Omnimaga
Calculator Community => Major Community Projects => The Axe Parser Project => Topic started by: MacBernick on December 27, 2013, 09:24:28 pm
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Does it work ?
thanks ^^
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You had my hopes up for a second D:
Anyway nope, sorry, 83+/84+/SE programs will not work on the 84+CSE or vice-versa, except a few exceptions: pure-BASIC programs that are not dependent on screen dimensions nor pictures. ASM programs have to be modified in order to run on the new calc, since the screen is different.
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Oh I see, sorry about that ^^
I need to set me up an asm toolchain then. Thanks.
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On the other hand, there is now xLIBC/Celtic available for the color calc, although that's obviously much slower than pure Z80 ASM. For example, compare the 84+C version of my Tunnel game with the HP Prime version:
A Trailblazer clone in xLIBC would only be feasible with pre-rendered copies of the graphics that are drawn with a bunch of DrawSpriteList8x8A commands and movement would be tile-by-tile. In Z80 it would probably look a bit like the Prime version, but with scanlines (stuff would be drawn every two line) so the game would be 160x120, sort of.
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ASM programs have to be modified in order to run on the new calc, since the screen is different.
Wait. So if we changed the screen sizes on a black and white calc to fit the color screen sizes and compiled it, would it work on the color one but just display in black and white?
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no cause pixel format are different. On non-color calc, pixel are one bit, but on color calc I guess it's 8 bit. So you really need to recode all graphic command, and not only changing screen dim.
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no cause pixel format are different. On non-color calc, pixel are one bit, but on color calc I guess it's 8 bit. So you really need to recode all graphic command, and not only changing screen dim.
It's 16-bit, but yes, all graphics-related code needs to be redone. Also, on the 84+CSE, it's impossible to keep a full-resolution screen buffer in RAM like Axe does (150 KiB is needed, but the calc only has 128 KiB), so even the general method of rendering has to be changed. I think there are some differences in how you interface with the LCD too, but that's not really a problem since everything has to be recoded anyway.
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I think the plan was to make Axe like xLIB, in the way that it's 160x120 (scaled up to 160x240), then use one half of the LCD at a time as buffer.
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But can we have a new version of Axe specifically for the CSE?
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Only if Runer112 or someone else are willing to make one.
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I'm willing, it just hasn't been easy for me to find the time.
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The question is: will monochrome versions still be in development?
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I hope so. That said, it might be very hard to develop two versions at once. Since the main focus for the older Axe commands is LCD-related, this means there is a lot of work to do to port it to the color calc.
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The monochrome line will absolutely still be developed.
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Thanks for this interesting discussion ^^
Should I have bought a 84+SE instead of CSE ? The more forum I read, the more this CSE sounds like a CPC+ syndrom (a last attempt before giving up).
Even though the arch of the calculator is very different of the z80 architecture I'm used to (oh well, I used to be used to...) I'd love to program for it.
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I think the CSE was released as some form of bone for ASM programmers who were starving for a TI color calc with built-in ASM support, since the Nspire is so locked down. Also, since the Z80 line doesn't want to die in popularity, they probably took advantage of it as well and added a color screen to attract more people.
I think you still made a good choice by buying this calc, because look on ticalc.org how many POTY entries there were for it in 4 months compared to 83+/84+ entries in 12 months. On top of that, some 84+ entries were programs from several years ago being retro-actively featured (Illusiat series, for instance). However, speed-wise, the monochrome model is obviously better, while memory/screen-wise, the color one is better.
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My theory is that although there is the Nspire CX, many educators were probably reluctant to learn it and instead wanted a familiar user interface, so the 84+ CSE was released to additionally compete with Casio's and HP's newest offerings. I just don't see TI caring enough about our demographic to justify releasing a new calculator.
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There is also the problem about the Nspire CX being more expensive in most countries. Over here, when school starts, you can get the CSE for $129.99, while the Nspire CX never goes under $149.99. In USA, I think the prices are pretty similar. Some parents will probably try to go for the lowest price possible, but the student might at least try to beg for one of the color model or maybe the parent will care about the student not destroying his eyes on a non-backlighted screen. As for the CAS model, it's banned in standarized tests and stuff.