website/content/museum/texas-instruments-ti-99-4a-beige.md

title, categories, types, origins, years, cpus, params

title	categories	types	origins	years	cpus	params
Texas Instruments TI 99 / 4A Beige	Computers	Home Computer	U.S.A.	1983	TI TMS 9900	name image company company_name specs tabs forum_thread photos emulators links docs videos related oc_id source TI 99 / 4A Beige /media/museum/photos/texas_ti99beige_system_1.jpg /companies/texas-instruments Texas Instruments label value NAME TI 99 / 4A Beige label value MANUFACTURER Texas Instruments label value TYPE Home Computer label value ORIGIN U.S.A. label value YEAR June 1983 label value END OF PRODUCTION 1983 label value BUILT IN LANGUAGE TI Basic label value KEYBOARD QWERTY full-stroke keyboard, 48 keys\ 2 x SHIFT, CTRL, ALPHA LOCK, FCTN label value CPU TI TMS 9900 (with 256 bytes 'cache', actually it accesses to 256 bytes of RAM) label value SPEED 3,3 MHz label value CO-PROCESSOR TMS 9918 (TMS 9929 in Europe) - Video / Sprite label value RAM 256 bytes - Memory expansion card can be added : 4 KB or 32 KB (up to 52 KB) label value VRAM 16 kb label value ROM 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 value TEXT MODES 32 x 24 (16 colors), 40 x 24 (2 colors) label value GRAPHIC MODES 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 value COLORS 16 label value SOUND 3 channels, 5 octaves (110hz to 55khz) and 1 noise channel (periodic and white) label value SIZE / WEIGHT 38 (W) x 25,5 (D) x 6 (H) cm / 2,15 kg label value I/O PORTS Tape interface, RGB video, Joystick (2), cartridge slot (Solid State Cartridge) label value OS 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 value POWER SUPPLY Special TI external PSU\ (pins 1,2 : 16v / 1,6A -- pins 2,4 : 8v / 0,15A) label value PRICE AU $200 photos emulators links docs videos 906 title subtitle text image LARGER VIEW /media/museum/photos/texas_ti99beige_system_2.jpg title subtitle text image LEFT SIDE /media/museum/photos/texas_ti99beige_leftside_1.jpg title subtitle text image RIGHT SIDE A StarTrek game cartridge is inserted. /media/museum/photos/texas_ti99beige_rightside_1.jpg title subtitle text image KEYBOARD CLOSE-UP /media/museum/photos/texas_ti99beige_keyboard_1.jpg title subtitle text image OPENED 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. /media/museum/photos/texas_ti99beige_opened_1.jpg title subtitle text image MOTHERBOARD **(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 /media/museum/photos/texas_ti99beige_mainboard_1.jpg title subtitle text image BACK SIDE 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 /media/museum/photos/texas_ti99beige_back_1.jpg title url platform text Mess emulator http://www.mess.org MS DOS Emulates all of the TI-99 versions, including the Geneve card title url platform text PC99 http://pw2.netcom.com/~mjmw/index.html MS DOS Quality emulator for the TI 99/4A title url platform text Classic99 http://www.harmlesslion.com/software/Classic99 Windows Open Source & freeware TI-99/4A emulator for Windows 9x title url platform text Win994a http://www.99er.net/win994a.shtml Windows Win994a is a TI-99/4A simulator written by Cory Burr that installs and runs in Windows title url platform text MacV9T9 official homepage http://perso.club-internet.fr/pytheas/english/MacV9T9.html Apple MacV9T9 is a TI99 emulator for the Macintosh title url text planet-99.net http://www.planet-99.net/ Lots and Lots of 4A software on this site. Disks, Cartridges, Articles - the lot! title url text Somtimes http://sometimes.99er.net/ Demo cartridges title url text TI-99 4/A Webring http://e.webring.com/hub?ring=ti994a You know what it is ;-) title url text TI-99 Forever ! http://www.ti99.com Excellent site by Fabrice Montupet title url text TI-99/4 Home Page at 99er.Net http://www.99er.net/ THE us site to visit ! title url text Web Wiz CAPTCHA http://www.webwizcaptcha.com Tons of things here ! title url cover text USER'S REFERENCE GUIDE http://www.classiccmp.org/dunfield/ti/index.htm /media/museum/docs/couvs/texas-instruments_ti99-4a_user-reference-guide.jpg [**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 url cover text BEGINNER'S BASIC http://www.classiccmp.org/dunfield/ti/index.htm /media/museum/docs/couvs/texas-instruments_ti99-4a_beginners-basic.jpg [**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 url cover text BASIC REFERENCE CARD http://www.classiccmp.org/dunfield/ti/index.htm /media/museum/docs/couvs/texas-instruments_ti99-4a_basic-reference-card.jpg [**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 url cover text GETTING STARTED WITH THE TEXAS INSTRUMENTS TI99/4A http://shawweb.myzen.co.uk/stephen/book.htm /media/museum/docs/couvs/vide.gif [**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 url cover text PROGRAMMING DISCOVERY IN TI BASIC STUDENT GUIDE http://www.99er.net/docs.html /media/museum/docs/couvs/texas-instruments_ti99-4a_programming_discovery.jpg [**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 url cover text TI-99/4A CONSOLE & PERIPHERAL EXPANSION SYSTEM TECHNICAL DATA http://www.99er.net/docs.html /media/museum/docs/couvs/texas-instruments_ti99-4a_technical_data.jpg [**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 url cover text SPEECH SYNTHESIZER MANUAL http://www.99er.net/docs.html /media/museum/docs/couvs/texas-instruments_ti99-4a_speech-module-manual.jpg [**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 url cover text DISK MEMORY SYSTEM MANUAL http://www.99er.net/docs.html /media/museum/docs/couvs/texas-instruments_ti99-4a_disk-memory-system.jpg [**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 url cover text RS232 INTERFACE CARD MANUAL http://www.99er.net/docs.html /media/museum/docs/couvs/texas-instruments_ti99-4a_rs232.jpg [**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 url cover text DATA RECORDER MANUAL http://www.99er.net/docs.html /media/museum/docs/couvs/texas-instruments_ti99-4a_data-recorder.jpg [**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/) title url text TV commercial featuring Bill Cosby https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OhsgvW9P7tI Length: 30 s /museum/texas-instruments-computer-99-8 /museum/texas-instruments-ti-99-2 /museum/texas-instruments-ti-99-4a 929 url date https://web.archive.org/web/20230608092647/http://www.old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?c=929 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 competition. T.I. also thought of standardizing colours and peripherals of its future line of home computers, the TI99/2 and TI99/8.

Internal hardware of the beige version was quite the same as the TI99/4 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.