DATAMATH  CALCULATOR  MUSEUM

Texas Instruments BA-SOLAR

Date of introduction:  1986 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:  143029
Batteries:  n.a. Date of manufacture:  mth 09 year 1986
AC-Adapter:   Origin of manufacture:  Japan (T)
Precision:  13 Integrated circuits:  Toshiba T7917
Memories:  1    
Program steps:   Courtesy of:  Joerg Woerner

Texas Instruments introduced with the BA-SOLAR in the year 1986 the first solar powered financial calculator. Instead their own calculator chip known from the BA-II they used the low-power Toshiba T7917 chip. This gives you the reason of the different accuracy and keyboard layout. We know similar "pairs" from the scientific calculators TI-35 II (TI) and TI-31 (Toshiba). 

BA-SOLAR_SC.jpg (18790 Byte)Like the sibling TI-31 the production of the BA-SOLAR was shifted later to China. You'll notice the Chinese version at their darker solar cells. 

View the Chinese-made 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.

The BA-SOLAR is featured in the Texas Instruments France SA leaflet ECD488F dated 1988.


horizontal rule

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

© Joerg Woerner, December 5, 2001. No reprints without written permission.