http://www.pix8.net/ files/flood1.jpg (Delete the space.)

A picture someone posted at a forum. Wonder how long it'll take for it to start happening...

I thought we clearly stated by now that no more quad programs are being accepted.

Sorry, I must've missed that little bit of information.

Just a couple of questions/comments about what I've read so far:

First, to answer the complaint about the processor speed still being too slow: Remember, the machine is still built on a Z80 processor -- that's 1970's technology. There's probably a limit to how fast you can operate that CPU reliably. As it is, I'm amazed they were able to write software to work with USB for it.

When HP decided to increase the clock speed of the HP 39g / 49g with the 'Plus' models, they had to resort to a completely new CPU and architecture. The system software is running on an emulator for the original CPU. Most of the machine language (ASM) software written for the older calcs will still run on that emulator, but forget about many of the games; the timing is completely off, and grayscale graphics are handled compeletely differently. And to write ASM programs that actually use the new, superfast CPUs, you first have to master an as-yet completely undocumented set of devices (LCD etc.) In conclusion, you would pay a huge cost in terms of compatibility if you really wanted a faster CPU.

Second, I have a question about the USB connection, specifically the potential for connecting external devices to it. Forgive me if I'm wrong, but in every USB connection, there has to be a 'host' and a 'device'. When you connect the calculator to a computer, the computer is acting as the 'host' and the calc as a 'device'. That's why you can't directly connect two computers together via USB: there would be two hosts fighting each other for control. If the calc is configured to act as a 'device,' doesn't that mean that whatever thing you connect it to, has to be confugured as a 'host'? All of the current set of USB items (eg. keyboards, mice, etc.) are 'devices', so they shouldn't be able to talk directly to the calc, right?

urmmm,

This 'USB on-the-go' thing has me all thrown for a loop! If you can connect two calc's directly together, then the whole 'host-device' paradigm has been thrown out the window.

Maybe it operates in two modes, either host or device. In that case, how do the two calcs decide which mode it will operate in at any given time? This obviously requires more study... So, maybe any devices (keyboard, USB memory, etc...) that are also able to work with 'on-the-go' technology will also work?

It seems more like a local network between calculator and computer/keyboard/etc.

'USB on-the-go' ... Bull. I personally think (with no evidence either way) that they just treat the USB port like another I/O port when connected to another calculator.

$0.02

Do any of you think that with a driver on my calc, i could use a usb thumb drive on an 84+ or 84+ silver? if so, that would be awesome, since i have a 128 mb one! Just imagine! That much archive!

Thats what I originally wondered, but I'm not sure wether it is USB-A or USB-B (the two shapes of outlets)
Anyone know which?

-TB

it's the fatter one. i think that's b. It's the one that printers usually use on their end. It doesn't matter though, since you can get a usb adapter about half the size of your thumb that can convert the plug, kinda like headphone adapters.

I don't think so. Without a host, both devices would need to support USB on-the-go. No thumb drives support that I believe.

Could the calculator act as a host? I mean, it's the device with the driver, so....

TI should make the 84SE compatible with thumb drives. Think of how many programs you could store...(sighs)no memory errors for basic programs...(sighs again)We should do something to convince them to make thumb drives.

Pretend I wrote compatible on the end of my last post.

Yes, there would still be ERR:MEMORY for BASIC programs. BASIC programs throw that when they eat up the RAM (ie, they Goto while in an If:Then, Repeat, or While block or ercursively call themselves too much).

As far as I can tell, it's not a question of the drive supporting On-The-Go -- you won't be asking the drive to be a host, and you won't be trying to transfer control from one to the other.
Provided that the calculator is in fact a compliant On-The-Go host, and provided that there is adequate software control, it should with the proper coaxing be able to talk to any self-powered USB device in existence.

You appear to be correct.

You couldn't connect a thumb drive though since it would require power.

If the calculator allows byte input/output control, I want to try to connect it to my scanner...or to a printer.

It's overrated. I have 64MB in my calculator and I'll never use it.

i wonder what the first program programed on it is a good one not a quadratic or a pick a num

Erm... does that matter? Personally, I don't care what idiotic program it was, as long as it either wasn't uploaded to ticalc.org or wasn't idiotic.

Don't get me wrong - I love Texas Instruments. They give out free samples of their semiconductors and pay for the shipping and make the best calculators. However, I don't think that TI should be worrying about "improving" old calculators by incrementing the number (or whatever system they use) and making silver, gold, platinum, titanium, diamond editions. What TI should do is create a *new* cross-platform calculator that is able to run apps and programs backwards-compatible with all other calculators (maybe have an interpreter for the z80 chips on a Motorola or a PIC processor). They should make the *ultimate* math machine with much memory, improved symbolic manipulation, allowable on the SAT/ACT, affordable, and again, backwards compatible. All this TI-84 junk (if it is almost exacltly like the TI-83+) is absolutely useless, if you ask me. Again, don't get me wrong, I love TI.

...and not just any shipping: OVERNIGHT shipping.
It seems like this would be difficult to bridge z80 and 68k processors. And while I agree that TI needs to launch an ALL new calculator, what features other than improved hardware can you all think of that they could add?

One thing I can think of it better logarithm support with AMS.

-TB

What's there to improve with logarithms?

Think from the point of TI: where's the financial gain of releasing a new line of calculators? Is it worth it to develop brand new hardware and write an entire operating system?

Dream on... :^)

If anyone has questions regarding the ti84+, ask away, i have one sitting right in front of me, got it as a birthday gift today, hehe

uh... might i add that the connected up and down keys are really annoying and when your playing games sometimes you might accidently press both at the same time, (which is like not pressing it at all)

question: what are the actual dimensions of the screen. there seems to be some debate about this. also, what are some of the basic commands that utilize the clock