Texas Instruments 99/4a computer

OK I know very little about this machine (almost zero), E bay sold listings Start at $20 (or less) for units without cables, software or original box. I know this machine was released in 1981 and sold for about $500 then, so it had to be a basic for home use computer. I have not did any search here or google yet but I will. Just would appreciate any input from members that I know are more computer smart than myself, I'm thinking just scrap it for the board, but will hold off on that until I know more about it. Thanks in advance for your thoughts. All I have is the unit, so don't know if it will power up even.

Well I think this going to get scrapped nothing special about this computer. The one I found was made in August of 1983. The same year TI discontinued this model and thinking about getting out the home computer business period. This is defiantly a unit built for the low end computer market, no gold pins, no gold finger, and no TC's. I would think it is a better than mid grade board, with more than 30 DIP IC's. This does have a TI TMS9900NL 64-pin DIP (plastic), was one of the first 16-bit CPU's. I was hoping for ceramic IC's with gold pins and caps, all plastic DIP's with tin plated pins. This is what the TI TMS9900NL looks like.

Maybe tonight if I have time I'll take a picture of the board, just so all could see one of the first and last TI personal computers (when computers were still made in the USA).