--- 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 image: /media/museum/photos/texas_ti99beige_system_1.jpg 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 forum_thread: 906 photos: - title: LARGER VIEW subtitle: '' text: '' image: /media/museum/photos/texas_ti99beige_system_2.jpg - title: LEFT SIDE subtitle: '' text: '' image: /media/museum/photos/texas_ti99beige_leftside_1.jpg - title: RIGHT SIDE subtitle: '' text: A StarTrek game cartridge is inserted. image: /media/museum/photos/texas_ti99beige_rightside_1.jpg - title: KEYBOARD CLOSE-UP subtitle: '' text: '' image: /media/museum/photos/texas_ti99beige_keyboard_1.jpg - 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: /media/museum/photos/texas_ti99beige_opened_1.jpg - 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: /media/museum/photos/texas_ti99beige_mainboard_1.jpg - 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: /media/museum/photos/texas_ti99beige_back_1.jpg 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: /media/museum/docs/couvs/texas-instruments_ti99-4a_user-reference-guide.jpg 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: /media/museum/docs/couvs/texas-instruments_ti99-4a_beginners-basic.jpg 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: /media/museum/docs/couvs/texas-instruments_ti99-4a_basic-reference-card.jpg 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: /media/museum/docs/couvs/texas-instruments_ti99-4a_programming_discovery.jpg 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: /media/museum/docs/couvs/texas-instruments_ti99-4a_technical_data.jpg 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: /media/museum/docs/couvs/texas-instruments_ti99-4a_speech-module-manual.jpg 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: /media/museum/docs/couvs/texas-instruments_ti99-4a_disk-memory-system.jpg 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: /media/museum/docs/couvs/texas-instruments_ti99-4a_rs232.jpg 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: /media/museum/docs/couvs/texas-instruments_ti99-4a_data-recorder.jpg 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' 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.