DATAMATH CALCULATOR MUSEUM
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DATAMATH CALCULATOR MUSEUM |
Texas Instruments TI-86 (Engineering Sample)
| Date of introduction: | January 6, 1997 Available: May 1997 |
Display technology: | LCD dot matrix |
| New price: | $150.00 | Display size: | 8 * 21 characters |
| Size: | 7.2" x 3.2" x 0.80" 182 x 81 x 20 mm3 |
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| Weight: | 5.9 ounces, 165 grams | Serial No: | |
| Batteries: | 4*AAA + CR1620 (35mA) | Date of manufacture: | mth 02 year 1997 |
| AC-Adapter: | Origin of manufacture: | Taiwan (I) | |
| Precision: | 14 | Integrated circuits: | CPU: Toshiba T6A43 ROM: AT29C020 RAM: SRM20100 Display: T6A40, |
| Memories: | |||
| Program steps: | 96k Bytes | Courtesy of: | Joerg Woerner |
The
TI-86 added more functions and memory to the it's predecessor TI-85
and carried the new, smoother housing.
The main features of the TI-86 in a short summary:
| • Graphing of up to 99 functions at one time. • Parametric graphing to analyze up to three parametric equations. • Manipulation of matrices with dimensions of 80*80. • One- and two-variable statistical analyses with up to 6,000 data points. • Programs with a total of 96,000 Bytes. |
Disassembling this
TI-86 Engineering Sample manufactured in February 1997 reveals
no big surprises. It makes use of just 5 main components on the printed circuit
boards (PCB’s):
CPU
(Central processing Unit): The Toshiba T6A43
is a so-called Application Specific
CPU and combines a Z80 core with an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated
Circuit). You’ll find different approaches within the graphing calculator line
of Texas Instruments, sometimes the use of an individual CPU (e.g. Z80 and
M68000) with a supporting ASIC or – like with this TI-86 the integration of
the CPU into the ASIC.
ROM (Read Only Memory): The ROM contains the operating
system of the calculator. The first products on the market used
mask-programmable ROMs, the program was stored already during the production
of the Integrated Circuit. Later calculators changed to Flash ROM, a
technology allowing the programming of the software during the final production
stage of the calculator. With the TI-83 Plus and all later graphing calculators
from Texas Instruments even the user was able to reprogram the operating system.
This
TI-86 manufactured early in 1997 makes use of a Flash ROM
ATMEL AT29C020
in a socket for convenient replacement. Later TI-86 calculators host
either a one-time programmable (OTP) ROM AT27C020 or a Mask ROM LH532©98
manufactured by Sharp, Japan. It is common practice in software engineering to avoid the high one-time costs
and long lead time of a Mask-ROM during the ramp up of a new product. OTP ROM like the AT27C020 are on the other hand more expensive.
RAM
(Random Access Memory): The RAM is used as data memory and is used to store both
variables, user programs and intermediate results. This TI-86 makes use of
SRM20100 chip manufactured by Epson, Japan. The capacity of the memory is
128k Bytes.
DISPLAY:
The Toshiba T6A23 is a column driver for small-to-medium-sized dot matrix graphic
LCDs, while the T6A40 is a row driver. They are compatible with Z80 based CPUs and
drive displays with up to
128 columns, resp. 64 rows. The display size of the TI-86 is 128 * 64
pixel, therefore
one display driver each is necessary.
A special "teacher version" called TI-86
VSC combines the standard TI-86 features with a port to connect to a ViewScreen
panel via a cable. Placing the panel on the overhead projector enlarges the
image of the handheld screen so that each student can follow along.
A serial port of the calculators allows the connection to the Calculator-Based Laboratory system CBL, its successor CBL 2, the Calculator-Based Ranger CBR and its successor CBR 2.
Don't miss the colorful slide cases developed for the TI-83 Plus, they fit on the TI-86, too.
Don't miss the TI-89,
a pocket sized
Symbolic calculator.
ROM-Versions:
1.2
1.3
1.4
