I can't get PIC chips in USA and Sami has never answered my e-mails. Can anyone help. Also the HEX file that is used for the PIClink won't work on my programs. It is misalained or something. Please someone look into this.

1) Of course you can get PIC chips in the USA... The company that manufactures them is in fact, "American". You mearly need to locate a supplier...
2) What do you mean by, "The HEX file won't work on my programs"? The HEX file is meant to be programmed into a PIC with a suitable device programmer (It's a program for the PIC). What other "programs" are you refering to?
3) Misalained?

--Robin Kay--

don't know where in the us you are, but here (santa clara) you can get them at jdr microdevices for ~$5 each. you might want to check out www.microchip.com

my programmer won't load it either, it complains "invalid address 7fff" if you get this, delete line 140 and it should load. (or put somethingn other than a : in the first column of the line)

There are many subistutes to the PIC, like the SCENIX, whatever that is, but thhey claim that it is compatiable with the PIC in pin offset and can be programmed with the same code. An actual pic is kinda hard to find. I found mine in an old answering machine. since the PIC can be reused, i recommend using a socket instead of soldering it onto the PC board.

I would recommend www.digikey.com for electronics supplies.

Couldn't you just hook-up a remote from your t.v. or something to your calc. It's gotta be possible.

Nick,
My Graph Link broke too. As you said the tip of the plug disconnected (in my calc). I got it out after taking the port apart. Anyway, I just spliced my calc-to-calc cable and cut off the old pulg. Then I combine the two. It works just fine now. Good luck with your repair.
-Doug

Mine didn't disconnect, the gold that conducts the electricity wore off.

--BlueCalx

The same thing happened to mine, so I had to buy a new graphlink. What has kept the new one alive: emulators.

~Adamman

The new windows only graphlinks are just fancy serial links. They have a port instead of a plug on the end probably becase this might happen. When the gold wears off, or the plug falls off, the link is wasted if you do not attach another plug. This is probably the reason why TI is now using sockets instead of plugs.

I too used a calc-calc cable to fix my graphlink after it broke. It has worked fine for several months now.

I have both a black and grey one. I use the black one because I only have 9 pin serial ports and because it seems to work slightly faster. But thats probly because I was using a 9pin to 25pin adapter on my gray one. But my grey one is now on my mac so it doesn't matter that much. But I didn't know that the Gold one could wear out that easily, I thought the gold plating was more durrable then that.

that same shit happened to me too! I used a plug from an old sound-card extension link I had lying around.

Why the hell would anyone build a graphlink for $20 when they could just buy the black one for 18$?

More importantly, why would anyone be willing to spend $40 more for a gray link?

Hey, it was 3 years ago, ok??? I was young and naive!

I got my black graphlink for $15 at Best Buy!

What's this black/gray stuff? I don't understand. I have a gray GraphLink that I purchased a while ago, but it didn't cost me anywhere near $60.

TI released a black 9-pin serial graphlink for Windows earlier this year (it might have been last year, I'm not sure). The gray link is 25-pin serial cable from 82 and 85 days and can be used with Windows or Macs.

As for the $60 part, I don't ever remember gray links costing that much. I always thought they were $25-30.

I bought a gray link in early '99 for ~$30 and at the time it was the only link (from TI) available, so it's far from the "82 and 85 days". In fact, I still have the package and it was the one that didn't come with a 25-9 pin adapter or the other adapter that's included with the "full" package. The "full" package also contained the Graph Link software and was priced at ~$60. I think the only ones that are available now are the "full" gray link package and the black "Windows-only" package (with the USB package coming later this year). See http://www.ti.com/calc/docs/link.htm

I meant that that was when the grey link originally came out. This is evident in it's FCC ID: DGITI8582-MACPCIF

I remember seeing grey links for about $30 about a year and a half ago, because I wanted to buy one, but didn't feel like spending that much on a calculator link.

Depends. A gray link only costs around 30 dollars if you buy it on the web at wholesale stores, 40 dollars if you buy it retail. Same goes with the gray link-mac adapter-software kit. It costs over 60 dollars if you buy it from retail, and just a little under 50 dollars if you buy it wholesale.

I am sorry for my inipropriate comment before

I got my black cable for $20
I know someone who got the grey for $30
Why does the thing have to have the little short cable?
the link cable doesn't always work.

The original 'grey graph link' is quite advanced. It converts the comunication to standard serial protocoll (9600 bps). The 'pic link' is made to have the same function as the grey link, so it obviously is quite expensive too. The 'black graph link' is TI's rip-off of the well known '$4 serial link' for wich plans have been around for several years. This is a much simpler design, requiring just a few resistors and diodes, and thuse alowing TI to have a much higher profit margin. If you want a link compatable with TI's Link program for windows, my advice is to build the '$4 Serial Link' as it is compatible with the 'black graph link'. The 'pic link' was a good idea but with the arrival of the 'black graph link' it has become quite obsolete.

You need a grey link in order to use a modem with your calc. The grey link does it by complete conversion of the TI protocol(TTL I think) to RS232. A modem will only work with the old grey one.

BTW, right now, dimension TI is selling grey links for 24 dollars.

I love going on the internet with my TI-82.

Some people have MACINTOSHES like me! Duh! The black link does not work on a mac.

Yea, macs RULE!! j/k don't want to start a platfor war. Both Platforms are good. But I think it would be easier if TI would use USB. That way All you need is a USB cable and you can not only could you transfer at higher speeds but you'd be able to connect to any Platform wit the same cable. No adapters needed. But I think TI would much rather make a profit.

The gray link is far more advanced. It does complete conversion of TTL to RS232. This allows external perhiperals like modems to operate. The black link is just a cheap way to adapt. Think of it as a 4$ serial link built by TI.