Which TI programmable could this be ?

[bshoring]

A single moment triggered my interest in HP programmable calculators. Oddly enough it was a Texas Instruments programmable that got me started. Back in 1981 a co-worker showed me how he'd programmed his TI to perform some time-consuming tasks we had at work.

What I recall is that it had a red LED, and could be seated right on a printer. The calculator alone was not alpha-numeric, but with the printer, it was able to print out alpha-numeric prompts for input. From what I have described is it possible to identify which TI model it could have been ?

I decided then and there to get something similar. After looking at multiple makes, I decided to go the HP route. I liked the portability of the HP-67, but wanted the ability to print that an HP-97 offered. So I settled on an HP-41 CV.

Life has never been the same since.

Bob

[Marcus von Cube]

(04-12-2015 05:35 PM)bshoring Wrote:  What I recall is that it had a red LED, and could be seated right on a printer. The calculator alone was not alpha-numeric, but with the printer, it was able to print out alpha-numeric prompts for input. From what I have described is it possible to identify which TI model it could have been ?

It must be a TI-58(C) or a TI-59. The predecessors, SR-52 and SR-56, could print with a PC-100 (plain/A) but only numbers, no texts.

[bshoring]

Thanks, Marcus!

Now I just remembered one other detail. It used magnetic cards. Would that narrow it down to a TI-59 ?

Bob

[walter b]

(04-12-2015 06:47 PM)bshoring Wrote:  It used magnetic cards. Would that narrow it down to a TI-59 ?

Yes, it would.

d:-)

[d b]

(04-12-2015 07:10 PM)walter b Wrote:  

(04-12-2015 06:47 PM)bshoring Wrote:  It used magnetic cards. Would that narrow it down to a TI-59 ?

Yes, it would.

d:-)

bshoring;

The TI SR-52 could read and write cards too. It also fit in the PC 100 cradle.

There are great pictures of both on Joerg Woerner's "Datamath" site. Unfortunately; the 52 and the 58/59 series are so similar you probably won't remember which one you saw 34 years ago :-(

I have one and it was impressive but since it's not RPN it doesn't see much use.

Note to Benoit: I did my taxes on the RPN 1200 ! --- so cheers for TI RPN.

[Garth Wilson]

http://www.ti59.com/gallery.htm

The 59 was my second programmable (after the 58c). I later went to the 41cx because I wanted to control lab instrumentation from the calc, and take data under program control, something the 41 did superbly but the TI's could not do at all. I did make heavy use of the TI printer's alpha capability (although it was all capitals). I used a full-size printer with the HP.

[bshoring]

Thanks all for the great info! All these years I had forgotten about that TI programmable. But recently I started wondering what it could be. I was impressed to such a degree that I decided I needed a programmable to make my work easier and more fun. I think it had to be a TI-59.

Thanks,
Bob

[Dave Britten]

These days, it's probably easier/cheaper to get a 58C, which has constant memory instead of the card reader, but was about 99% functionally identical otherwise. Maintaining a working card reader and cards is likely more difficult today than it was 30+ years ago. In either case, the battery pack can be pretty easily replaced by soldering in a 3xAAA receptacle and filling it with NiMHs, although it complicates being able to drop it on the printer. (Use an outboard charger for the AAAs.)

[Pierre]

1) response to bshoring: probably a TI-59

2) TI-58C is also a good choice, but apart batteries, like for the TI-59, the keyboard bounces can cause problems.

If love about programming language outweighs the desire to possess the object itself, an emulator can be used to satisfy the pleasure to use an ancient language, and reusing old programs, or to evolve them

[Benoit Maag]

(04-12-2015 10:10 PM)Den Belillo (Martinez Ca.) Wrote:  

(04-12-2015 07:10 PM)walter b Wrote:  Yes, it would.

d:-)

bshoring;

The TI SR-52 could read and write cards too. It also fit in the PC 100 cradle.

There are great pictures of both on Joerg Woerner's "Datamath" site. Unfortunately; the 52 and the 58/59 series are so similar you probably won't remember which one you saw 34 years ago :-(

I have one and it was impressive but since it's not RPN it doesn't see much use.

Note to Benoit: I did my taxes on the RPN 1200 ! --- so cheers for TI RPN.

Den, I hope the RPN-1200 calculated your tax return correctly... ;-)

[Marie]

Hi Dennis,

Can you tell me more about this RPN 1200, I am TI fan, and already have a subcollection of the 1200 series, this would be a great addition ...

And, what has become of your web site (MDS) ?

Thanks

[d b]

(06-23-2015 09:06 AM)Marie Wrote:  Hi Dennis,

Can you tell me more about this RPN 1200, I am TI fan, and already have a subcollection of the 1200 series, this would be a great addition ...

And, what has become of your web site (MDS) ?

Thanks

Marie;
-The RPN 1200 is a little marvel made by Benoit Maag. It's his own PCB and program, using a TI-1200's shell, & red LED screen. It does Trig, log, NLs, handles exponents, and has the 4 level stack with last X that we've all come to know and love. He showed it to us at the Reno HHC. You can find him through the forum's search function and PM him about the technical details, or he might see this and post.
-My old "mirror universe" RPN page is not up because the owner (an RPN user and tinkerer) shut the whole site down due to spam attacks on it's forum and spiders crawling through looking for member info. He used to post on the old version of this forum, so a lot of his methods for fixing our beloved machines isn't lost. I should really put that stuff up somewhere but i keep hoping that Mike will find time to get it all going again someday.

[Thomas Klemm]

(06-23-2015 02:37 PM)Den Belillo (Martinez Ca.) Wrote:  The RPN 1200 is a little marvel made by Benoit Maag.

RPN-1200

[Marie]

Wooooow I want one !

And Dennis, if I understand well your pages are still available for browsing somewhere in this website, but where exactly do they stand ?