New arrival - Parsec.
Seems very fluid and fun! 😍
#ti99 #parsec #retrogaming
@retrotechtive@retrochat.online
Man, I haven’t seen a 99/4A in a reallllly long time.
I didn’t have one at home, but I remember playing with one for a while, probably at school, or possibly at computer camp.
@RL_Dane@fosstodon.org until I got this one and repaired it, I’d never seen or used one before. I’m not even sure I knew it existed at the time. It’s an unusual design internally, ahead of its time in some ways. I’m now trying to find all the fun stuff for it!
@retrotechtive@retrochat.online
I’ve heard it’s actually a 16-bit machine, but limited in very peculiar ways.
I live in (and grew up in) Texas, which is probably why I saw them growing up. I don’t think they were nearly as popular as Commodore or Apple, or even Tandy (another Texas company!)
@RL_Dane@fosstodon.org yeah it’s 16-bit but using 8-bit interfacing chips most likely for cost reasons, similiar to what Sinclair would later do with the QL - and with similar speed tradeoffs.
I think of TI as a reliable chip company so it’s curious to me they couldn’t make this system more successful. A bunch of strangely insular decisions on software seems to be the main issue, and why it probably didn’t come close to the others in popularity.