Modifying Your Calculator

[Raster]

Here is a simple topic of how to modify your calculator and where to get the supplies needed. Lets get started!

*READ THIS BEFORE GOING ON*
Remember before you do anything to your calculator, back up everything, the RAM, the ROM, everything, because you may just loose everything if you dont do things correctly. Once you have done that take out all the batterys, including the button battery, and leave the covers off (remember there is a screw there). Now we get to the fun part of prying the sucker open

Open the sucker!
First of all, you need to know what tools you need to open up your calculator, most of the TI calculators have 6 torx screws, the size of bit to use is a T-6. You also need a philips head screw driver, perferably a small sized one, and a flat head screw driver. Once you have taken out all the screws you need to take the flat head and carefully separte the sides. Do not go near the screen, you may slip and destroy the display.

Now that you have it open, you now need to figure out what you are going to do with it. most of the time you dont have to remove the board from the calculator. but if you do, take a picture of where every key is located as they are going to fly out everywhere.

Overclocking
I have not overclocked my calculator before, because I saw no need to do so. I strongly advise not to do this, because you may end up frying your calculator. But if you really want to you can goto ticalc.org's overclocking page:
http://www.ticalc.org/hardware/overclocking/

Backlighting
This is a really interesting thing to do with your calculator. but its a tough process. Some calculators I heard just have a simple clip holding the LCD back, but I have always found that it is glued to a piece of metal. Just be delicate with it. if you use a credit card and some of those ehisive remover solvents, I am sure with time and effort you can get it off.

To get the backlight itself, there are many places you can get EL panels, here is a topic about a successful installation, and various places you can get EL panels:
http://www.unitedti.org/index.php?showtopic=5267

Expanding the memory
I am sorry to say, but there is no way of expanding the memory of a calculator internaly. It is not possible because there is only so much amount of space the processor can handle, and they are already pushed to the max. And if they werent, you would have to rewrite the OS to support so much memory. I have heard of a method of dual booting, where you can install 2 ROMs and switch between them. but its a hard and long process, it is probably not even worth it.

There are methods though to make an external memory expander and here it is:
http://sami.ticalc.org/e_pxpand.htm

I have not tryed this yet since I have a hard time dealing with PIC controllers.

Link Cables
Now, I would suggest the Serial link cable or the parallel link cable, if you were to build one. If you have the money, go buy a USB link cable, they work for all calculators, and dont cause problems. You can find plans for Link cables here:
http://www.ticalc.org/hardware/cables/

Wireless links
The most successful TI link are the IR links. There has been a design for a Radio link, but I am not sure if it even works. There has been ideas presented about linking a USB WiFi adapter to the TI-84s and the ti-89Ti's USB port, but nothing successful so far.

Good Links
http://sami.ticalc.org/
http://richfiles.solarbotics.net/TITopics.html
http://www.ticalc.org/pub/text/hardware/

I hope this has given people some good information, if you have questions go ahead and post them for everyone to see.

[EDIT]

Replacement of broken parts
This is an issue I did not cover untill now. Replacing parts on a TI-Calculator is not an easy task, and sometime can be impossible. The most common item that need replacing is the LCD display. Most of the time it is hard to find a replacement LCD display, and I think it would be easyer to find an old calculator off of ebay or something.

You can possible substitute LCD displays if you know what to look for. I heard that a TI-82, TI-83, and TI-84 calculators have similar LCD displays, and they might be able to use as replacements between eachother.

Acctualy finding the LCD dispaly itself. If you were to do this, you would first need the model number of the LCD display. Normaly there is 2 numbers a model and a serial. The model number most commonly start with letters that reffer back to the manucature. Most of the time the serial number doesnt have any letters, but sometimes it can. If you take your time on google, you probably can find a replacement.

Just remember that opening the calc may void your warrenty, and I nor UnitedTI is held responsible to anything done to you and/or your calculator.

[Rezek]

Wow, nice guide! From a nonhardware guy, that was an interesting read Answered alot of things I've wondered.

[Raster]

Glad to see that!

[Rezek]

Actually, it's a perfect name, because you ARE supposed to do just that, in this forum... 'Read Before Posting'. Almost every forum has a thread by this name in it.

[Raster]

Acctualy I agree with burr, I went ahead and changed that

[magus57]

Quick question: has anybody attempted to overclock a TI-84+SE? I know they're already faster than normal TI-83's, but is it possible?

[Raster]

[Recursive Acronym]

[elfprince13]

hardware overclocking != speed port adjustment on 83+

[Fallen Ghost]

With the normal 83+, changing the speed port does not do anything.

[Delnar_Ersike]

/me was wondering if it is possible to add AC power to a TI. I think you can, because I have ome experience with LEGO Mindstorms RIS, and there are guides that how you how to put AC power onto the CPU of the kit. If I translated the guide to TI language, it would say the following:

1) make 4 "fake" batteries. they have to be made to fit the battery case. they can be made by uing four thin corks with two connected metal nails at each end of the cork.
2) place the four "fake" batteries into the battery compartment
3) buy or create (here comes the hard part) your own AC 6V adapter that has two different wires for the positive pole and the negative pole
4) plug the AC adapter into an electric outlet

Maybe it will work? :confused:

[todlangweilig]

[DigiTan]

Yep, you got the names right. One of the little-known benefits of using wall power is your display operates at top speed. So you get better contrast and really low blur if you're doing fast-moving stuff.

[threefingeredguy]

DigiTan, sometime you and I are going to have to dissect a calculator. Or since I'm sure you know it inside-out, you can show me the important bits. We should also try to build an working one at a 5x scale.

[DigiTan]

We might need some more plastic milling tools for something like that (only have hand tools). After seeing kermmartian's ultimate calc, I'm starting to look at case bling. They have a clear anti-static foil that would go real well with back window panels.

[threefingeredguy]

Let's just glue the pieces to a piece of wood.

[DigiTan]

Hey, you know what would be a cool case mod? A mini-speaker! Especially with RealSound out and everything.

[threefingeredguy]

I wonder if you can attach speakers with a linkport on them so you can still use the linkport for its normal purpose.

[Taricorp]

Sure, that's easy. Just solder part of the speaker to the linkport data line connection, and the other to the ground on the PCB. You'd probably want to figure out some small amp that you can stick in there, too, though.

[Harrierfalcon]

That'd be sweet! Then you could play DDR for real on in it---with sound!