Some hardware

Time for description of hardware

Device has been developing for a long time. I am using the TI-99/4A home computer. The device has three main capability:

1. 10/100 ethernet connection
2. AMS memory card emulation with 32K and super cart
3. disk and hard disk emulation with SD memory

Device is connected to cartridge port to allow cartridge dumping directly into the storage device. Also makes handy for editor assembler and extended basic cartridge or any cartridge emulation with selection.

The main device plug into the side expansion port. A speech synthesiser cannot be used because of limitations of my own knowledge. (Speech is a useless feature to me so not a worry). The joystick and cassette ports are used for extra CRU handling and data transfer. Serial connection available by coupling joystick and cassette also possible but a bit slower than regular RS232.

Ethernet lets me do FTP and file transfers quicker than RS232 so not a big concern.

I did not like swapping all of my diskette drives so added a hard drive emulation and disk emulation with SD flash. 4GB is ok to use but using the similar techniques of Myarc HFDC and using same limitations to be compatible. The DSR can select partitions for you to use with your programs.

AMS memory emulation is nice for building large programs that take advantage of the TI hardware. C compiler make it easy to port some software to TI.

Need to borrow camera to take some pictures of my hardware connections. Broke my camera with TI Peripheral box cover few month ago accidentally. Put cover corner down smashed lenz with heavy weight of cover. Poor camera rest in peace.

Nice having holiday time to try to document this work. Add bypass to joystick port still needed to play games. DSR bug really causing grief last month.