Fixable Tandy TL Issues

[Great Hierophant]

1. Is it possible to have an audio signal being fed from the mic/line-in on the Tandy TL be played on the internal speaker? Is there a DOS utility that will set it?

2. Is it possible to get a non-rolling 200 line mode on the Tandy TL? The DOS command mode 200 does not work, the monitor goes haywire until it is put right with a mode 225 command.

 

[Agent Orange]

According to the TL manual you can - at least that's the way I interpert what's below. Exactly what are you trying to do?

Microphone​

You can plug a microphone into your computer​

​

​

​

to record music and
sound. Tandy carries several microphones suited for this purpose.
Please note that if you wish to plug in a stereo or other line audio
output into the microphone jack, you will need to move a jumper on
the main logic board from E6-E7 to E7-E8. See the main logic board
illustration later in this section.

If you need a copy of the manual, send me a PM with your email address.

As far as the monitor issue goes, according to a handwritten note by the MODE command, "200" does not work - you need to use 225.

​

 

[Great Hierophant]

I am trying to route sound from an external source into the line in jack and have the sound come out of the internal Tandy speaker. From what I have learned, it sounds like it would not work.

I know mode 200 will not work on a TL, but does on an SX. Is it impossible to have an 80x25 textmode with a 8x8 cell size? Tandy games use 320x200, which seem squashed if the vertical size of monitor is set so you can view 225 lines. I believe 40x25 in 8x8 works fine with the mode tv command.

According to the TL manual you can - at least that's the way I interpert what's below. Exactly what are you trying to do?

Microphone​

You can plug a microphone into your computer​

​

​

​

to record music and
sound. Tandy carries several microphones suited for this purpose.
Please note that if you wish to plug in a stereo or other line audio
output into the microphone jack, you will need to move a jumper on
the main logic board from E6-E7 to E7-E8. See the main logic board
illustration later in this section.

If you need a copy of the manual, send me a PM with your email address.

As far as the monitor issue goes, according to a handwritten note by the MODE command, "200" does not work - you need to use 225.

​

 

[Agent Orange]

If you can rig an audio adapter for the MIC INPUT you will get sound through. The quality or fidelity of such would be another issue. Its possible that you won't be able to get your desirable video setup the way you would want it with the MODE command. What's it look like without using MODE. Have you thought about VGA, or even EGA. Way back when I used to run my SX with EGA. It stayed that way until I got tired of lugging the monitor around and went to VGA with a LCD. All of my old games seems to run okay, but I'm sure there are some dedicated Tandy games that probably just wouldn't look right. BTW, I use a Mediavison Thunder Board and a single speaker for my audio. As far as the 80 x 25 w/ 8 x 8 goes I can't say as I don't have a TL to play with. Sorry I can't help further.

 

[Great Hierophant]

With an EGA card, 200 line, 80 columns work fine. With VGA, its 400 line but works fine. 40 columns, 200 lines works on the TL.

 

[commodorejohn]

From what I've read of Tandy's documentation archive, it does sound like the audio-in port will be mixed onto the internal speaker (or headphone jack) when the jumper is set as described. I've set the jumper myself on my RL, but I haven't gotten around to testing it...