Subject: Console Test

From: Owen Brand <[email-masked]>
Date: Sat, 26 Jun 2010 11:09:42 -0400

Anyone know of a documented 10 point console test, or something of the  
like?  I just got 3 consoles in box from a friend and would like to  
put them up... I know how to test for just about everything, but I'm  
always concerned my tests don't uncover everything... Right now I test:

-Keystrokes+FCTN & alpha lock (in BASIC)
-Joystick port (running Parsec)
-CS1 port (Hello World, SAVE and OLD)
-Side port (SAVE HELLO WORLD to disk)
-Extended use (TI Invaders demo mode---10 minutes)

This is as thorough as I typically get... What methods do you guys/ 
gals use to test consoles?

Owen Brand

        **webmaster**
http://www.Opry99er.com

---

From: alekin garavia <[email-masked]>
Date: Sat, 26 Jun 2010 15:28:34 +0000 (GMT)

hello owen.. your problem is that you have 3 broken console and try a repair it? If yes there is more mode for test it, but i use a electronic tester, and oscilloscope. How first you check if power is ok .. alias found -5,+5v and +12V.
If you have problem black screen and noise buzz how failure that one can do on fly is change tms9918 or tms 9929. If problem remain the failure is more difficult a found..
If you search software tester i remember that exist a corcomp diagnostic but i never use it.. Hope that help you.. bye ermanno 

--- Sab 26/6/10, Owen Brand <[email-masked]> ha scritto:

Da: Owen Brand <[email-masked]>
Oggetto: [TI994A] Console Test
A: [email-masked]
Data: Sabato 26 giugno 2010, 17:09

  

Owen Brand

**webmaster**

http://www.Opry99er.com

---

From: Owen Brand <[email-masked]>
Date: Sat, 26 Jun 2010 11:49:49 -0400

Thank you Ermanno.  These consoles have not been tested yet... I was  
curious about what other 99ers did for testing.  :) Thank you for  
sharing!!

Owen Brand

        **webmaster**
http://www.Opry99er.com

On Jun 26, 2010, at 11:28 AM, alekin garavia <[email-masked]>  
wrote:

> hello owen.. your problem is that you have 3 broken console and try  
> a repair it? If yes there is more mode for test it, but i use a  
> electronic tester, and oscilloscope. How first you check if power is  
> ok .. alias found -5,+5v and +12V.
> If you have problem black screen and noise buzz how failure that one  
> can do on fly is change tms9918 or tms 9929. If problem remain the  
> failure is more difficult a found..
> If you search software tester i remember that exist a corcomp  
> diagnostic but i never use it.. Hope that help you.. bye ermanno
>

---

From: Keith Bergman <[email-masked]>
Date: Sat, 26 Jun 2010 11:57:15 -0400

Given the relatively low price a bare console will sell for, and the usual
cluelessness of the people selling consoles on Ebay, the test you describe
will make your consoles the best-tested ones ever listed on the site.  :)  I
do a similar batch of tests, including writing a simple X=X+1::PRINT X
program and letting it run for 20-30 minutes (never thought to test the
cassette port, though, good call).

In my experience, almost every console with a problem shows itself within
seconds - either doesn't go past the welcome screen, locks up within a
couple seconds of the BASIC prompt, or has an obvious physical defect
(non-responsive keys, etc).  I think you'll be fine doing what you already
described, then offering them with a "no DOA" guarantee - as in, it'll work
when it arrives, but beyond that, it's vintage electronics and you're taking
your chances to a small degree.

Racking my brain now, I can't recall ever having someone get a console and
having it not work, or having any after-the-sale issues.  I've had people
who tried plugging their joysticks into the cassette port, or who didn't
know the ALPHA LOCK thing, but usually a quick email will fix any issues
they have.  If you're gonna sell a whole lot of consoles, maybe typing up a
one page troubleshooting and set up guide and throwing a copy in the box
wouldn't be a bad idea.

