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Omnimaga => News => Topic started by: critor on December 15, 2013, 09:58:07 am

Title: Hands on with the transparent TI-73 overhead
Post by: critor on December 15, 2013, 09:58:07 am
Texas Instruments has released many overhead graphing calculators. These models are connectable to an external panel called 'ViewScreen' which just had to be put on a overhead projector.
However, what's wrong with this approach is the need for a special calculator provided with the appropriate ViewScreen connector, and the need for long cables which can cause accidents.
(http://tiplanet.org/forum/gallery/image.php?mode=thumbnail&image_id=878) (http://tiplanet.org/forum/gallery/image_page.php?image_id=878) (http://tiplanet.org/forum/gallery/image.php?mode=thumbnail&image_id=1412) (http://tiplanet.org/forum/gallery/image_page.php?image_id=1412)

The company "Stokes Publishing Company" has a different approach. In partnership with leading calculator manufacturers (Texas Instruments, Casio and Sharp), it produces under the name "The Educator overhead calculator" a range of transparent basic and scientific calculators, which can therefore directly be put on a projector ! :o
(http://tiplanet.org/forum/gallery/image.php?mode=thumbnail&image_id=175) (http://tiplanet.org/forum/gallery/image_page.php?image_id=175)
Transparent basic calculators which don't need much power do not even exceed the thickness of a credit card and can be directly powered by the lighting provided by the overhead projector.

Today for you on TI-Planet, after the first talking graphing calculator (http://ourl.ca/19539) or the first color graphing calculator (http://tiplanet.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=13338&p=151726), let's have a look at the first transparent graphic calculator ! ;D(http://www.omnimaga.org/Themes/default/images/gpbp_arrow_up.gif)
Sold as new for around $300, it's much more reasonable than the 600$ priced TI-84 Plus Orion talking graphing calculator.


Indeed, Stokes Publishing Compagny created in partnership with Texas Instruments calculator the first (and only) transparent graphic calculator, based on TI-73 Explorer (http://tiplanet.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=8000#p115389), an entry-level graphing calculator marketed among others in North America, India , Asia , the Middle East, Australia and New Zealand. The TI-73 Explorer is the first TI non-CAS calculator using the Flash technology, released in 1998, one year before the TI-83 Plus. We will be refering to the latter when it comes to making comparisons.

Opening the box reveals us :
(http://tiplanet.org/forum/gallery/image.php?mode=thumbnail&image_id=3104) (http://tiplanet.org/forum/gallery/image_page.php?image_id=3104) (http://tiplanet.org/forum/gallery/image.php?mode=thumbnail&image_id=3110) (http://tiplanet.org/forum/gallery/image_page.php?image_id=3110) (http://tiplanet.org/forum/gallery/image.php?mode=thumbnail&image_id=3106) (http://tiplanet.org/forum/gallery/image_page.php?image_id=3106) (http://tiplanet.org/forum/gallery/image.php?mode=thumbnail&image_id=3107) (http://tiplanet.org/forum/gallery/image_page.php?image_id=3107) (http://tiplanet.org/forum/gallery/image.php?mode=thumbnail&image_id=3109) (http://tiplanet.org/forum/gallery/image_page.php?image_id=3109) (http://tiplanet.org/forum/gallery/image.php?mode=thumbnail&image_id=3108) (http://tiplanet.org/forum/gallery/image_page.php?image_id=3108)


Let's now open the case. It reveals us :
(http://tiplanet.org/forum/gallery/image.php?mode=thumbnail&image_id=3113) (http://tiplanet.org/forum/gallery/image_page.php?image_id=3113) (http://tiplanet.org/forum/gallery/image.php?mode=thumbnail&image_id=3112) (http://tiplanet.org/forum/gallery/image_page.php?image_id=3112) (http://tiplanet.org/forum/gallery/image.php?mode=thumbnail&image_id=3111) (http://tiplanet.org/forum/gallery/image_page.php?image_id=3111)

This content removed, we can finally see the transparent TI-73 Explorer, surrounded by various accessories :
(http://tiplanet.org/forum/gallery/image.php?mode=thumbnail&image_id=3115) (http://tiplanet.org/forum/gallery/image_page.php?image_id=3115) (http://tiplanet.org/forum/gallery/image.php?mode=thumbnail&image_id=3114) (http://tiplanet.org/forum/gallery/image_page.php?image_id=3114)

