DATAMATH CALCULATOR MUSEUM |
Texas Instruments BA-SOLAR
Date of introduction: | June 1987 | Display technology: | LCD |
New price: | Display size: | 10 (7 + 2) | |
Size: | 5.4" x 2.8" x 0.45" | ||
Weight: | 2.4 ounces | Serial No: | 596099 |
Batteries: | n.a. | Date of manufacture: | mth 10 year 1987 |
AC-Adapter: | Origin of manufacture: | China (T) | |
Precision: | 13 | Integrated circuits: | Toshiba T7917 |
Memories: | 1 | ||
Program steps: | Courtesy of: | Joerg Woerner |
Texas Instruments - or to be more precise - their contract manufacturer Toshiba moved the production of the BA-SOLAR in June 1987 from Japan to China.
Main difference is the darker solar cell supplied by Sanyo instead the original National part.
Like the sibling TI-31 the production of the BA-SOLAR was
shifted later to Italy. You'll notice the Italian versions easily at their
smaller solar cells. View the Italian TI-31 SOLAR
and BA-SOLAR for a small comparison.
If we trace back the routes of Toshiba calculator chips within
the TI-line we evaluate:
Type | Model | Introduction | First Toshiba IC |
Basic | TI-1750 (1st) | year 1977 | T3532, year 1976 |
Basic SLR | TI-1766 | year 1981 | T6789, year 1981 |
Scientific | TI-25 | year 1978 | T3636, year 1977 |
Scientific SLR | TI-30 SLR | year 1982 | T6824, year 1982 |
Financial | none | T6787, year 1982 | |
Financial SLR | BA-SOLAR | year 1986 | T7917, year 1986 |
It took only a short time between the introduction of a
Toshiba calculator chip and the corresponding Texas Instruments calculators. For
the financial calculators TI used between the years 1978 and 1986 always their
own chips, the missing link could be found with the Canon
Financial calculator.
The next solar powered financial calculator appeared with the BA-35 Solar ten years later.
Don't miss the Personal Banker, one of the best calculators developed ever.
If you have additions to the above article please email: joerg@datamath.org.
© Joerg Woerner, December 4, 2002. No reprints without written permission.