The core status is very good.MiSTer_Kirk wrote: ↑Sat Jun 26, 2021 7:18 pm So, how close are we now to packing-up our real Ti99/4a machines, and sticking to this latest core ?
I have a Ti99/4a, Nanopeb, Flashrom99, FinalGrom99, and a PHP2700 Tape Deck. So, I can run pretty-much everything on real hardware. I understand there isn't any tape support, yet, but glad to see disk support finally added.
Implemented stuff:
- Console;
- Joysticks
- 32K Memory Expansion;
- Speech Synthesizer (it uses MAME engine, so the best you can have for that chip. Not 100% accurate, but very good);
- TI Disk Controller with 2 drives (DSSD and SSSD formats).
Although there is a PAL/NTSC switch the console is running in PAL. The Turbo modo is broken in this update (it works in the last official release).
Flandango is looking at these two problems. Once fixed he should really request to have his update posted on official repository.
Compatibility:
- SSS carts. Most of the carts are working without any problem (all the classic games work, there are just few applications that are not working).
The support for large carts (256K/512K) is missing, so some recent (...and nice) homebrew are not working (e.g. Flying Shark port).
Note that some MBX games (e.g. Baseball cannot run also on real TI without MBX, while others like Big Foot can run without any problem).
- TI BASIC/XB games: you can run now all of them using the disk drive support added by Flandango;
- Assembler games on disk: you can run now all of them using the disk drive support added by Flandango;
- The Mini Memory seems not to be 100% working (internal 4K RAM missing ?), but I've not tested it in-depth;
Regarding the not implemented (yet?) hardware:
- Tape. All the XB games can be loaded from disk (use CALL FILES(1) for some that requires more VDP memory). The TI BASIC games that runs only on bare console (and cannot be loaded using disk and the CALL FILES(1) command) can be easily converted in SSS cart. You cannot run only some Mini Memory games that is not possible to save on disk (very few titles). So, from my point of view is a "nice to have", but not essential feature.
- SAMS memory expansion. It would be nice to have it to be able to run some games that are using it. It should not too much complex to add (maybe checking the code used in MAME);
- F18A VDP chip replacement. This will be a great addition to run some recent homebrew. For example the Zaxxon port that is currently under development (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w1MSsgfxQ2E).
Other hardware: P-System, Gram Kracker, additional disk controllers. All "nice to have", but not essential.