Re: TI-H: New calc design from Chris (was TI-H: )

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Re: TI-H: New calc design from Chris (was TI-H: )


Actually, i meant to reply to your idea a long time ago. This is going to be
fairly expensive if we use a Z80 ($4), because of all the extra crap their
adding. Last time i checked, 486's weren't quite dirt cheap (although, they
were approaching it). Unfortunately, my distrubutors have stopped carrying
them (as far as i know - haven't know anyone to want one for a l0000ng
time). I do however, have a few left over. Also, interfacing to a 486 chip
is a bit harder than a Z80 because of the number of pins. Plus, they use a
lot more power. I'm not necessarily saying to go with the Z80, but i
definetly don't want a 486. It just makes things too difficult. And i don't
thinkw e should just get a SBC and add to it. That's sort of pointless. If
we're (rich is that is) gonna create a new calc, it should be a ground-up
project. We might want to go with a 68000 chip like the TI-92 has. It's
faster than a Z80, but obviously very effective for use in calculators. I
think this is probably the most logical chioce. I am not however, aware of
the current cost of the chips, although i would thing they're fairly cheap
sincer they haven't been used in Macs in quite a few years (correct me if
i'm wrong on this one). As far as i know, MAcs have been using the 68030 and
68040, and more recently, the PowerPC chips.

-- Jon Olson

-----Original Message-----
From: Christopher Kalos <raptorone@geocities.com>
To: 'ti-hardware@lists.ticalc.org' <ti-hardware@lists.ticalc.org>
Date: Thursday, March 05, 1998 7:34 PM
Subject: RE: TI-H:


and doesn't it make it a lot easier to pirate a TI-ROM with this system?
With all the talk of making clones right now, if we reverse engineer the ROM
in order to copy it, then we can start producing garage 85's.  ESPECIALLY
since you've released the TI-85 schematic.  Make them bootstrapped versions,
and what do we have?  a bunch of ROM-less 85's.  take that, download the
ROM, and you have something highly illegal, because who would build a clone
of a TI-85?  Either someone who doesn't own a TI-85, or someone willing to
sell these to people who don't own a TI-85.
now, if we modify them, that's a totally different story.  Just remember,
there are only a few ways that we can copy the ROM without breaking the law,
and white paper reverse engineering is a tough for a bunch of hackers to
pull off.
And finally, you of all people should know this... Didn't you say that some
TI-81's have the same boards as TI-85's?  That would mean that internal
structure is pretty close (if not identical, I'm accounting for the LCD),
and pirating would be possible.
Christopher Kalos
raptorone@geocities.com
VirtuTech Developer's Group
AOL IM: Raptor1CK

----------
From: Richard Piotter[SMTP:richfiles1@hotmail.com]
Sent: Thursday, March 05, 1998 1:19 PM
To: ti-hardware@lists.ticalc.org
Subject: RE: TI-H:


>That is so far beyond illegal I won't even go into it.  Also, why would
=
>you want to do it that way?  try piggybacking a header onto the ROM so
=
>that you can have both without breaking the laws.  After all, there's =
>very little stopping you from installing an 83 ROM at that point, if =
>you're resourceful enough...

That so far beyond wrong, I think I HAVE to go into it. It is ilegal to
copy or pirate ROM, but each calc is different, you can only use a ROM
designed for it (you could modify it for compatibility, but then it's
not TI's original ROM). You can legaly rip your ROM out and replace it
with whatever you want!!! You can even reverse engineer the ROM if we
were that determined and start mass producing TI-Clones!!! If we make
our own ROM and load it into the calcs, that's our right, so unless you
plan on pirating a TI ROM, SHUT UP!!!!!!!!!!!!

It is not ilegal to replace or re write a ROM and replace the original
with it, so don't go jumping to conclusions. It's no different than
downloading a ROM for an emulator! If you own the calc, it's LEGAL. If
you don't it is ILLEGAL. Since the calcs have different internal
structures, the ROMs are not compatible, so the ROM will only run on a
calc it was designed for. That makes it very unlikely that any
illegalact is commited!!! O-K !!!

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