Finally, we're reaching this great calculator. It takes the form of a double frame hollowing therein two transparent rectangular areas :
So those two areas are what is going to be shown by the projector.
(http://tiplanet.org/forum/gallery/image.php?mode=thumbnail&image_id=3126) (http://tiplanet.org/forum/gallery/image_page.php?image_id=3126) (http://tiplanet.org/forum/gallery/image.php?mode=thumbnail&image_id=3128) (http://tiplanet.org/forum/gallery/image_page.php?image_id=3128)

On the back, like the 'normal' TI-73 Explorer we note the presence of a compartment for the backup battery.
However, a mysterious the reset button missing from the original model is surprising us .

On the right we're finding the 2.5mm mini-jack communication port for connection to another calculator or a computer.
There is also a specific adjustment knob which controlling the opacity of the screen base color.
(http://tiplanet.org/forum/gallery/image.php?mode=thumbnail&image_id=3123) (http://tiplanet.org/forum/gallery/image_page.php?image_id=3123)

On the top, the cord can be used with some holes in the corners.
(http://tiplanet.org/forum/gallery/image.php?mode=thumbnail&image_id=3125) (http://tiplanet.org/forum/gallery/image_page.php?image_id=3125) (http://tiplanet.org/forum/gallery/image.php?mode=thumbnail&image_id=3124) (http://tiplanet.org/forum/gallery/image_page.php?image_id=3124)

Finally let's insert the batteries and let's go! ;D(http://www.omnimaga.org/Themes/default/images/gpbp_arrow_up.gif)
(http://tiplanet.org/forum/gallery/image.php?mode=thumbnail&image_id=3127) (http://tiplanet.org/forum/gallery/image_page.php?image_id=3127)

Let's try to find out if it's using a normal TI-73 Explorer OS, or if it requires a specific OS like the TI-84 Plus Orion talking graphing calculator.
Apparently, calculator is coming with the penultimate official OS, version 1.90.
It has almost 25K of RAM free, suggesting a chip of 32KB, usual on TI-z80 graphing calculators technology.
However, we can be surprised at first by the archive (or storage) memory, where it says 8 free spaces. In fact, it means 8 free memory pages, the memory page beeing 16KB on TI-z80 calculators technology. So this makes us 8x16=128KB , against 160KB for the TI-83 Plus which therefore offers 10 free memory pages for archive.
(http://tiplanet.org/forum/gallery/image.php?mode=thumbnail&image_id=3121) (http://tiplanet.org/forum/gallery/image_page.php?image_id=3121) (http://tiplanet.org/forum/gallery/image.php?mode=thumbnail&image_id=3119) (http://tiplanet.org/forum/gallery/image_page.php?image_id=3119) (http://tiplanet.org/forum/gallery/image.php?mode=thumbnail&image_id=3122) (http://tiplanet.org/forum/gallery/image_page.php?image_id=3122)

A priori, the OS is therefore perfectly normal. Let's try to see if we can flash another version of the OS...
Unlike the TI-83 Plus, the link menu is not directly accessible from the keyboard . Indeed it takes the form of a permanent 'fake' unremovable Link application listed in the applications menu, like the Finance application on the TI-83 Plus. However, unlike the TI-83 Plus, it does not offer the ability to transfer an OS between two calculators.
So let's send the latest 1.91 OS from a computer, which works perfectly,  further confirming the identical behavior to a 'normal' TI-73 Explorer ! ;D(http://www.omnimaga.org/Themes/default/images/gpbp_arrow_up.gif)
(http://tiplanet.org/forum/gallery/image.php?mode=thumbnail&image_id=3131) (http://tiplanet.org/forum/gallery/image_page.php?image_id=3131) (http://tiplanet.org/forum/gallery/image.php?mode=thumbnail&image_id=3129) (http://tiplanet.org/forum/gallery/image_page.php?image_id=3129) (http://tiplanet.org/forum/gallery/image.php?mode=thumbnail&image_id=3118) (http://tiplanet.org/forum/gallery/image_page.php?image_id=3118)

