RE: TI-H: New Calculator!!!

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RE: TI-H: New Calculator!!!


You are talking about a computer with modifications. It's true that 
every calculator is merely a computer, but part of the fun is do do 
something from scratch, a start from paper! I want to design the board, 
use a powerful processor, maybe add color if I can find a cheap color 
LCD (like those in Watchmans or Sega gamegear). I want to design a 
powerful calculator, not turn a small computer into a calculator. If you 
want to do this, fine, but I'm also doing it. I'm doing it as a hobby 
project. I want it to be king of calculators as well. I'll have a 
connector for direct bus access, link and whatever else I can think of.

I'm just realy excited about actualy building something more than a 
"better link port" or something like that. I've always wanted to do 
something like this, and I never did. No I'm doing it. I realize the 
subject was brought up months ago, but nobody ever did anything. Now I 
am trying. Besides, how much power will a 486 use??? Is this 
"calculator" you plan going to run through batteries fast??? Whatever. 
If you want to build yours, do it! Just do it because you've always 
wanted to, not just because people showed a suden interest (which of 
course is a good reason too). Please build it. You seem to have more 
resources than I, so You'll probably finnish sooner. 

Good luck!

Richard Piotter
richfiles1@hotmail.com


>Okay, this proves WHY I occasionally think of leaving this list.  I 
just =
>proposed this a couple of days ago!!!  I've been designing it over the 
=
>past few days, and I already figured out most of the specs on my 
system.
>
>256x128 LCD screen, Touchscreen overlaid, with an EL backlight
>	if it's b&w, then 8K of video RAM, otherwise, more
>Stereo sound output, with 2MB of PCM storage for the audio unit
>1-4MB of system storage, with a 128K segment for TI emulation
>RS-232, EPP, PCMCIA ports, keyboard output
>handwriting recognition
>ROM shadowing
>TI-compatible link port (SPinterface w/ TI plug header)
>Flash ROM
>VGA output
>TCP/IP stack in ROM
>A GUI, crossed between the TI92 OS and Win95/MacOS (they're all 
starting =
>to look the same)
>Advanced math support with enhanced format output ("TI92 Pretty Print")
>
>And other features, as I come to them.
>
>But WHY is it that I always come up with an idea, get ignored, and then 
=
>someone else does the same exact thing and everyone listens?  Check the 
=
>archives.  I got ONE personal reply for my TI-clone idea, and this 
thing =
>will be running on AT LEAST a 486 processor with a secondary z80 for =
>TI-purposes.  I'm probably also adding a dedicated processor for sound 
=
>and video, each.
>Note:  If anyone does decide to take this idea AGAIN and manipulate it, 
=
>DON'T use a z80.  Too slow for all of the added features.  The z80 is =
>slow enough as it is.  The only reason I'm including it is for ICE (In 
=
>Circuit Emulator) purposes, since I LIKE games such as Daedalus.
>	As for the StrongARM, that means that I have to pop ANOTHER variety of 
=
>ASM into my head, and I'm already starting to lose it. stick with the =
>x86, and (although not a GREAT CPU) there are hundreds of people who 
can =
>still write for it.  I can even write up the OS in Small C without a =
>hitch.
>
>
>Christopher Kalos
>raptorone@geocities.com
>VirtuTech Developer's Group
>AOL IM: Raptor1CK
>
>----------
>From: 	Richard Piotter[SMTP:richfiles1@hotmail.com]
>Sent: 	Thursday, March 05, 1998 11:54 AM
>To: 	ti-hardware@lists.ticalc.org
>Subject: 	TI-H: New Calculator!!!
>
>
>Why not make a whole new calculator!!! You could buy a standard, off 
the =
>
>shelf Z80, add as much SRAM as you can fit into it, and use a large=20
>Nonvolitle memory chip in place or ROM. Make the board and 
everything!!! =
>
>It can have built in solder spots for RS-232, Parallel, SPinTerface, 
and =
>
>DBA! add a cheap PIA (Peripheral interface adapter) to it and you 
could=20
>have 3 8-bit ports to play with. Use a graphics module from Digi-Key 
or=20
>Mouser, designed with built in EL backlighting. You could even pick 
a=20
>small color one, or, you could use a VIC (Video interface chip) to 
make=20
>NTSC color output. use an NTSC compatible LCD and have a video out 
that=20
>could connect to a TV (great for presentations)!!! A SID (sound=20
>interface device) would make a GREAT sound generator (12 bit I 
think!!!) =
>
>Even a simple MAX 038 wave form generator will work. Make it with a=20
>crystal, and include an IRdA chip on the RS-232. Either use AAs or 
have=20
>a high power battery. Big case, whatever!!! I have the skills to 
design=20
>the hardware (probably). If it's realy something everyone's 
interested=20
>in, who knows!!! The ROM could possibly look at the DBA (direct bus=20
>access) port, to look for ROM cartridges, then look at a certain 
address =
>
>for internal ROM instructions, and then, finaly, if nothing is 
found,=20
>request data over the calc net via RS-232. There should be a 
standard=20
>link port added as well, if we can emulate the other calcs. Also, I=20
>remember a LONG time ago, someone mentioned the Strong Arm 
processor.=20
>Why not??? I heard it uses less power than a stock Z80 and is fairly=20
>cheap as well! Who thinks it's worth a try??? Maybe we could emulate 
ALL =
>
>the calcs!!! One big calculator, with QWERTY keyboard and sound (sound 
I =
>
>think is one of the things that is not allowed on machines to be 
uses=20
>for SAT tests). I don't know about emulation, but if we do it, we 
might=20
>as well go all out! We'd have to mold a complete case, keys and all, 
and =
>
>we'd need to have them silk screened, but it would be worth it to have 
a =
>
>color, strong arm, sound capable, QWERTY, and everything else=20
>calculator. We could MAKE the next calc rather than modify the old=20
>ones!!!
>
>What does everyone think??? I have seen schematics of countless=20
>computers, and I think it could be done!!!
>
>Richard Piotter
>richfiles1@hotmail.com
>
>The Richfiles TI Page
>http://www.geocities.com/SiliconValley/Lakes/5081/Richfiles.html
>
>
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