The TI-1788 combines the clock and alarm-time function known from the TI-1790 with a simple 4-function calculator in a very small housing but misses the stopwatch. The unusual layout of the keyboard was corrected with the TI-1788 II introduced only six month later.

The backside of the calculator reveals another unusual feature - a hidden [POWER] switch.

Dismantling the featured TI-1788 calculator manufactured in 1981 by a non-disclosed Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) reveals a very clean design centered around a NEC uPD1032G single-chip calculator circuit soldered on a double-sided printed circuit board (PCB) and powered by two small LR43 batteries.

Inspecting the PCB of this TI-1788 calculator brought our attention to a small mark reading CC-31 B, we noticed this mark already with both the KMC 2000 and Radio Shack EC-303 and suspect to locate it with the offspring Privileg LC 6000 and Systema LC1400, too. Similar marks could be found with the TI-1788 II and TI-1788 III, the latter manufactured probably by Cal-Comp Electronics. We started compiling a list of the PCB-Marks on calculators manufactured by OEMs for Texas Instruments.

If you have additions to the above article please email: joerg@datamath.org.

© Joerg Woerner, March 5, 2009. No reprints without written permission.