DATAMATH  CALCULATOR  MUSEUM

Texas Instruments TI-30X IISR 

Date of introduction:  July 2008 Display technology:  LCD
New price:   Display size:  11 characters and 10 +2
Size:  6.1" x 3.2" x 0.6"
 154 x 83 x 15 mmł
   
Weight:  3.3 ounces, 94 grams Serial No:  
Batteries:  Solar cells + CR2025 (60µA) Date of manufacture:  mth 06 year 2008 (K)
AC-Adapter:   Origin of manufacture:  China (K)
Precision:  13 Integrated circuits:  
Memories:  5    
Program steps:   Courtesy of:  Joerg Woerner

It was a pleasant surprise for the Datamath Calculator Museum when in June 2009 this red colored TI-30X IIS appeared on the US eBay auction site and we were able to acquire the unit.
Knowing inside out all the colorful TI-30XII variations introduced since 2003 by various US retailers, for instance Wal-Mart, Target, Office Depot and Staples, we asked immediately a question: "Fellow collectors - if you know the retailer behind this wonderful red TI-30X IIS - please drop me a line. Thanks!"

It took another month before we could solve the mystery - a second red-colored TI-30X IIS appeared on eBay and both auctions had something in common: The sellers are residents of the State Ohio.

Please read an excerpt from TI’s Knowledge Base, updated March 17, 2009:

What is the red TI-30XIISR?

Texas Instruments has produced a red TI-30X IIS specifically for the State of Ohio to use for their Ohio Graduation Tests (OGT). The schools refer to it as the TI-30XIISR. 
The TI-30X IIS produced for the OGT testing is red and has the OGT logo on the face. It is provided at the testing sites.

There is also a red unit available for Ohio schools that does not have the OGT logo. These are available through Copco, an instructional product dealer.

© Texas Instruments, 2009

Disassembling this model of the TI-30X IIS manufactured June 2008 by Kinpo Electronics, Inc. reveals a well known internal construction. We discovered already in 2004 with Inventec Shanghai, Kinpo Electronics, Inc. and Nam Tai Electronics, Inc. three different contract manufacturers for the TI-30X IIS. Comparing two calculators with datecodes K-0304 and K-0608 yields no significant differences.

In the meantime - after about two years - our second question "Fellow collectors - if you own a red TI-30X IIS with the OGT logo - please drop me a line. Thanks!" was answered by Mark Bolmann. Thanks! Get a picture here.

 

The Ohio Department of Education released in October 2008 newsletter "The Ides of ODE" a nice (high-lighted in blue) statement:

New OGT Calculators

The fall administration of the Ohio Graduation Test will begin on October 27, 2008. By now all school districts should have received their fall shipment of the new OGT Calculators. The new TI-30XIISR is the only calculator to be used on the OGT. The unique red color is to assist proctors in identifying the approved calculator.
Provide your students with the opportunities to become familiar with the functionality of the new OGT calculators through regular use in classroom settings and testing situations.

The new calculators are believed to be more durable than their predecessor.

© Ohio Department of Education, 2008

For sure did we research the “predecessor of the new OGT calculator” and found the Senario Model SC-121, a rebranded Karce KC-121.

Don't miss the TI-30X IIS released for the Back-to-School 2020 campaign in its beautiful color dubbed "Radical Red".


horizontal rule

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

© Joerg Woerner, August 4, 2009. No reprints without written permission.