Video Poll (TI Related)

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After I finally get done with the Atari.io video, probably in another week or two, what would you like as the next video? 

[RickR]

It's a hard choice.  Both sound good.

 

[Justin]

18 hours ago, RickR said:

It's a hard choice.  Both sound good.

 

I agree! I voted for "Reasons for a newbie to get into the TI-99/4A" because I think that will be an excellent starter video which will attract new people and help them get their start in the TI hobby. "The most bang for your buck" could be the 2nd video, but I would incorporate the basic points into the "Reasons for a newbie to get into the TI-99/4A" video, with the "bang for your buck" video as a more detailed follow up.

[cbmeeks]

What @Justin said.

I get so annoyed with people who trash talk the TI on YouTube when they have never used one.  Or, they've used it for all of 10 minutes before deciding it's junk.  The TI certainly had quirks (many of them!), but that's what made it so great.  And beginners should know that.

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7 hours ago, cbmeeks said:

What @Justin said.

I get so annoyed with people who trash talk the TI on YouTube when they have never used one.  Or, they've used it for all of 10 minutes before deciding it's junk.  The TI certainly had quirks (many of them!), but that's what made it so great.  And beginners should know that.

Sadly, so many people jump to conclusions now days without having all the facts.  I'll be the first one to admit a bare bones console is as worthless as a rusty anchor without a chain.  Add 32K and a FinalGROM and you have something that can play games.  Add a TIPI and WOW!

[CrossBow]

I have a boxed and working TI-99 but rarely fire it up. I have a few carts for it and I even picked up the FinalGrom at PRGE back in 2019. But I've never even setup an SD card with it to use it yet. It isn't a system I have a ton of fondness for or really desire to pick up and play something on, but it was one of the first computers I experienced in my youth as my stepdads mom had one in the early 80s on a little color TV and I could remember playing Chisholm Trail and some other simpler games on it and thought it was cool and fun. Back in the early 80s it was! 

So, that said, I voted on Reasons for a Newbie to get into the system because I'm curious to know more about what I can do and play on it. I don't have the 32k expansion, (I don't have any expansion on my Vic-20 either). But I know there is still quite a bit I can play on it that might be unique or provide a different and maybe a better game experience on the TI vs other systems it might have been released on?

 

[Justin]

23 hours ago, - Ω - said:

Sadly, so many people jump to conclusions now days without having all the facts. 

That is so right on. I find this to be true everywhere I go. Remember we are all "ambassadors" for the things and hobbies we love.

[RickR]

10 minutes ago, CrossBow said:

But I know there is still quite a bit I can play on it that might be unique or provide a different and maybe a better game experience on the TI vs other systems it might have been released on?

I think with that FinalGROM (and no 32k expansion), you can play all of the original cartridge releases.  There's a lot of unique stuff to have fun with.  My favorites are the games with speech (Parsec, Alpiner, etc -- I think there are 8), but you'll need the speech box for that.  I guess joysticks are also needed. 

 

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@RickR You are exactly right, there are many games that can be played without 32K, and a few surprising ones.  Since @CrossBow has a FinalGROM, the list is even longer.

[CrossBow]

I do have a working Speech module and also a set of the Amiga Power sticks for the TI that work. I also own Alpiner, Parsec, and even Microsurgeon along with a few other physical carts for the system, but again, I rarely fire it up to use it. Part of that reason is the funky power setup and while I did make a composite video output cable for it, it still can be a chore for me to get everything together setup to play a few games on it.

I did recap it and replace the thermal paste on it about 2 or 3 years ago as I do with all of my consoles and systems. (I need to do the 130xe now that I'm thinking about it...)

 

[- Ω -]

17 minutes ago, CrossBow said:

... I also own Alpiner, Parsec, and even Microsurgeon along with a few other physical carts for the system, but again, I rarely fire it up to use it.

Yeah, I felt the same way about my Odyssey2  I only had three games for it, so was never really inspired to use it.  One more cartridge though could give you access to HUNDREDS of games.

[CrossBow]

Are you talking about adding in the 32k expansion module? Or something for the O2? I don't own an O2 nor desire to own one honestly.

 

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1 hour ago, CrossBow said:

Are you talking about adding in the 32k expansion module? Or something for the O2? I don't own an O2 nor desire to own one honestly.

 

No I was simply commenting on not firing up the O2 and eventually getting rid of it due to lack of games.  Limited time and space affects my reality.

[CrossBow]

3 hours ago, - Ω - said:

No I was simply commenting on not firing up the O2 and eventually getting rid of it due to lack of games.  Limited time and space affects my reality.

