The History of TI Graphing Calculator Gaming
TLDRThe video explores the unexpected history of Texas Instruments graphing calculators, which evolved from basic math tools to platforms for coding and gaming. Starting with the TI 81 in 1990, the devices enabled programming, leading to a community of enthusiasts. Despite attempts to restrict assembly programming, the release of the TI 83 in 1996 marked a shift towards official support. The Inspire series in 2007 introduced a new GUI and powerful ARM CPUs, sparking a resurgence in calculator hacking with the 'Endless' jailbreak. The video highlights the calculator's journey from educational tools to a breeding ground for software developers.
Takeaways
- 📚 The Texas Instruments graphing calculators, starting with the TI 81 in 1990, have evolved from educational tools to platforms for programming and gaming.
- 🔍 The TI 81's ability to write programs in BASIC attracted the attention of computing enthusiasts, despite its limitations due to the lack of data transfer capabilities.
- 🔌 The introduction of the TI 85 in 1992 with a serial port marked a significant shift, enabling data transfer and the growth of a community of calculator hackers.
- 🛠️ In 1994, a method to execute arbitrary code on the TI 85 was discovered, leading to the release of Z shell, which allowed for the launch of assembly-written programs.
- 🎮 The era of calculator gaming began with a variety of programs, including games, being written by enthusiasts and shared over the Internet.
- 🛡️ Texas Instruments attempted to secure their calculators against exploits, as seen with the TI 82, but assembly programming was later embraced for the platform's own applications.
- 🔧 The TI 83, launched in 1996, was the first model to officially support assembly, marking a new era of easier software development for calculators.
- 🌟 The late 90s were a golden era for calculator gaming, with websites like TI calculate fostering a growing and flourishing programming scene.
- 📈 The launch of the Inspire series in 2007 brought a radical departure with an app-based GUI, improved hardware, and wireless networking, but initially lacked assembly support.
- 🔄 The Inspire series sparked a cat-and-mouse game between enthusiasts and Texas Instruments, with the release of the 'Endless' jailbreak software in 2010, enabling the writing of applications in various languages.
- 🎮 The 'Endless' jailbreak has led to a collection of over 160 apps, many of which are games, including emulators for console game systems and even a port of Doom.
- 🔧 The challenge of making software work on these calculators drives the hacking community, with the Inspire series still commanding high prices despite their modest hardware specifications.
Q & A
What was the first graphing calculator from Texas Instruments?
-The first graphing calculator from Texas Instruments was the TI 81, which made its debut in 1990.
What feature of the TI 81 caught the attention of computing enthusiasts?
-The TI 81 included the ability to write your own programs in BASIC, which caught the attention of computing enthusiasts.
Why was programming in assembly language not popular on the TI 81?
-Programming in assembly language was not popular on the TI 81 because it lacked any way of transferring data to or from other devices, requiring all programs to be keyed in by hand.
What model of Texas Instruments calculator introduced a serial port for data transfer?
-The TI 85, introduced in 1992, included a serial port for transferring data, which allowed for more advanced calculator hacking.
What was the significance of the discovery in 1994 regarding the TI 85?
-In 1994, it was discovered that by modifying the contents of a backup file and restoring it to the device, one could get the TI 85 to execute arbitrary code.
What was the name of the software released in November 1994 that allowed users to launch assembly programs?
-The software released in November 1994 was named Z shell, which allowed users to easily launch programs written in assembly.
What was the first Texas Instruments model with official assembly support?
-The TI 83, launched in 1996, was the first model with official assembly support.
What was the major change in the calculator lineup called the 'Inspire series' launched in 2007?
-The major change in the Inspire series was the underlying hardware, which was based on ARM CPUs, making them dramatically more powerful than previous models.
What software was released in 2010 that allowed for writing applications in assembly, C, and C++ on the Inspire series?
-The software released in 2010 was called 'Endless,' which included a software development kit for writing applications in various languages.
What is the current status of the 'Endless' jailbreak software for the Inspire series?
