Awesome.

Unfortunately the only keyboard and mouse that I will likely have handy when I need them are also used for my laptop, I don't think that I could counter modify my laptop to use a 2.5 jack.
That would be doing more bad than the good of not messing with the calculator.

How does the calculator interface with the mouse/keyboard?

It might be a problem if it is a program that needs to be downloaded from my pc to the calc. because I don't have a cord for that.

I'm afraid that it is indeed a program on the calculator, but you can buy a SilverLink (for all the calculators, it's called the SilverLink because it's silver plastic, not because it's only for the 83+ Silver Edition and 84+ Silver Edition calculators) for <$20. And there's no reason that you can't use the same keyboard/mouse with your laptop and calculator. You'll just want a switch to turn off the internal battery pack when you plug them into your laptop so that you don't fry your laptop's power bus.

Ok, I'll try to order something online.

The problem with my keyboard/mouse is:
The keyboard is a Macro roll-out -- no room for batteries
and the mouse is a USB wireless.

If I could get some mental help (not a psychiatrist, stuff like planning a circuit and where to solder) I'll go to my thrift store, get an old keyboard and mouse and see if it is possible to use the 2.5 mm jack.

Definitely. Go get the mouse/keyboard, open them up and post some pix, and we'll help you work out a component layout and schematic.

Very Cool.

I have school Monday and Tuesday but the rest of the week is off for ThanksGiving.

Can pics be put on this forum or will I need to use a page on my site?

(uh oh, I have a math test tomorrow. Time to go put the calculator back together )

Sounds like a plan. It's probably easiest if you upload the pictures to your site or use an image host service like Photobucket, ImageShack, etc.

I raided the thrift store and found a headset with 2.5 mm jack, and a keyboard that looked like it would work but haven't tested yet.
(I also scored a GameBoy Original, but that doesn't have anything to do with this)

I'll get a picture page up for them soon.

So did anything ever happen with this? I was curious if you'd be able to pull this off.

sorry, I forgot to post back.
Over winter break I was trying to put some blue backlights on the calculator, to see if I could. anyway, I accidentally let a bit of solder on the board and nearly ruined it. To fix the disaster I had to recruit my dad's help.

Long story short, I've been banned from my soldering iron for messing with a $100 calculator. Sorry, maybe once I get it back I'll try again.

Aww, sorry to hear that. I hope that yiu regain use of it soon so I can see what you do with this project.

I know this is a huge necropost, but is it possible to stick a backlight behind the screen of an 84+? And have the backlight turn on when the calc does?

I mean, if I send Kerm my 84, could he do it?

I'm confused, why would you need a back light? or are we talking theoretically?

So I can program in the dark without turning on the light. this is not theoretical. When I buy me SE, I'll send Kerm it (if he agrees to backlight it), he'll give it a backlight and an orange paint job to the grey parts (so, not the custom faceplate) and mabye double RAM(is that possible?), and when I get it back I'll give my 84-non-SE to my bro.

Oh man, Kerm, you have customers without a business. Better get those brochures written out!

Xeno: Be prepared. I'm sure Kerm's next post will be something like:

Yes, you can backlight a calc with an EL panel (don't waste your time using LEDs and plexiglas)

Paint your calc with vinyl dye and use painter's tape to cover up the text

RAM expansion wouldn't be worth it on a TI-84+SE

I refer you to this:



Ultimate Dev'r, one of the main problems with EL panels is that the prongs most panels use stick out the side of the calc; Michael Vincent and others have tried this before. However, I have sitting in my inbox some PDFs of how to use EL *wire* to *frontlight* the calculator (from within), with some rather excellent results. I'll try to post them up soon.

I could do any reasonable amount, in $20 monthly installments.



No, no, no. I have shaky fingers, so would be more prone to making a $150-paperweight-making mistake then you. I trust you more than I trust myself when it comes to this sort of thing

Sorry about the...um... year delay.

I've gotten everything together again (except that silver-cord-thingy, I'll buy it when I find some money )

The new project details:
-Set up that keyboard
-build a backlight into the screen
-install an MP3 player in the free space

I've got an old Creative Zen Nano 512mb music player that can be sacrificed.

My take on websites has shifted considerably since the old google pages, and I now own a webserver.
That's where the pics will be, once they're up.

Oh, and I got the soldering iron back (well, not really. But I bought a new one... )

If you can offer any suggestions / comments, I'd appreciate it.

Excellent, glad to hear that's you're giving this a try once more. I'm looking forward to the pictures and progress log.