Survey posted 1999-12-21 05:52 by Andy.

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Is it just me or does the 92 really drain those FOUR AA's a little too fast? I replace those batteries much more often than my 85 (they last forever). And when the batteries are kinda low the screen flashes when you press buttons. I hope all the 92's aren't that bad.

I have had my 92 for about a year now, and used to replace my batts often, now I use rechargables. And I've never had the screen "flash" like you describe. although I do agree that it seems to suck batteries. the large display is probably the cause.
But who could argue with a large display.

ya that happens to me all the time but sometimes i just replace one battery with a fresh one and it clears up for a week or so and i play every day in biology!

If it's really a problem for you, you can hook up a battery of C or D cells to the calc. All you have to do is get one of the battery holders from Radio Shack and plug 'er in. Make SURE you use the series combination, instead of the parallel combination. That'll give you a longer life, but you'll also be lugging around the extra weight of the larger battery pack.

Tip DS

I bought my ti86 about 2 months ago on ebay for 57 bucks. I still havent changed the batteries! Is 57 bucks a good price?

a great price; I bought mine for about more than twice that :P

No offense, but I have 3 calcs and have paid $40 total. I got my first 82 from my brother (dunno where he got it...) for free, got my second one (cause I thought someone was going to buy it...but it's still good as a test calc :) for $10 and my 86 for $30. You just gotta wait for deals to come up.

I bought my 89 a month ago on eBay, for $100, and I used those Duracell Ultras, had to change them about a month after I put them in.

Hey TI-CALC.ORG! Why don't we break this down by the user's calculator model? That'd be interesting and would provide info to potential buyers--show how long each calc's batteries must be changed under "real-world" circumstances (i.e. loaded with games) :-)

I dont think that how long the batteries last is an issue when picking out a calculator. You buy a calculator with the funcntions you are looking for. What good is a long lasting calculator that doesnt do what you want?

hello, i have just created a new ticalc club at: http://clubs.yahoo.com/clubs/ticalc
this is not intended to be a rival site at all whatsoever. it is just a place for us ticalc users (who dont control the site) to be able to post our own news items and news about programs. if you would join, it would be great because it is an easy way to catch up on the latest ti calc news. thanks =)

Oregon TRail-style game with a futuristic twist.....

Quest for Truth is a TI-82 BASIC game that i programmed from scratch and
all it basically looks like is a text version of Oregon Trail. I have
completed half of the text so far and later on I will insert graphics
and small "games"inside the program. All I know is it is going to be the
best BASIC RPG ever. Email me for a demo. BREAKING NEWS DEcember25 The
last few days have really made a HUGE!! difference in the look of the
game.I took it form a basically text-only game and added lots of
graphics or characters,a map,scenery,and a few suprises.I have been
working on it all day for three days trying to work bugs out and I am
3/4 done with the game. I am thinking about releasing a Beta version in
MId JAnuary. I will then start working with other programmers to make it
smaller in size and even faster than it is. THere will be interactive
maps and better graphics. Rigth now the game has taken some really HUGE
steps. Email me to see what I have so far. I have a very good demo version avaible upon request through
email(my guestbook is ghetto)so if you want one i would be happy to
upload it to you.

thanks and make sure oyu vist i will send youa demo if you email me.thanks all oyu TI gamers out there

FACTS:

Almost all alkaline batteries last around the same life.
Duracell lasts longer than energizer, and is much better in the highest draining devices.
Duracell ultra is 150% better than conventional alkaline batteries and costs 200% as much.
Generic brand name batteries are cheapest, and as long as the name brands.
Many name brand companies supply generic batteries, and sell them at reduced prices.

CONCLUSION:
Get the cheapest alkaline or rechargable alkalines.

yawn...

I have to change my ti-86's batteries every 2-3 months. That's mostly because I lend my calc to other people. But this year I've actually starting charging for it. 2 bucks for the hour. I've made enough money to buy everyone in my family a present for christmas and still have enough left over for a game for myself. The thing I don't understand about people is this, at the beginning of school, the "recommended" calculator for class was an 83 so everyone had an 83. That's just DUMB! for just a measly 10-20 bucks more they could have easily bought an 86 or 50-60 bucks more for an 89! And since all they're going to do with it is to play games all day. Makes no sense to me.

