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. http://cdn.cpu-world.com/CPUs/TMS990...-TMS9900NL.jpg

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).

I've had varying luck with the 99/4a's. I sold one working, I sold the games separate, and I sold the controllers. I ended up scrapping out the other one, selling what was salvageable. I think I paid $20 for everything, and ended up making like $40 with too much time involved figuring it out. I'd still buy more if the price was right. The adapters tend to fetch $6-10, games $1-10, controllers $5-10, etc etc. It isn't a gold mine, but at least a copper mine?