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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 (1^st)	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.