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=CorCo mp introduces double-density card, 2 expansion systems=
CorComp's new peripheral expansion system, the 9900 Micro-Expansion System for the TI home computer, has arrived.
And so has the company's first component of its 99000 Expansion System.
The hardware available with the 9900 Micro-Expansion System includes an RS232 card, 32K memory card and disk controller card. This unit is about the size of two TI speech synthesizers placed side by side. The cards may be purchased separately or as a package. The RS232 card offers serial and parallel ports. The 32K card is compatible with all TI cartridges. The company says all hardware will include extensive documentation.
Prices on the 9900 Micro-Expansion System are: RS232 stand-alone unit (1 serial and l parallel port), $149.95; RS232 stand-alone unit with 32K RAM and disk controller card, $399.95; upgrade kit for second RS232 port, $14.95; and upgrade kit for 32K RAM and disk controller, $289.45.
Prices on the 9900 expansion cards for use with the TI Peripheral Expansion Box are: 32K RAM card, $135.95; RS232 card (2 serial and l parallel port), $117.95; disk controller card with disk manager software, $199.95; and cable assembly for internal drive, $18.85.
The disk controller card promises to
be the greatest asset for those who
already have a TI peripheral expansion
box. The card is capabie of handling
up to four double-sided, doubledensity
5.25-inch floppy disk drives.
The TI card was designed for use with
up to three drives.
Included with the CorComp card is a
disk-based formatter than will do what
Tl's disk manager cartridge does and
more, according to CorComp. The
formatter will let TI users utilize
double-density disks for the first time
(provided they have double-density
drives), essentially doubling the
amount of storage they have had
available to them using Tl's disk controller
card, which is designed for
single-density use. A CorComp spokeswoman
said the card will fit in any
TI peripheral expansion box.
· The CorComp disk manager program
will permit users to load and run
assembly language programs, such as
TI Forth, without using the TI Editor/
Assembler cartridge, the company
says.
The disk controller card also provides
several new commands not
available previously on the TI card.
CorComp says the card will allow
users to peek and poke into CPU and
VDP RAM, among other things.
The disk controller card also allows
the user to set the head seek times for
all four drives, permitting use of
newer, faster drives with the system.
The company says the disk controller
loads files 2-4 times faster than
the TI disk controller.
The 99000 Expansion System is
designed to be compatible with the
TI99/4A and CorComp's own new
computer when it is ready for the
market. It is priced at $549.95. It is
about one-half the size of Tl's peripheral
expansion box and utilizes a
system motherboard. Two half-height
drives can be installed in it or one full
height drive. It features a flexible
cable to link the expansion system to
the TI99/4A, eliminating the bulky TI
cable that links the TI PEB with the
console.
Included with the CorComp 99000
Expansion System are an RS232 card
with two TI-compatible serial ports
and one Centronics parallel port, 32K
memory card and a double-sided,
double-density disk controller card.
The controller has the same features
as the card already described.
The motherboard provides locations
for future auxiliary cards, the company
says.
The new hardware products are
being shipped to dealers during April,
CorComp says.
The company is offering TI user
groups a special price on a single CorComp
product through its User Group
Product Review Program. User
groups are asked to provide a review
of the product to CorComp in exchange
for the price break.
For more information, write: CorComp
Inc., 23461 Ridge Route Dr.,
Suite H, Laguna Hills, CA 92653.