Note that the calculator is now offering us 12 free memory pages for archive instead of 8, for a capacity of 12x16=192KB higher than 160KB capacity of the TI-83 Plus ! :o
Indeed, on the TI-73 Explorer, the reserved archive memory space is variable and depends upon the installed OS version :
CalculatorOSArchive memory pagesArchive memory capacityTotal Flash chip capacity
TI-73 Explorer1.3004 - 1.40464 KB512 KB
TI-73 Explorer1.50 - 1.908128 KB512 KB
TI-73 Explorer1.9112192 KB512 KB
TI-83 Plus
TI-83 Plus.fr (blue)
10160 KB512 KB
TI-84 Plus
Pocket.fr TI-84
30480 KB1024 KB
TI-83 Plus.fr USB (black)
TI-83 Plus Silver Edition
TI-84 Plus Silver Edition
TI-84 Plus Pocket SE
961536 KB2048 KB
TI-84 Plus C Silver Edition2243584 KB4096 KB

By accessing the self-test menu (http://tiplanet.org/forum/images/smilies/z80/21.png) (http://tiplanet.org/forum/images/smilies/z80/23.png) (http://tiplanet.org/forum/images/smilies/z80/22.png) (http://tiplanet.org/forum/images/smilies/z80/21.png) (http://tiplanet.org/forum/images/smilies/z80/23.png) as on a 'normal' TI-73 Explorer, we also get the boot code version, 1.3007, the last one, once again perfectly normal.
(http://tiplanet.org/forum/gallery/image.php?mode=thumbnail&image_id=3116) (http://tiplanet.org/forum/gallery/image_page.php?image_id=3116) (http://tiplanet.org/forum/gallery/image.php?mode=thumbnail&image_id=3117) (http://tiplanet.org/forum/gallery/image_page.php?image_id=3117) (http://tiplanet.org/forum/gallery/image.php?mode=thumbnail&image_id=3130) (http://tiplanet.org/forum/gallery/image_page.php?image_id=3130)

You can also send older OS like 1.85, but you cannot go below. Indeed, the last 1.3007 Boot Code contains an anti - downgrade which rejects any OS with a lower version number.
(but remember we have the TI-73 Explorer RSA private keys if you absolutely want to have a smaller archive area...)



In the end, an excellent product for the quick and easy overhead of graphing calculators without all the technical disadvantages of a computer projector.
Despite obvious hardware changes, operation, functionality and compatibiliy stayed the same as on the 'normal' TI-73 Explorer, a great performance! ;D(http://www.omnimaga.org/Themes/default/images/gpbp_arrow_up.gif)


Source : http://tiplanet.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=41&t=13517&lang=en

Link : *overstock* - Get the last TI-73 overhead units in the complete above pack directly from the manufacturer for only 25$ (http://ourl.ca/20314)
Title: Re: Re: Hands on with the transparent TI-73 overhead
Post by: DJ Omnimaga on December 15, 2013, 12:00:07 pm
Thanks for the review. I'm glad it's fully compatible :)
Title: Re: Hands on with the transparent TI-73 overhead
Post by: fb39ca4 on December 15, 2013, 01:21:55 pm
What does the keyboard feel like? Is there very much travel in the keys?

@DJ Omnimaga: You double posted.
Title: Re: Hands on with the transparent TI-73 overhead
Post by: critor on December 15, 2013, 01:44:47 pm
The keys are a little smaller than on a real TI-z80, but they are quite reactive once you remove the plastic protection: you almost don't need to press them. :)
Title: Re: Hands on with the transparent TI-73 overhead
Post by: fb39ca4 on December 15, 2013, 02:25:04 pm
So they're like the buttons you would find on a microwave?
Title: Re: Hands on with the transparent TI-73 overhead
Post by: Sorunome on December 15, 2013, 02:45:59 pm
Interesting calculator :)
So, i guess the backup button only clears the ram?
And as there is no backup battery, ram gets cleared once you swap batteries?
Title: Re: Hands on with the transparent TI-73 overhead
Post by: critor on December 15, 2013, 04:03:15 pm
There is a backup battery.

I don't see why a reset button is needed, as the TI-z80 Flash key combos still work:
ON+CLEAR to force reset
ON+DEL to force OS installation
Title: Re: Hands on with the transparent TI-73 overhead
Post by: DJ Omnimaga on December 15, 2013, 06:46:48 pm
I think a reset button is only needed when:

1) The calc uses a rechargeable battery and removing it requires a screwdriver
2) The AAA batteries aren't placed in parralel mode (like the HP 39gII, where the can can run off a single AAA battery)
3) Any other case where removing batteries is a major PITA.