On Sat, Jun 26, 2010 at 11:49 AM, Owen Brand <[email-masked]> wrote:

> curious about what other 99ers did for testing.  :) Thank you for sharing!!
>
> Owen Brand
>
>         **webmaster**
> http://www.Opry99er.com <http://www.opry99er.com/>
>
>   hello owen.. your problem is that you have 3 broken console and try a
> repair it? If yes there is more mode for test it, but i use a electronic
> tester, and oscilloscope. How first you check if power is ok .. alias found
> -5,+5v and +12V.
> If you have problem black screen and noise buzz how failure that one can do
> on fly is change tms9918 or tms 9929. If problem remain the failure is more
> difficult a found..
> If you search software tester i remember that exist a corcomp diagnostic
> but i never use it.. Hope that help you.. bye ermanno
>
> --- *Sab 26/6/10, Owen Brand <[email-masked]>* ha scritto:
>
>
> http://www.Opry99er <http://www.opry99er/>.com <http://www.opry99er.com/>
>
>
>  
>

---

From: Owen Brand <[email-masked]>
Date: Sat, 26 Jun 2010 12:07:35 -0400

Thanks Keith... I am going to list them at Atariage--- I am hoping to  
entice some C64 and MSX guys to buy one and get started... I'll be  
selling them cheap, as I'm not trying to make a profit on this one...  
Just want other programmers to have easy access to our little  
monster.  One time I sold a 99/4 as a "TI-99" (mis-listed) on eBay---  
couple years ago.  Luckily a nice 99er wrote me and said "re-think  
this." I ended up getting a hundred bucks for the console.  Nice  
surprise there.  :). I had no use for a /4 anyway... I was first  
learning BASIC at the time and was only interested in "Can I really  
write a working game?"

Anyway, these consoles will get tested this weekend... If one is  
broken, I owe it to Matthew Hagerty.  :)

Thanks Keith.. If anyone knows the ins and outs of testing and listing  
TI gear, it's you.  :) Much obliged

Owen Brand

        **webmaster**
http://www.Opry99er.com

On Jun 26, 2010, at 11:57 AM, Keith Bergman <[email-masked]>  
wrote:

> Given the relatively low price a bare console will sell for, and the  
> usual cluelessness of the people selling consoles on Ebay, the test  
> you describe will make your consoles the best-tested ones ever  
> listed on the site.  :)  I do a similar batch of tests, including  
> writing a simple X=X+1::PRINT X program and letting it run for 20-30  
> minutes (never thought to test the cassette port, though, good call).
>
> In my experience, almost every console with a problem shows itself  
> within seconds - either doesn't go past the welcome screen, locks up  
> within a couple seconds of the BASIC prompt, or has an obvious  
> physical defect (non-responsive keys, etc).  I think you'll be fine  
> doing what you already described, then offering them with a "no DOA"  
> guarantee - as in, it'll work when it arrives, but beyond that, it's  
> vintage electronics and you're taking your chances to a small degree.
>
> Racking my brain now, I can't recall ever having someone get a  
> console and having it not work, or having any after-the-sale  
> issues.  I've had people who tried plugging their joysticks into the  
> cassette port, or who didn't know the ALPHA LOCK thing, but usually  
> a quick email will fix any issues they have.  If you're gonna sell a  
> whole lot of consoles, maybe typing up a one page troubleshooting  
> and set up guide and throwing a copy in the box wouldn't be a bad  
> idea.
>
>
>
>
>
> On Jun 26, 2010, at 11:28 AM, alekin garavia  
> <[email-masked]> wrote:
>
>>
>> electronic tester, and oscilloscope. How first you check if power  
>> is ok .. alias found -5,+5v and +12V.
>> If you have problem black screen and noise buzz how failure that  
>> one can do on fly is change tms9918 or tms 9929. If problem remain  
>> the failure is more difficult a found..

---

From: Marc Hull <[email-masked]>
Date: Sat, 26 Jun 2010 13:04:36 -0700 (PDT)

turn it on and use it..;-)

--- On Sat, 6/26/10, Owen Brand <[email-masked]> wrote:

From: Owen Brand <[email-masked]>
Subject: [TI994A] Console Test
To: [email-masked]
Date: Saturday, June 26, 2010, 10:09 AM

  

Owen Brand

**webmaster**

http://www.Opry99er.com

---

From: Owen Brand <[email-masked]>
Date: Sat, 26 Jun 2010 16:26:45 -0400

Damn... Didn't even think of that.  :)

Owen Brand

        **webmaster**
http://www.Opry99er.com