Which is honestly why my Vic-20, Ti-99, 800xl, and my 130xe sit in the closet 90% of the time. Because I don't have dedicated space to set them up on a more permanent basis. I really need to get rid of my LD collection that I don't need anymore along with the two players I've got as that would free up 2 small shelves of space LOL! Now that I have a MODE in my DC and a RHEA in my Saturn, I could likely go ahead and box up those physical games and store them in a spare room somewhere. That would free up even more space for more stuff to put out! LOL!

It is a never ending cycle I tell ya!

 

[RickR]

2 minutes ago, CrossBow said:

Which is honestly why my Vic-20, Ti-99, 800xl, and my 130xe sit in the closet 90% of the time. Because I don't have dedicated space to set them up on a more permanent basis. I really need to get rid of my LD collection that I don't need anymore along with the two players I've got as that would free up 2 small shelves of space LOL! Now that I have a MODE in my DC and a RHEA in my Saturn, I could likely go ahead and box up those physical games and store them in a spare room somewhere. That would free up even more space for more stuff to put out! LOL!

It is a never ending cycle I tell ya!

 

Brother, this is my sentiment exactly. 

And if you need a little push to get rid of the LD collection -- DO IT!  I did that a while ago and do not miss it at all. 

[CrossBow]

I was trying to offload all of it for like a set price sometime back but everyone that is into LDs and collects them already has like 90% of what I own in my library. So I've thought I might just have to give it all to Goodwill and make it a tax write off or something. I've watched any of my LDs in nearly a decade and many of the movies I've got on DVD or Blu. There are still a few movies I have on LD that don't have the same releases on any other medium as yet like the original Star Wars trilogy that I have on LD but still, I'm not likely to watch them again having them in other formats already.

 

[RickR]

19 minutes ago, CrossBow said:

I was trying to offload all of it for like a set price sometime back but everyone that is into LDs and collects them already has like 90% of what I own in my library. So I've thought I might just have to give it all to Goodwill and make it a tax write off or something. I've watched any of my LDs in nearly a decade and many of the movies I've got on DVD or Blu. There are still a few movies I have on LD that don't have the same releases on any other medium as yet like the original Star Wars trilogy that I have on LD but still, I'm not likely to watch them again having them in other formats already.

 

Try your local Craigslist.  I sold mine that way to a young person who was just starting out at collecting. 

 

[CrossBow]

Yeah...not as fond of that these days. They would have to come to my house for all of it and I'm not so keen on that if you get my drift?

 

[RickR]

Just now, CrossBow said:

Yeah...not as fond of that these days. They would have to come to my house for all of it and I'm not so keen on that if you get my drift?

 

I understand.  My whole collection fit in the back of my SUV, so I met the person at a local Walgreens parking lot.  You must have a BIG collection.  When you do get rid of it, your house floors will breathe a sigh of relief (those things are HEAVY!) 

 

[CrossBow]

Everything is on the lower level of the house and because I live where I do. We don't have basements. Just concrete slabs that everything sits on. Weight is actually one of the reasons I've not taken over one of the rooms upstairs that is bigger to move the game room into because I'm not sure how everything would take the weight of my very heavy display cases and bookshelves I have.

I could probably bit it all in the back of my wife's SUV perhaps but it would be a tight fit in my Lancer.

 

Edited March 10, 2021 by CrossBow

[Atari 5200 Guy]

I only have about 10 titles for my LD player.  I love the thing.  Then again I love all old analog equipment...VHS, LD, early DVD players...things like that.

I have  TI but only have three games.  I don't use it too often because of the same reasons @RickR and @CrossBow have mentioned...space.  I'm not out of space but I would rather give all of my computers their space to be permanently setup and ready for use instead of having to set them up every time I want to play them.  It's simply too hard on the machines to keep doing that, not to mention some of those machines are not exactly easy to come by should something go wrong setting them up and taking them down all the time.  It's not that I don't like the TI but I don't have any past with one either.  Not enough to warrant dragging it out all the time.

[- Ω -]

I totally understand and can relate to the mindset.  If I had no past history with one, I wouldn't bother making it a priority either.  In your case @Atari 5200 Guy, I'd simply go with emulation.  That way you could check out 95% of the stuff out there for free and then keep what you want.  If you do decide to go with emulation, I recommend Classic 99. One word of warning though, it was about 8 years ago that I tried Tursi's emulator, and it sucked me in like a whirlpool.  I'm still trapped!