Ti-86

[phalanx]

I had a TI-85 for the longest time. I knew it inside and out and could almost use it blind folded. Then one tragic evening it slipped off of my stack of books at home, hit the counter, and did a double backflip into a full kitchen sink. It was extracated quickly and open case surgery was performed to get all the water and residue out but it was all in vein. I still miss that calculator to this day.

I ended up replacing it with a TI-89 (long before the Titanium version was available) and it has been a fantastic calculator. Its ability to symbolicly solve complex equations (imaginary components) saves me so much time when working on control systems. Type in equation, hit solve, done; as opposed to 2-3 pages of calculations.

 

[blueroomelectronics]

Since notebook computers are getting pretty small like the ASUS EEE (HP & Dell have introduced nice tiny subnotebooks too)
I don't carry a calculator with me much and I used to use MathCAD for equation solving. Although TI & HP emulators exist they are not the best solution on a computer as the interface sucks IMO. Any suggestions for good windows math software that doesn't cost and arm and a leg?

 

[Sceadwian]

I picked up a TI-89 (regular) at a church sale for 15 bucks, that was a good day =) Not that I dislike Z80s but it's heads above a TI-86. The 86 is only an 8 bit processor at 6mhz. The TI-89 68000 is a 32bit processor and depending on the hardware revision runs at 10-16mhz. (And can be overclocked)

 

[phalanx]

Any suggestions for good windows math software that doesn't cost and arm and a leg?

It's quite expensive unless you get the student version but Maple is extremely powerful once you get the hang of using it.

Math Software for Engineers, Educators & Students | Maplesoft

 

[Psych0Thrasher]

This is kinda off topic but would any of you happen to know how to unfreeze a TI calc. I've tried to reset and the garbage dump. Would there be like a cap that crapped out or something. I have quite a few 83, 84 plus, 84 plus SE, 89, and 89 titanium that are frozen. If you can help me out, I would greatly appreciate it.

 

[Mikebits]

See section 9.1 on clearing TI calcs.
http://www.technicalc.org/tifaq/?main.htm

 

[Space Varmint]

I lost my beloved TI-86 graphing calculator a few weeks ago (ordering an eBay replacement soon). I never got into assembly programming with it (Marks256:TAKE NOTE) but it has a Z80 in it. The menu system is also a ton better than the 83 Plus. Anyone have any calculator experiences? I wrote several games in BASIC for mine (in class of course ) that had save/load states. Even did a 3D transform program -- that was still in the memory when it disappeared.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TI-86

I built a small hand held one time that had a mini-compiler that allowed you to write and store programs into Flash. I used the Intel 80l188eb, an 80 pin SQFP embedded processor and Intel 2800 BXT (top boot) flash. You had to program it in machine code though. Never got around to the translator for the assembler mnemonics's. I built it so long ago that I have it stored in ORCAD SDT. If your interested I can fish it out for you. I still have the BIOS stored for it too. In fact it also has a DB9 connector so that you could write programs in assembler on the PC and shoot them into the unit and try them out and if they worked I could just burn them in. I have all that software too.

 

[Space Varmint]

See section 9.1 on clearing TI calcs.
http://www.technicalc.org/tifaq/?main.htm

Hey Mikebits...I got your request but I think a pop up blocker stopped me from being able to respond.

 

[Psych0Thrasher]

Mikebits, I tried everything that it said on that page and nothing worked but now it seems like it's not frozen but just really really really slow. Like I press a button and it takes about 10 seconds for it to react. What do you think would cause something like that to happen?

 

[dknguyen]

I bought the TI-89 Titanium for $100 used (in new condition though) and love it. It is essential for Calculus.

How is a graphing calculator essential for calculus? They don't manipulate derivatives or integrals for you and any number crunching can be done by a scientific calculator. Mine was of absolutely no help in any of my math classes in high school and university.

 

[Mikebits]

The most useful class I ever took was a 4 week graphing calc class.

https://education.ti.com/html/t3_free_courses/calculus84_online/index.html

 

[Sceadwian]

The TI-89 and it's kin can solve calculus equations for a particular variable, which is why they're not allowed on certain parts of calc test. Graphing is only one of it's functions.

 

[Mikebits]

I use a TI84 which is allowed at my school. Some of my past professors required a mem reset before a test, as you can write cool problem solving software.