This section allows you to view all posts made by this member. Note that you can only see posts made in areas you currently have access to.
Messages - Billeekid
16
« on: September 22, 2011, 01:06:12 pm »
Awesome, Peanuts! That's all I really wanted, now I have no need to post anymore  Muwahahaha
17
« on: September 22, 2011, 12:44:49 pm »
I've been thinking, of taking my Metroid themed Adventurecraft map, and make a parallel of it, for the TI-84+(obviously i would want to make it a sidescroller) My idea so far (atleast for Adventurecraft), is that you would play as a Galactic Federation Marine, on a planet outside of Federation jurisdiction. The planet being Ethos, a planet harboring Space Pirate activity. So far the idea is a desert planet hiding a volatile genre appropriate environment underneath the sands. So far I've built a few Romanesque ruins and a semi aquatic area along with a work in progress Tourian-ish(no mother brain  ) sector. The pirates are seeking technology left by the extinct Ethos inhabitants(kinda cliche but gameplay will be adjusted to reflect the hero of the story). I do want to include some metroids, but it would make most sense to make the planet a safe-haven for Pirate experiments(metroids  ) , rather then making the metroid a native species. I think I can teach myself, the art of making sprites. One plus is that I don't have to worry about making the character look like samus so maybe I can make a somewhat convincing sprite at a scale appropriate for gameplay and also with the limited resolution. If you guys have any doubts that I'm actually working on such a project, I'll be sure to upload some screenshots when I get back home(it's not that hard to make stuff with the adventurecraft tools) I just want to gauge how ambitious it would be to make a playable app for the calculator, and maybe pursue it P. S. I don't plan on making the instinct inhabitants of Ethos, Romans lol
18
« on: September 22, 2011, 11:54:21 am »
Thanks guys! My name isn't actually Billee, that's the name of a fictious sled dog from a certain book I read in high school(can't remember the books name  ) It's a notable book that's told from the perspective of a dog. Anyways, right now I'm trying to decide on what tools are the most worthwile to learn. Maybe i should learn Ndless?
19
« on: September 21, 2011, 10:24:20 pm »
Yeah, that's probably it. You need 540672 bytes of archive to hold that app. Thanks for trying the beta! I got it working! Very Impressive, I think I'm gonna buy an adapter so I can get some sound out of this thing I guess I didn't really know what to expect, but it works quite well. I was surprised that the calculator could do grayscale like it can. One question I do have, is flicker unavoidable? It seems to be extremely bad at 75% and 100% I guess that the calculator has to make do with emulation on a smaller screen. I just wanted to make sure it wasn't an OS, software, hardware issue or maybe if there is some way of reducing it to a less than distracting level? I'm totally fine with a medium high contrast setting at 50% screen size(best for flicker), but only when I'm not dreading having to zoom in and around to read text. It really is fascinating that you were able to make something like this, and it's even more spectactular watching it work!
20
« on: September 21, 2011, 10:04:34 pm »
Hello, I registered to this forum because of its thoughtful and intelligent community of coders! I just purchased my first graphing calculator a TI-84 Plus SE. Even though I have absolutely no coding experience whatsoever, I do really admire your guys's effort to squeeze the most out of your calculators as electronically possible! I would like to think of myself as a creative person. I have spent a lot of time with the "Adventurecraft" Minecraft conversion. I've been working on a Metroid themed map that I'm quite proud of, but eventually I will have to share what I have with the coding community and ask for help before I'm able to release something I'm satisfied with. I'm amazed by the quality of openness here, you guys have collaborated and made some very impressive projects that you have every right to be proud of. I think I may try to pick up coding as a new hobby. I think that my calculator is probably the best place to start a project of this type, and have it reach completion. I am a mechanical engineering student and I'm very familiar with the software in that realm. I do hope to learn a little bit from you guys, but I of course also want to play around with some of the apps already made on this forum 
21
« on: September 21, 2011, 07:54:26 pm »
That makes sense, I will remove a bunch of stuff. Oh, and I am trying to install Zelda Links Awakening. It says insufficient memory so I gues that means archive space.
