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?