DATAMATH CALCULATOR MUSEUM

Texas Instruments TI-1796

Date of introduction:	1986	Display technology:	LCD
New price:		Display size:	10
Size:	4.7" x 5.0" x 0.80" 120 x 128 x 20 mm³
Weight:	3.7 ounces, 105 grams	Serial No:
Batteries:	LR54 (30µA)	Date of manufacture:	mth 11 year 1986
AC-Adapter:		Origin of manufacture:	Taiwan (I)
Precision:	10	Integrated circuits:
Memories:	1
Program steps:		Courtesy of:	Michel Zwawiak

Texas Instruments introduced in the United States of America in 1985/1986 a family of three very similar calculators:

• TI-1796: Basic desktop calculator with 10 digits display capability and "Dual Power" feature
• TI-1798: TI-1796 with added clock module
• BA-20 Profit Manager: TI-1798 with 6 added keys for COST, SELL, MARGIN calculations

Dismantling this TI-1796 manufactured in November 1986 by Inventec Corporation in Taiwan reveals a clean design centered around an unknown single-chip calculator circuit soldered on a double-sided printed circuit board (PCB) and powered by four solar cells and a small LR54 (LR1130) backup battery.

Please notice the empty space for the clock module used with the TI-1798 and BA-20 next to the calculator display.

Inspecting the PCB of this TI-1796 calculator brought our attention to a small mark reading IOTI1796-01A, we spotted this PCB-Mark already with the TI-1798. We started compiling a list of the PCB-Marks on calculators manufactured by OEMs for Texas Instruments.

Don't miss the Technico SB-867 sporting 8 digits display capability in a similar package and the TI-1796+ introduced about 10 years after this first generation TI-1796.

The BA-20 Profit Manager is featured in the Texas Instruments Incorporated bulletin CL-885 dated 1986.

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