982 or 83 at Toys R Us for $50.00. The model was being discontinued. There were a few good games for it, can't remember all, but one comes to mind. It was "Alpiner," a mountain main trying to make his way to the top and had to watch out for skunk slime! I also remember the manual with the basic instructions. My first screen saver was "random dots." related: - /museum/texas-instruments-computer-99-8 - /museum/texas-instruments-ti-99-2 - /museum/texas-instruments-ti-99-4a oc_id: 929 source: url: https://web.archive.org/web/20230608092647/http://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?c=929 date: '2023-06-08' --- This TI99/4A all plastic beige version was launched in June 1983, five months before Texas Instruments decide to definitely get out of the home computers market. The goal was to reduce the production costs and offer a better price front of the Commodore [VIC-20](/museum/commodore-vic-20/) competition. T.I. also thought of standardizing colours and peripherals of its future line of home computers, the [TI99/2](/museum/texas-instruments-ti-99-2/) and [TI99/8](/museum/texas-instruments-computer-99-8/). Internal hardware of the beige version was quite the same as the [TI99/4](/museum/texas-instruments-ti-99-4a/) black and silver model. All of the TI99 peripherals could run on the new version. Some minor change were made though:\ • New power supply unit\ • New power switch moved to to right of the keyboard\ • The power Led was replaced with a blue colored area on the power switch\ • Only the T.I. licencied ROM cartridges could run on this version. Despite its short life, several tens of thousands system were sold, in American continent and Australia.