I think TI did a good job with making the Calculator use as little battery power as possible. However they should come up with another way to save your memory other than a crappy little backup battery that costs more for it than the other 4 AAA's! I also think that my calculator sucks! It is a TI-83. I was hoping to get one that was worth taking to school for Christmas but no such luck. Maybe next year.

--Ben Porter

The lithium backup battery does not cost more than the 4 AAA's. I can walk down to the Ames down the street, and buy 4 of the lithium batteries for $3, and 4 AAA's for $5 or so. I just used the 4 lithium batteries as a comparison, I am aware of the fact that the calc uses just one. And it does do a good job for me, so don't go saying that the lithium battery is crappy and costs a lot, because that is not true, in both cases.

The 83 is old, yet it does not suck if you ask me. Sure, it has a small memory, but a lot of 83 owners don't even have games, or programs on them at all, and just use it for the math functions. This is a good calc for the people that don't use it for games, or other programs.

$5??? Man, I can buy 20 for $3 at Sam's Club. What a rip. Maybe Dimension-TI should start selling batteries too.

--Ben

Whatever. That same calc served it's purpose for me. I made at least 50 games on it, but most of them got deleted before I made my parallel port link cable. I also learned how to program basic on that calculator. It cost me $100.95 when I bought it, and I sold it to Ben for $**. Who cares. Well, I'm done with this message board for tonight. Chau

--Ben Oman

I'm glad TI stopped packing Rayovac Renewals with their calcs. I was lucky to get at least a month out of those things!

I'm in my sophomore year and i have a TI-86, which serves my needs completely; I also have a young friend who has a TI-83+, who is in...
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6 t h G r a d e

HA! I am in 6th grade, and I have an 82, 86 and 89. And I am a master BASIC programmer. Beat that!!


PS. i am coming out with a new RPG called TITAN very soon that just rocks for a BASIC game!!!!!!!!! then I'll show you what a 12-year-old can do!!!!HAHAHAHA


-Chris Fazio

12? My sister's in 7th grade and she's only 11. =}
I never succeeded in teaching her programming. she just doesn't have the right attitude. She writes a program that doesn't work, she starts crying and getting mad at the "stupid computer" when a look at the code shows she made a typing error.
Oh well. My advice to you would be to make sure you get things finished and out into the world. Titan sounds cool and I look forward to playing it. When I was younger I started a lot of programming projects but never finished any of them. Now I'm almost through high school and I still haven't written any real programs. (though I have written plenty of small utilities for personal use, and even a few games I enjoy playing, but wouldn't distribute because they suck)

The nice thing about my present age is that I can now claim to have been programming half my life! (since I was 8)

And that would make you how old?

Well, duh!!! 8 x 2 = 16. So he must be either 16 or around that age. Anybody can do that on their TI-80.

LOL

i started programming when i was 11 for the TI-82, then I bought the 86, then I moved on up to the 89. Titan is the 1st game i ever released, besides a horribly cheap game called the Wall Game where you move a ship left and right to avoid walls coming toward you (although Dimension TI never posted it up yet and it has been 3 months). But I don't care, because I don't think anyone would take the time to play it anyway. I created Titan to show that I was capable of making better games, and that BASIC is better than most people think. Frankly, I'm sick of those snobby ASM programmers saying that BASIC is useless, because it's not (I'm not saying all ASM programmers are snobby, because alot of them are cool).
So please don't take this as a stereotypical thing.

hey, i just realized that this is the longest article I have ever written in my life...very interesting....

a couple more things before I go. This whole message board here is about batteries, right? I change my batteries for my calc about once a month. Yet I change my portable CD player batteries every day. The CD spins so damn fast, no wonder it takes so much power! And I use Duracell Ultra batteries, too! What a rip-off!

One thing before I go....

THINGS THAT BOTHER ME ABOUT LETTING PEOPLE BORROW YOUR CALC:

1. They give it to you with no battery power left, with the cover put on the wrong way, an ASM game still running, (they can't find the little escape button) with grease all over it and food stuck in the buttons.

