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TI Programmable Calculators

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ClausB

Experienced Member
Joined
Jan 22, 2012
Messages
180
Are there any TI programmable calculator collectors or enthusiasts here?

My first personal computer was a TI SR-56 in 1977. It had a whopping 0.3K RAM but it was fantastic then.

Here's my collection site with links to several excellent sites.
 
I have used the TI-59 for a long period of years and if I find cheap accessories for it I still go buy them.
 
There was a nice Ti-59 with base unit at the last Belton Hamfest. I can't recall what they wanted for it but it wasn't a steal, I know it was over $100 possibly closer to $150 or $200 which wasn't really in my blood at the time. I think upon reflection I wish I had haggled a little though. I'm not a calculator collector (too many to focus on) but it's one of the first programmable calculators from TI so pretty nice and highly sought system. Heck even ebay I think they usually sell for $130 or more (haven't looked recently but recall seeking them for a short period of time before giving up due to demand).

There are one or two calculator collectors who are at (and I think host or are part of a group (maybe they're part of the mit-a? that hosts) the Antique Science and Retro-tech show.
 
I have a TI-74S that I picked up a couple of years ago. It resides alongside my HP-41CV, Sharp PC-1500A, Atari Portfolio and Poqet PC in my handheld computer part of my collection.
 
Back in the 70s there were clubs and newsletters for TI Programmable enthusiasts. They were full of tips and tricks and projects, just like today's internet forums. One big topic was "synthetic programming" or getting the TI-58/59 to produce unusual output by entering special undocumented instruction codes.

These clever enthusiasts had little interest in the low-end TI programmables such as the TI-55, TI-57, and TI MBA. I found those on eBay a few years ago and delved into their secrets. In the spirit of those old newsletters, I wrote three articles on what I found:
http://atariage.com/forums/gallery/image/12238-ti-55-57-mba/
 
ClausB said:
....... I found those on eBay a few years ago and delved into their secrets...
Click to expand...

The exciting part is your "delving methodology" that I am very interested :clap:.
Would you please elaborate on what was involved and what you did?

Blessed are those who explain, for they shall be rewarded with more questions to explain... :bow:

ziloo :mrgreen:
 
I have a few TI calculators and pocket computers but my most precious one is the SR-60 complete with manuals and magnetic cards.

It was almost a write off when a small tantalum capacitor shorted out, damaging the power supply which then delivered 20 Volts instead of 5.. Amazingly the rest of the electronics survived the surge. I managed to repair the powersupply and it lives again.
 
ziloo said:
The exciting part is your "delving methodology" that I am very interested :clap:.
Would you please elaborate on what was involved and what you did?
Click to expand...

Methodology? I nerdily played with each one and tried to make it do unnatural things. I read about them on line, saw claims that there were tricks to make them conditionally branch, but found no examples, so I took up the challenge. I spent bits of free time and scratch paper thinking of ways to optimize the techniques. Having only 32 program steps to work with makes it like a puzzle, but a manageable one. After the results were satisfactory, I had a few stories to tell. I wrote and Mr. Toth kindly published.

The articles are terse, I admit, but they do lay out the essential points. Exactly which points would you like elaborated?
 
I had an SR-52 then a TI-59 (what a step up!) then various other TI programmables. My current TIs include a TI-59, TI-95, TI-74, TI-89 Ti, and an Nspire CX CAS.

If anyone knows where I can get the MEMADD.SUB file I need for the TI-74 to use all the memory in the 32K cart, PLEASE let me know!

Tom L
 
I have an SR-52 and an SR-56. Both work ok except for the 52's card reader/writer which I've never got around to investigating. It used to work just fine when I used to use it in the lab but after years in a box it only pretends to run but doesn't read anything. Some day perhaps ...
 
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