Re: TI-H: New Calculator!!!


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Re: TI-H: New Calculator!!!




hellz yea, now we are starting to think inteligently.
and the case will be clear! :)

>Awesome idea!!!!!  If you think you can do it, go for it.
>
>Jonathan Kaus
>jkaus@coleman.k12.wi.us
>
>
>Richard Piotter wrote:
>
>> 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
>> 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
>> have 3 8-bit ports to play with. Use a graphics module from Digi-Key 
or
>> Mouser, designed with built in EL backlighting. You could even pick a
>> small color one, or, you could use a VIC (Video interface chip) to 
make
>> NTSC color output. use an NTSC compatible LCD and have a video out 
that
>> could connect to a TV (great for presentations)!!! A SID (sound
>> 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
>> crystal, and include an IRdA chip on the RS-232. Either use AAs or 
have
>> a high power battery. Big case, whatever!!! I have the skills to 
design
>> the hardware (probably). If it's realy something everyone's 
interested
>> in, who knows!!! The ROM could possibly look at the DBA (direct bus
>> access) port, to look for ROM cartridges, then look at a certain 
address
>> for internal ROM instructions, and then, finaly, if nothing is found,
>> request data over the calc net via RS-232. There should be a standard
>> link port added as well, if we can emulate the other calcs. Also, I
>> remember a LONG time ago, someone mentioned the Strong Arm processor.
>> Why not??? I heard it uses less power than a stock Z80 and is fairly
>> 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
>> for SAT tests). I don't know about emulation, but if we do it, we 
might
>> 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
>> calculator. We could MAKE the next calc rather than modify the old
>> ones!!!
>>
>> What does everyone think??? I have seen schematics of countless
>> 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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>
>
>


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