Wow I didn't knew about the 9800G . I was sure the first color calc was in 1996 with the FX-9850G+, which has a 128x64 LCD. Also I was sure it was 3 colors, not 4. My CFX-9860G has orange, blue and green.

I wish ASM was possible without flashing the ROM chip on those models. Even with 3-4 colors, imagine what you could do in ASM by quickly flashing some pixels (like we do on the 83+ for grayscale) or if you could change the color palette how you want. It would be epic.

Even with 3 colors + the LCD color it wouldn't be that bad for a calculator. Mockup of what could have been FF1 if the CFX-9850G got jailbreaked back when it was still in production:

Yes, you're right.
2-bits = 4 different colors

But those 4 different colors include the state where the pixel is turned off (which is "blank" or "black", depending upon he screen).

So that's only 3 displayed colors, but still 4 "colors" for your games/pictures.

I don't know, but I guess a logical next step would be to compare that picture with the PCB from a newer 83+ or 73.

The difficulty, it that most ASIC pin connections are not visible on the recent TI-83+/73.

I suppose they are on the other site of the PCB...

Here is the same ASIC on a recent TI-83+ PCB:

(source: http://www.datamath.org )

Same problem with recent TI-73.

Any chance of the PDF in english?

If someone speaking english natively wants to translate, I can provide the latest OpenOffice file.

Any EDIT4: How do I send an "add-in" to the fx-9750gii using FA-124?

After flashing the calculator with an OS supporting "add-in", you've got to switch between "main memory" and "storage memory" using the buttons to the right of the calculator view toolbar in FA-124.

GOT IT TO WORK!

So, are you happy with your new calculator?
How was the google-translated tutorial?

I understand Brandon.


But I'm still wondering.

If you look at recent PCB scans on DataMath.org, you'll notice that all four TI-76.fr, TI-82Stats.fr, TI-83+ and TI-73 calculators are using the same ASIC:
TI-REF TI-738X 220C080FG102



So is it really the same chip?
And if it is, then there must have been some way for TI to configure it, internally or externally, in order to operate in TI-83 mode or in TI-73/83+ mode.


What's your advice?

If it can run TI-83 or TI-83+ assembly programs, I could probably write a program to flash it.

Spoiler For Spoiler:

Can you email me a ROM so I can find out more about it?

I can run all TI-83 assembly programs on the TI-82Stats.fr and TI-76.fr.
Even shells/kernels.

I don't know how the calculator would react to TI-83+ assembly code...

And I don't understand how the same ASIC can execute both TI-83 and TI-83+ assembly codes, as there are some differences...


Or can the TI-738X ASIC be configured in some way during production to work either as a TI-83 either as a TI-83+? Internally or externally through some kind of jumper/flag for example?...

The TI-82Stats.fr and TI-76.fr are 2 cheap graphic calculators available in France.


They include a 256Kb TI-83 compatible OS translated in french.
(TI-Connect detects them as TI-83 calculators - TI-83 assembly programs are working on them - and the dumped ROMs can be used with any TI-83 emulator)

But those calculators become quite interesting when you look at the PCB:
TI-76.fr: http://www.datamath.org/Graphing/Images/TI-76FR_PCB.jpg
TI-82Stats.fr: http://www.datamath.org/Graphing/Images/TI-82STATS_FR_P0509G_PCB.jpg

1st big surprise, unlike TI-83 calculators they don't have a 256Kb EPROM, but a 512Kb FlashROM.
The FlashROM is either a Spansion S29AL004D70 either a MX29LV400, which are both pin compatible and used in recent TI-73 and TI-83+ calculators.

2nd big surprise, the CPU/ASIC is a TI-REF TI-738X, which is also used in recent TI-73 and TI-83+ calculators.

So, the TI-76.fr and TI-82Stats.fr PCB are very similar to recent TI-73 or TI-83+ PCB:
TI-73: http://www.datamath.org/Graphing/Images/TI-73_P0803G_PCB.jpg
TI-83+: http://www.datamath.org/Graphing/Images/TI-83PlusFR_PCB.jpg


So, my goal is to develop a simple way to flash a TI-83+ or TI-73 OS in those calculators.
I'm posting my discoveries, hoping that you will be able to help me.


I've checked the connections between the FlashROM and the ASIC chips on the TI-76.fr and TI-82Stats.fr. Here is what I have up to now:

Legend:
In black, pins not connected to the PCB circuit.
In white,grounded pins.
Connected pins are in the same color.




As FloppusMaximus had noticed, the flash-write pin WE# is connected to the ASIC.
So from the hardware side, the ROM can be flashed.

The highest flash address pin, A17, is grounded. So you cannot accesss the full 512Kb bytes, but only the 1st 256Kb bytes.

Checking in a recent TI-83+, I could find the matching A17 pin on the ASIC.
You just have to:
- disconnect A17 flash pin from ground
- connect A17 flash pin to A17 ASIC pin



Now, from the hardware-side, the full 512Kb bytes can be accessed.


Unfortunately, I haven't managed to trigger any boot code menu using the ON+DEL key.

To my knowledge, the 256Kb dump file is a standard TI-83 OS. That means:
- no boot code
- no functions to write the flash
- impossible to access more than 256Kb ROM

So, I cannot even dump the hidden 256kb to check for a boot code...


So I'm asking for the help of the best TI-83/83+ programmers/hackers out there.

How could we manage to flash a TI-83+ boot code and then a TI-83+ OS ?


I also have some questions:

- How is it possible for the same ASIC to be able to run both TI-83 and TI-83+ OSes ?
I thought that many ports were behaving differently on those calculators...
How are the ports behaviors set up ?

- How is it possible for the same ASIC to be able to boot with or without a boot code?
TI-83+ calculators have a boot code in the last 16Kb sector of the ROM...
To my knowledge, there is no such boot code in the 256Kb TI-82Stats.fr / TI-76.fr dump files, and even if such a boot code was written higher in ROM, it could not be accessed before moding the calculator as explained above.


If we manage to come out with a not to complicated mod, many french students will be very happy.

Please, help me.

That's very interesting.  I wonder if the Flash chip is actually upgradeable.  Going by this image from Datamath, it looks like the write-enable pin (pin 11) is in fact connected to the ASIC, so it's possible.  But it's hard to imagine that they would have put user-upgradeable Flash in a calculator without including an 83+-style boot code.

Seems the A17 Flash-ROM pin is not connected.
So without a hardware modification, the ASIC (which is the same as on the TI-73/83+: a TI-REF/TI-738X) cannot read/write anything in ROM beyond 0x3FFFFh.

So, if there is some boot code, the ASIC cannot access it.


So I'm wondering...
When there is a power-loss on a TI673/83+/84+, is the boot code executed before the OS?
How does the ASIC know where to look for the boot code?
Is it the boot code which checks for the "DEL" key being pressed?

Thanks.



Today, I've looked into the ASIC-Flash connections on the TI-82Stats.fr.
(probably identic to the TI-76.fr)

Here is what I have figured out:


In black, unused pins.
In white, grounded pins.
Connected pins are in the same color.



I've managed to un-ground the A17 Flash pin, and connect it to the ASIC pin between RESET# and A7. (don't know if it is the right one)

Anyway, I didn't manage to trigger a boot code after that using the DEL key.

Yeah, I guess you could.  It would take some effort to get the OS to run properly on an 83+, but it could be done.  (Of course, some assembly programs wouldn't work properly, but many of them probably would.)

In theory, what would have to be changed in order to make a TI-83 OS run on a TI-83+ hardware/emulator?