From: utzoo!decvax!harpo!npoiv!npois!houxm!houxa!houxi!houxz!ihnp4!ixn5c!inuxc!pur-ee!uiucdcs!mcewan Newsgroups: net.micro Title: Re: TI 99/4a remarks and questions - (nf) Article-I.D.: uiucdcs.1517 Posted: Sun Feb 20 20:28:14 1983 Received: Tue Feb 22 05:21:56 1983 #R:aluxz:-110600:uiucdcs:10400042:000:807 uiucdcs!mcewan Feb 20 19:38:00 1983 I am considering buying a TI 99/4A, but I have some questions. 1) The speed of TI basic is a joke (about 1/4 as fast as 6502-based micros). How fast is machine code? How easy is it to program in assembler? I note that arcade-type game cartridges for the TI have no problem with speed. 2) Graphics are excellent. However, I've only seen display models hooked up to a monitor. Could someone who's seen one using a tv set let me know how good the display looks? 3) Many of the display models I've seen in department stores were not working too well (e.g., you have to turn it on and off several times to get it to run basic), with a failure rate much higher than the vic-20's in the same stores. This could be because of all the little kids playing with the games on the TI. Any TI owners had any problems?