2. They refer to the 2nd button as "the little yellow button in the corner"

3. They complain about the games all the time

4. No matter how many times you explain, they can't understand that you have to press 2nd ON to turn the calc off. Then they get pissed off saying the calc is broken and it won't turn off and they bang the ON key a million times and damn near break the thing


5. They ask annoying questions, such as why ASM games are faster than BASIC or why it is impossible to have Tetris on a TI-80


6. I think that's enough....more than enough...DAMN THIS ARTICLE IS LONG!!!!!!!!!!!!!


L8R

-Chris Fazio

Yo joe
Just letting you know that nobody gives a damn about your stupid mission to make an incredible basic game(notice the contradiciton) to show everyone how much of a "master Proggramer" you are. RPG games don't prove you can make good games because all they are a simple variable, getkey, menus and display codes. 96% of basic games suck major *&(&*^. I bet Titan fits right into there. Some of the great basic programs are DRUGWARS! and Basic2. Drugwars is self explanitory but Basic2 isan incredible program made for those dumb shmucks who ask you to teach them cause their too damn stupid to figure it out. Basic2 is a simpler version of the default programing language on the calcs which enables anyone, even you, yes you Chris to program those dumb rpg and math programs.
C-ya later

Ps. By the way, chris just letting you know other than basic 2 all of my games and programs suck too!!! (cause basic blows) I don't program anymore just cause basic is so restrictive
PPs. And for your stuck up "i've been programing and i am 12" plenty of ti programmers start then. That guy who started when he was 8 is impressive but i started to program when my sister got hers in sixth and i screwed around with it. Then in 6th when i got one wh8ile taking algebra one i pretty learned almost everything in basic.

I would like to say that Basic isnt that bad. Yes, it is sad all the people who make those text based games and say they are awsome, I dont find them that great (although some are good. I did make one once). But you can make quality basic games that run good. I have made several. Im not saying that cause i made them but because they use a lot of programing tricks that only people who program a lot figure out, and they were easy to play, and had a point. Not just move a box around some other boxes and call it a Super Fighter 3D somethinorother. I just made a card game called Quick21 (based on a game at prizepoint, or at least thats the only place i ever saw it), its like 21 with five stacks and you try to get 21 in each stack. I also made bomber man, which by the time i was almost done, it went slow which brings me to mention that basic is bad if you make REALLY complex games with graphics. I made a zelda like game which you fight enemies, traverse the several screen sized maze to find the end. In the mean time you need to get weapons, find potions, treasure, etc. It was also able to load levels so it was always upgradeable. The levels could have their own enemies and weapons, everything. It went fast, then one Horrible day, my calc crashed and i lost it. bad because i dont have a ti graphlink and i was pist. But you CAN make quality games in basic. I started on the 81 in 8th then the 85 in 11th and the 89 in 12th. Got a Q on basic, i can answer.

thank you. im not sayin that basic is better than asm, cuz it sure as hell isn't, but thats not the point.






L8R PEOPLES!

Wow, I think that it is past somebody's bedtime. And didn't you read the discla.......Oh ya, I hear that word on Simpsons all the time. Thanks for editing the other parts. Lets get back on the subject of batteries. I'm going to put one of these on my site. It is really interesting to see all the messages that people write.

--Ben

OK......
did i ever say anything to offend u?? i at least want trying to. so u can go shave a pineapple. ok? [by the way i admit i was exaggerating, ok?] and dont underestimate the power of basic! and all u basic fans, dont turn to the ASM side! j/k!!!!! u people couldnt take a joke if it bit u in the ass!

Is stereotypical the longest word you said in your life too? And you are a sixth grader. Wow. What dictionary do you use?

OK if you're going to be sarcastic, at least use the <sarcasm></sarcasm> tags! its very creative! and dont be a smart ass!!!!!!

BY THE WAY stereotypical is NOT the longest word i have used in my life. in fact, the longest word i have ever used is faremlltilopurynsaque, which is an african word for a species of fish. (you can find that word in your handy african/english dictionary)

BY THE WAY stereotypical is NOT the longest word i have used in my life. in fact, the longest word i have ever used is supercalifragilisticexpealidocious, which is an african word for a species of fish :) (you can find that word in your handy swahili/english dictionary) LOL