DATAMATH CALCULATOR MUSEUM

Texas Instruments TI-84 Plus EZ-Spot

Date of introduction:	Nov.1, 2004	Display technology:	LCD dot matrix
New price:		Display size:	8 * 16 characters
Size:	7.5" x 3.3" x 0.85" 190 x 84 x 22 mm³
Weight:	7.4 ounces, 208 grams	Serial No:	2065031215
Batteries:	4*AAA + SR44 (35mA)	Date of manufacture:	mth 08 year 2004
AC-Adapter:		Origin of manufacture:	China (S)
Precision:	14	Integrated circuits:	ASIC: TI-REF 83PLUSB/TA2 (T6TX7AFG) Flash: 29LV800 Display: Toshiba T6K04
Memories:
Program steps:	24k Bytes, 480k Bytes Flash ROM	Courtesy of:	Joerg Woerner

To reduce theft of this popular school-owned graphing calculator, Texas Instruments introduced late in 2004 the EZ-Spot Teacher Packs with a bright, easy-to-spot, "school bus yellow" back cover and slide case.

In addition, each unit's faceplate is inscribed with the words, "SCHOOL PROPERTY."

Dismantling the TI-84 Plus EZ-Spot manufactured in August 2004 reveals a printed circuit board (PCB) design known from the original TI-84 Plus with only 3 main Integrated Circuits:

• TI REF 83PLUSB/TA2: Z80 microprocessor, RAM, USB-Port
and supporting logic
• Fujitsu 29LV800: 1M Bytes Flash ROM
• Toshiba T6K04: Single-chip 64*120 pixel display driver

The picture on the right gives an enhanced view of the ASIC that clocks the Z80 microprocessor with 15 MHz and incorporates the RAM, USB-Port and logic. Learn more about the Hardware Architecture of TI’s Graphing Calculators.
Please notice that later TI-84 Plus sports the TI REF 84PLUSB/TA3 designation on the ASIC.

A component not easily detected on the printed circuit board (PCB) of the TI-84 Plus is the driver circuit of the LC-Display. It is just a bare chip mounted on a flexible piece of circuit board attached between the display and the main PCB.

The TI-84 Plus supports the ViewScreen panel and the TI-Presenter with an Presentation Link Adapter. A serial port of the calculators allows the connection to the Calculator-Based Laboratory system CBL, its successor CBL 2 and the Calculator-Based Ranger CBR. The added USB interface of the TI-84 Plus family calculators connects directly with the Calculator-Based Ranger CBR 2 introduced in 2004, too. With a new cradle even the optional full-sized QWERTY Keyboard introduced in 2002 matches with the TI-84 Plus series.

Don't miss the colorful slide cases developed for the TI-84 Plus Silver Edition, they fit on the TI-84 Plus, too.

Dont' miss the TI-84 Plus Silver Edition EZ-Spot.

Texas Instruments announced on March 1^st, 2010 the TI-84 Plus Operating System version 2.53MP with MathPrint™ mode for free download. The OS 2.53MP enables users to input and view math symbols and formulas, including stacked fractions, in their handhelds exactly as the equations appear in textbooks.

ROM-Versions:

2.21 (March 2004)
2.22 (August 2004)
2.30 (December 2004)
2.40 (November 2005)
2.41 (May 7, 2006)
2.43 (December 4, 2007)
2.53MP (February 15, 2010 includes MathPrint)
2.55MP (January 11, 2011)

You can check the ROM version of your TI-84 Plus using the following key sequence and reading the number on your screen:

[2nd] [MEM] [1]

Information provided by ticalc.org and Xavier Andréani.

Exam acceptance:

The TI-84 Plus is permitted (as of September 27, 2007) for use on SAT, ACT, PSAT and AP exams.

Find here the original press release dated November 1, 2004:

Instantly Identify School-Owned Texas Instuments Graphing Calculators with New EZ-Spot Design

Bright Yellow Design Distinguishes School Property with Stylencepts in Math, Leading to Increased Comprehension and Greater Achievement

DALLAS, November 1, 2004

Texas Instruments, the leader in graphing handheld educational technology, today announced its new EZ-Spot TI-84 Plus family of graphing calculators is now available exclusively to educators. With an eye-catching "school bus yellow" color, EZ-Spot graphing calculators instantly suggest "school" while making it easy for teachers to distinguish school-owned property.

While many students own their own graphing calculators, some schools loan units to students for the day, a week, month or longer. The EZ-Spot design is a benefit to schools so teachers can easily gather school property before it walks out the door.

"TI has listened to the needs of schools by creating a graphing calculator in a special color just for us," said Dr. Sheila Cunningham, associate director of curriculum and instruction for Klein Independent School District. "The bright yellow color is a lot of fun for students and it will also be much easier to account for school-owned graphing calculators and identify which students might have accidentally put the calculator in their book bag."

EZ-Spot graphing calculators have all the same features and functions as the standard TI-84 Plus family models, with the added benefit of the easy-to-spot color. In addition to the bright yellow coloring of the back cover and slidecase, the faceplate is inscribed with the words, "School Property."

Developed with feedback from teachers and students, the TI-84 Plus family of graphing calculators engages students, deepens learning, and reinforces key concepts in middle and high school math and science. The TI-84 Plus family's built-in USB port makes it easier and faster than ever before for students to connect with TI's ViewScreen™ panel and/or TI-Presenter™ projection device (with adapter, available separately), home and school computers, share data with other graphing calculators, and collect field data in math and science classes.

The TI-84 Plus family also comes preloaded with software applications including the popular applications Cabri® Jr. for algebra and geometry and Topics in Algebra I.

TI's EZ-Spot Teacher Packs include ten graphing calculators from the TI-84 Plus family. Units are available now and must be special-ordered through Instructional Products Dealers.

For more information, visit: http://education.ti.com/us/product/tech/ezspot/features/features.html.

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