22
« on: September 21, 2011, 07:05:32 pm »
WAIT NVM, I just realized I still had OS 2.71MP on 
I think I'm missing something, I have 2.55MP, I can't send the app to my calc It's a TI-84 Plus SE, revision number R. I am using a USB cord. What things are different about this created app and the one I made with the TI-Boy SE. My TI-Boy SE version of the app would begin to transfer with TI connect and then stop midway with concerns to RAM. Help me please, I do appreciate it. Maybe I should be asking what is Silverlink?
23
« on: September 21, 2011, 06:54:29 pm »
Technically the calculators have an 8-bit processor, as they have an instruction word size of 8 bits and the general use registers are each 8 bits. But that's not really important.
Regarding reprogramming Flash memory: In normal operation, writing to Flash can only be done by the operating system. However, even if this protection is disabled, you can't really use Flash memory as RAM. This is because you can't set bits in Flash by writing data normally, you can only reset bits. The only way to set bits is to order a sector erase, which destroys all data in a 64-kilobyte sector by setting all the bits in that sector. So if you wrote 0 to a byte in Flash memory, that byte could no longer hold anything except a 0 until you order a full sector erase.
Sounds like I need to do a bit more research on my own, this comment sounds very technical, but some of the other replies I've read sound much to broad. Runner112 what can I myself conclude from your reply, I apologize but right now I have no idea how to interpret this reply. Also why did you state "Technically the calculators are 8-bit" I could say the same for my computer, since it's operating system is also based on the 8-bit principle, I was only confused by this part of your reply. The etch-a-sketch analogy is easier to understand. Is the crystal comparable in function to any major component on a PC mobo? Also wouldn't you need to use a different battery/powersource to overclock without stability issues? Someone said something about overclocking.
24
« on: September 21, 2011, 06:27:30 pm »
"beloved crystal" what would that mean? I have RC cars in mind,lol. So the calculators are 16 bit, I'm assuming that is necessary for more advanced calculations and memory sizes? I'm still studying the 8-bit principle but I'm failing to understand what issues arise with reprogramming the flash memory. I've always been told that my flash drive will eventually go corrupt from use, but after the flash memory is reprogrammed, won't the remaining memory function as RAM with out any future corruption? Can you partition the flash memory!? Well, now I'm gonna have to find this bespoke "low memory" GB emulator, I am a little bit excited to play Links's Awakening.
25
« on: September 20, 2011, 07:23:35 pm »
, the calculator does have 32 KB. Only 24 is user accessible because the rest is used by the OS.
I see that makes some sense, I guess I just didn't come across that. I still am wondering if the ROM is actually a programmable flash memory, could it be used as RAM? I guess it would be extremely slow compared to the onboard/chip RAM but maybe it would allow some things to be ran at slower speeds besides emulators. I don't know if there is any other factors that are left out, but that's my understanding of flash, lol. I think someone needs to determine what that third marked chip that I pointed out is, I think that might be the controller I've dissasembled a lot of electronics and I think it looks a heck of a lot like the memory controller on a flash drive, thats the only other type of component I can think of that would be given it's own markings.
26
« on: September 20, 2011, 07:05:09 pm »
I saw the pictures of the different processors, having different pin counts..... I have been looking really hard for a reason why TI would remove RAM, and unless I'm mistaken all units of memory are multiples of two and especially since these "xram" calcs have 128KB RAM wouldn't that mean that the calculator is fundamentally based on the 8-bit principle. How can you implement a 24KB unit size RAM without fundementally changing the operating principle of the calculator. If it is normal for all calculators in this family to display about 24KB of RAM, that would probably mean that that number is software/OS based not hardware dependent. TI graphing calculators are 8-bit correct!? I have to believe that the 25x4 pin configuration (which was incorrectly stated 25x25) vs. 36x4 pin would be the source of a limiting factor. Maybe a function that I'm not aware of puts a cap on memory at roughly 24KB? I just spent about a half hour reading up on the 8-bit principle but I'm trying my best to understand I'm just not satisfied with the thought that they simply removed memory, RAM for computers was extremely cheap for a while(I watch that kind of stuff lol) and the stuff advanced through two version of the DDR architecture and just about quadrupled the speed of the original spec. speed at about half the cost in only a few years. So, RAM wouldn't be removed as a factor of cost, but more likely it arises from a hardware bottle neck, maybe there's 32KB actual memory and only a number close to 24 of that memory is actually usable? The hardware bottleneck, would be the processor bandwidth. In TI's eyes the newer processor/architecture probably fit the bill perfectly or near perfectly for the existing software demands, and anyways why would TI care if this prevents programs with high memory requirements such as emulators from running. It's unfortunate/fortunate that effort has been put about in these amazing emulators, I've seen them run and I have know idea how you guys do it, but I can't imagine that TI thought people would make such things. I think 24KB was just a number TI found was more than enough to not only run what apps it wanted you to use but also a number that it didn't expect to be exceeded in demand. It is unfortunate that for whatever reason, the newer calcs come only with a conservative amount of RAM. I think that the old processor took the xtra ram with it when it left 
