First post (I think:).

This kinda sucks, poor ZiLOG. Even though I am mostly against big business, this is too bad.

actually Zilog isnt that big of a company. The guys actually worked for intel in the 80s, then broke off and took some of the ideas from Intel. The Z80 is an old sucker. Used in those Olde-scool arcade games. But those guys are smart, I hope they make it.

Does this effect, in any way, the availability of those TI calculators that use Zilog processors?

Matt

I hope not, that would suck.

According to the article,

The filing, which depends on the formalising of the bondholder deal, will still allow Zilog to continue trading with customers.

I assume this means that Z80 processors will still be available for TI.

I hope they will be. Since TI already has the chip manufacturing plant, they should easily pick-up ZiLOG stuff (if they want to). That would be very sad if ZiLOG dies and no one gets it cuz this might affect future of TI calcs.

Just my opinion, but I think that
1. TI is pretty much done making new calcs, and
2. *IF* they're not, they will not be using a Z80 processor. It's outdated.

about "*IF* they're not, they will not be using a Z80 processor. It's outdated.". it is not exactly true.
just because a processor is old does not mean people will not use it for small electrical devices. for calculators, handhelds and specialized electrical devices the more important factors of microprocessors are cost, power consumption and speed and capabilities based on what the device needs rather than current technology. Just because it is performance does not come close to that of todays processors does not mean that it is useless. Old processors are used more often than you may think. Of course they are more likely a slightly modified version of the original.
Anyway I hope that the z80 chips will still be produced not only because they are used in TI calculators but that they could still be useful to me in some of the circuits I'm designing.

Very good point, I hope others would understand it too. TI's arent super comuters afterall and their games are already cool.

In any case, its easier to get an older processor to conserve batteries than a newer one. Using a P4 in a calc would get awesome performance . . . for the 2 seconds your AAA's lasted. The only reason that I've ever seen my calc lag is because of stuff that makes my desktop lag too, like solving 5 equations at once.

TI will probably continue to make z80 calcs and will probably continue to make new 83+ editions. I regard this as a poor marketing decision. I personally have an 83+ that I just use for games, an 86 for standardised tests, and a 92+ for class(adv. algebra this semester, adv alg 2 next semester).

Ti is makeing newer, fancier, ti83+ calculators when the problem is that the 83+ can do squat! I would sell my firstborn for a 92+ with a flash card drive, I <b>might</a> sell a "free 20oz coke" bottle cap for an 83+.

TI needs to come out with a ti92++ or something new and more powerfull in the 68k calcs. The 89 is a good idea, but nothing beats a fully functional qwerty keyboard on a calc.

Even if ZiLOG dies completely as a result of this (not a sure thing. Companies can and do come back from bankruptcy), it won't be the end of TI-86, etc. TI is still manufacturing Z80 devices, although any new calculators they produce in the future will probably be 68k like the 89, or something even newer. Nintendo has (or at least had) a major Z80 buisness with the GB/GBP/GBC (i don't knwo if the GBA uses a Z80 or not). A few other bits of cheap electronics use Z80 processors. Somebody will surely step in and start making Z80 clone chips, if for no other reason than to take over that revenue until the companies still using the Z80 and other ZiLOG chips move on to something newer, at which point, the company that stepped in to make the Z80 replacements would be able finegle furthur deals with them.

Does anybody know how that would effect TI? Would they begin, maufacturing their own processors, and would TI possibly enhance the processor they use?

Hey Jay (that's a rhyme:)

Interesting question. Is this good or bad for TI? Long term? Short term?

Well the TI-83 Plus SE doesn't have a Zilog CPU inside it...A whole bunch of stuff is integrated into a TI chip. My guess is TI has license rights or something from Zilog. Possibly TI could be allowed to use the design inside their future calcs.

So how does my silver viewscreen relly look like...
Īt's perfectly compatible with 83+ after all, so there should be some zilog ingredients in it...

Civ3 rocks!

It is a modified Z80, but not necessarily made my zilog. At work in our MP3 chip we use a Motorola 56K core DSP but the chip itself is made by us. It is probably just liscensed as Michael said! That isn't to say that Zilog doesn't get money for every zilog based processor made.

I know very little about the rules of our economy, but what IF this license expires? What is the future of TI's calcs? The 68000 implemented into the 8x calcs?

Whoa, I'm posting too much, too fast. My head hurts, I guess that's what I get for getting my head slammed by a textbook. Is there no end to my pointless rambling? Eventually there is. Now, in fact.

That's a comfort...
I guess the TI83+SE will be in production for some time longer.
Curious about the ordinary 83+ and 83- though.

Well my 83+s have a real Zilog Z80 CPU inside them. My 83 has a separate CPU, but instead of being a Zilog it's marked with a "T" so I'm pretty sure it's Toshiba. These necessarily aren't Z80 CPUs, but they are completely identical/compatible.

83-? interesting... the calc between 82 and 83.

No, just a nickname for the TI83, to distinguish it more clearly from the 83+ and 83+SE...