Found a TI99/4 original non A variant

[mbliss11]

Was looking through Facebook marketplace and came across this listing. I’ll usually see /4A’s pop up from time to time. This one caught my eye because of the keyboard. Turns out it was a non 4A variant.

Asked the seller for some history and she only knew that it belonged to her grandfather. It strangely came in a 4A box but has what appears to be the original documentation for the 4 as well as 2 keyboard overlays. On the back it has a sticker that says “Reconditioned” and the box had a Sears and Roebuck sticker on it.

These usually don’t pop up and not a lot of info about them on the web. Usagi Electric has a video where he worked on restoring one. Mine works and boots a finalgrom cartridge but the keyboard does not register the selections. All keys are functional in basic.

 

[jltursan]

Congrats!, they're pretty rare (at least compared to its big A brother). Nice find if the price was right

 

[mbliss11]

Congrats!, they're pretty rare (at least compared to its big A brother). Nice find if the price was right

Thanks! I think I got it for an ok price $80 usually what a typical 4a goes for. I have no idea what a good price on a 4 would be. I tried looking up some previous eBay sales but they were all older than 90 days and can’t see sales info.

It’s a cool piece I’ll definitely just use my 4a for playing with though

 

[jltursan]

For $80 it's a bargain indeed!

And yes, it's more collectable than practical if you already have 4A machine. The built-in VDP was the first of the series and more limited than the common TMS9918A.

 

[geoffm3]

What a bargain!