27
« on: September 20, 2011, 03:46:17 pm »
TI REF 84PLCR/TA1 T6UN0AFG-0001 JAPAN 1039 HAL 086078processor chipSpansion S29AL016D70TFI 914FF119 G (copyright symbol) SPANSIONROMB48.000 KDS 1B TAIWANsmaller chip maybe a memory controller? Unfortunately I can't get the photo off my camera. This isn't my calculator it's something I pulled off the internet. It's a TI 84+ fortunately the chips are in the same place, the print on the chips isn't legible in this photo. After looking at this photo I can see some very obvious differences, but I guess that should be expected(thepenguin helped clarify this). Surprisingly the only components that appear to be in the same spot is the main chips and where all of the "external" connections are. This photo is fine for my purposes but just about every other little circuitry tidbit is in a totally different spot. One question would be has anyone catalogued an onboard memory controller? I find it hard to imagine that the processor has that kind of feature built into it. That is a giant factor in determining usable memory with a PC, even though most all new computer processors do have that feature. I understand that the ROM is flash memory, so would that mean it could be used as RAM? I haven't really educated myself on computer memory. I guess an analogy for myself would be kind of like an automotive mechanic, one that works with electrical all the time but has no real explanation for it. I've built multiple computers troubleshooted memory and boot errors, but I have no idea how RAM really works. I'm gonna get ahead of myself and ask, could the ROM be used as RAM even if there would be a more than likely inherent bottleneck some where in between? I guess I could look really hard on the internet and never post on here again, but my conclusion on this matter might be totally wrong, lol. I just wanted to say I do appreciate the feedback, and I was surprised at how fast thepenguin responded. If there is any other info I can provide for cataloguing purposes, my calculators packaging does happen to say 2011 on it, lol. I am kind of dissapointed I can't get GameBoy games on my calculator, but I did afterall buy it to use for school(my first graphing calculator!). Interesting topic though
28
« on: September 20, 2011, 03:37:09 pm »
Hello I just joined here because of this topic, I just took apart a brand new TI 84+ SE serial number ends with a P-0411R so it's quite new if R means its revision number. I took it apart and it seems there are only two identifiable chips that could possibly be processor and memory. My guess is the one that says TA1 is of course the chip housing the processor, and the other large chip must be the ROM. Taking an educated guess(I'm a mech. engineering student), from what I've learned with manufacturing and my own research, I believe the processor and RAM share the same die. So the ROM by itself can be changed more readily and cost effectively, depending on model and other factors, whereas the processor die would require a complete redesign and would be designated as such if the RAM was changed. I'm totally speculating but i think that all TI 83+ and up and TI 84 and up have a very similar architecture and that all earlier calculators designated TI 83 would be similarly functioning but different architecture/board(correct me if I'm wrong). Don't quote me here, but I'm convinced that some RAM was ditched on the TA1 marked dies with concerns related to either power consumption or maybe the chip supplier changed entirely(i changed my theory to bandwidth issues, lol). If you look at what I believe is the ROM (the chip not marked TA1)you can see a logo that says "Spansion". Maybe on earlier calculators the processors were actually produced by a third party supplier as well as the ROM. My calculators processor says TI REF and JAPAN on the die with no trademarks at all. My question would be what does the earlier "xram" calc's chips say? You really have to look at the pcb and it's layout to distinguish any major changes and then of course any chips soldered to the board, lol. I'm using a lot of big words but I think they're all in the right context. I'll quickly post a picture showing what I'm all talking about, and what each chip says. Maybe this can help determine what happened to the "xram calculators" of course you would need to catalog other serial numbers and there corresponding chips to really get an idea of what really changed through out the production of TI 83 and the TI 84 family of calculators.
|
Show Posts
