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From: ebray@pacsbb.UUCP (Eric Bray)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.ti,comp.sys.misc,comp.misc
Subject: Upgrading the TI 99/4A
Keywords: MYARC GENEVE 9640
Message-ID: <402@pacsbb.UUCP>
Date: 17 Aug 88 04:42:39 GMT
Organization: PACS - Philadelphia Area Computer Society, Penna.
Lines: 44


For all of you out there that own a TI 99/4A in its own P.E.B., and are
thinking about upgrading to the more powerful MYARC GENEVE 9640; here are
so thoughts on the matter.

The MYARC GENEVE 9640 is a very powerful computer that fits right into
the P.E.B. It has 640K of onboard memory that can be increased to a
total of 2 MEGS. The built in graphics chip (TMS9938) is capable of res-
olution of 512H x 224V and can display 256 colors at one time (from a 
choice of 512). It also has composite and RGB analog output. This means 
that you can use all of your OLD monitors until you are ready to upgrade
to a new monitor.
  
I have had a MYARC GENEVE 9640 for over 1 year now and have been very 
happy with the machine. It was nice going from 40 to 80 columns! The 
speed of the TMS9995 CPU as I have tested it compares very favorable to
both the 8086 and 68000 series chips. The nicest feature that I liked about
the machine is that all of my old TI peripherals were able to be used 
with the machine. SAVING ME MONEY!!!! There is a three button mouse 
that comes with the graphic program that works very well. Even some of 
the old TI software which will also run on this machine has been modified
to use this mouse.
  
The machine works with the MYARC, TI, and Corcomp peripheral cards (disk
controllers and rs232's). There is even an adapter card available that
allows you to locate the SPEECH SYNTHESIZER inside the P.E.B.
  
Another nice feature of the machine for all of the assembly language
programers out there is this machine is a RISC machine!!!! 

Sure there have been a few development problems, but if you are seriously
thinking of upgrading your 4/A system. This machine should be given a
great deal of thought. It is CHEAPER and BETTER to buy a MYARC GENEVE
9640, than to add 800K HORIZON RAMDISKS, 80 COLUMN CARDS, and GRAM PACKERS
to a TI99 4/A. The 9640 has all of these features in a SINGLE card that
fits into your P.E.B.

You also get some pretty powerful software with the machine when you
purchase it. The word processor, MYWORD, is a pretty powerful package
that is a major step up from TI WRITER. You can also run MULTIPLAN now
with 80 columns and more memory. 

It appears that the most logical upgrade of the TI99 4/A is the new and
well made MYARC GENEVE 9640.