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Info for tutor


====== Tomy Tutor (1983) ======




===== Features =====

* CPU: Texas-Instrument TMS 9995NL 2.7 MHz
* Co-Processor: Texas-Instrument TMS 9918ANL (Videochip)
* RAM: 16 kb (up to 64 kb)
* VRAM: 16 kb
* ROM: 32 kb (including TOMY Basic, GBASIC, and graphic software)
* Text Modes 32 x 24 in 16 colors
* Graphic Modes: 256 x 192 in 16 colors, 4 unicolor sprites
* Colors: 16
* Sound: 3 channels (2 music, 1 noise), 8 octaves
* I/O Ports: Joystick port (9-pin DSUB, but not Atari compatible), RF output, Video composite/Audio outputs, I/O port, Cartridge slot, 5-DIN plug for tape-recorder
* Keyboard: QWERTY, 56 rubber keys, with a large pink spacebar
* Built In Language: GBasic + Tomy Basic on later machines. Integrated software : Tomy Paint (paint program)



===== Usage =====

When you turn on Tutor in MESS, you can choose between two built-in programs:

* Graphic: It is a picture drawing program which allows to create 256*192 pictures in 16 colors (it is not clear if the pictures drawn in this program can be saved).

* Basic: It is a Basic interpreter derived from the TI99 Extended Basic; quite unfortunately, Basic lacks I/O routines and a serious graphic library.

A third built-in program can be accessed by entering Graphic, pressing 3 times the MOD key (you will be in Graphic Mode 4: both sprites and screen grid present, but not the color palette menu) and pressing MON once. This way you access the MONitor and you can enter GBasic commands. GBasic is another Basic interpreter for Tutor: it is probably faster than Basic and it has better graphic capabilities, but the language itself is unfortunately lacking and the editor

Additionally, if you start the Tutor with a cartridge, i.e. if you run

mess.exe tutor -cart "C:\pathtogame\gamename"

a third option will appear in the selection screen: Cartridge. Selecting this option, the program in the cart will be started. Notice that, to avoid conflicts with the Down arrow at the Selection Screen, P1 controls (used when playing a cart) are mapped by default to the directions on the numerical pad of your keyboard:

| Up | Keypad 8 |
| Left | Keypad 4 |
| Right | Keypad 6 |
| Down | Keypad 2 |

Only a few cartridges were released for the Tomy Tutor: almost 40 games and a few educational programs. 9 cartridges are known to have been dumped (8 games and an educational title).



===== Known Issues =====

Cassette emulation does not work.



===== History and Trivia =====

This computer is known as Tomy Tutor in US, and as Grandstand Tutor in UK. It was initially released in Japan in 1982 or 1983 under the name of Pyuuta (Pi-yu-u-ta, with a Kanji for the "ta"). The Japanese versions are different from the English-language versions, as they have different ROMs with Japanese messages and support for the katakana syllabus.

The Tutor was not extremely successful, probably due to the fact that little software was available (and that the software that was available was not varied enough).

One question that remains open is the relationship between the Tutor and the TI-99 series. From a hardware point of view, the Tutor has a lot in common with TI-99/4(a) (though the two computers are NOT compatible). From a software point of view, the Tutor Basic is directly derived from TI Extended Basic (there is even a GPL interpreter in ROM, though the Tutor variant of GPL is quite different from TI GPL). However, other Tutor software do not seem to be derived from TI-99 software. It is therefore likely that Matsushita designed the Tutor independently from TI and licensed the TI Basic from TI as an afterthought; OTOH, the whole design might have originated from TI, as the computer really looks like a "TI-99/3" (the hardware is similar to the TI-99/4 series, whereas the concept is very close to the TI-99/2).

== Versions ==

There are at least 4 versions:

* Pyuuta (1982 or 1983), the original system with title screens in Japanese but no Basic (only the toy-like Gbasic interpreter is available)

* Pyuuta Jr. (1983?), a console with simplified keyboard

* Tomy/Grandstand Tutor (circa October 1983?), with title screens in English and integrated Basic

* Pyuuta Mk. 2 (1984?), with a better-looking keyboard and integrated Basic

//(info from old-computers.com)//



===== Links =====

* Tutor at Floodgap Systems -- http://www.floodgap.com/retrobits/tomy/
* Tutor at old-computers.com -- http://old-computers.com/museum/computer.asp?c=337




Generated on Sun Jul 19 10:17:28 2009