-As of July 2019, 'Endless' has amassed a collection of over 160 apps, but it's non-persistent, requiring reinstallation every time the Nspire boots up.
How has the performance of the Inspire series calculators compared to older models?
-The Inspire series calculators offer better performance than their predecessors, but their specifications still pale in comparison to even a five-year-old smartphone.
Outlines
🕹️ The Secret Life of Graphing Calculators
This paragraph delves into the unexpected world of handheld gaming on Texas Instruments graphing calculators. Initially seen as mere math tools, these devices have a rich history of programming and gaming. The TI 81, released in 1990, was the first to allow basic programming, but its limitations were overcome with the TI 85's introduction of a serial port. This enabled a community of hackers to emerge, leading to the development of Z shell and a plethora of assembly programs, including games. Texas Instruments attempted to curb this with the TI 82, but enthusiasts found ways to support assembly programming, culminating in the TI 83's official support for it. The late 90s saw a boom in calculator gaming, with websites fostering a community and discussion around it.
🛠️ The Evolution and Hacking of TI's Inspire Series
The second paragraph discusses the significant shift in Texas Instruments' calculator lineup with the introduction of the Inspire series in 2007. These calculators featured ARM CPUs, offering more power and opening up new possibilities for enthusiasts. However, the Inspire series initially lacked assembly support, limiting programming to basic and Lua. Undeterred, the community discovered an exploit in 2010, leading to the release of 'Endless,' a jailbreak software that enabled the development of applications in assembly, C, and C++. This sparked a back-and-forth with Texas Instruments, which continually updated its OS to fix vulnerabilities, while the community persistently found new ones. Despite the challenges, the Inspire series saw a variety of apps, many of them games, including emulators for classic consoles and even a port of Doom that functioned surprisingly well on the calculator's hardware.
💡 The Impact and Legacy of Calculator Hacking
The final paragraph reflects on the enduring impact of calculator hacking, which has transformed Texas Instruments graphing calculators from simple math tools into platforms for learning to code. Over nearly three decades, these devices have inspired many to become professional software developers. The narrative concludes with a full-circle moment, acknowledging Texas Instruments' evolving stance on user modifications and the hacker community's persistent ingenuity. The video ends on a note that emphasizes the spirit of innovation and the adage that where there's a will, there's a way, inviting viewers to engage with the content and follow the creator on social media.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Texas Instruments
💡Graphing Calculator
💡Assembly Language
💡Z Shell
💡TI 82
💡Assembly Support
💡Calculator Hackers
💡Nspire Series
💡Endless
💡Emulators
💡Jailbreak
Highlights
Texas Instruments graphing calculators have a secret history of handheld gaming.
The TI 81, released in 1990, introduced the ability to write programs in BASIC.
The TI 81's programming was limited due to the lack of data transfer capabilities.
The TI 85, released in 1992, included a serial port for data transfer, sparking a community of calculator hackers.
In 1994, a method was discovered to execute arbitrary code on the TI 85.
Z shell software allowed users to launch assembly programs easily.
The TI 82 was developed to fix exploitable bugs found in the TI 85.
The TI 83, launched in 1996, was the first model with official assembly support.
The late 90s saw a golden era in calculator gaming with various games and applications.
The launch of the Inspire series in 2007 introduced a new app-based GUI and more powerful ARM CPUs.
Assembly support was absent in the Inspire series, initially limiting enthusiasts.
By 2010, an exploit called 'Endless' was released for the Inspire series, allowing for more programming freedom.
Endless included a software development kit for writing applications in C and C++.
Texas Instruments engaged in an ongoing initiative to keep the Inspire platform locked down.
The Inspire series has seen over a hundred and sixty apps, many of them games.
Emulators for console game systems like Sega Genesis and Super NES were ported to the Inspire series.
The Inspire series can run Doom, showcasing the capabilities of the calculators.
Mini VMac, an emulator of a Mac Plus running System 7, was successfully ported to the Inspire series.
Hardware revisions and new models have affected compatibility with older applications.
Despite high prices, the challenge of programming for calculators drives the enthusiast community.
Texas Instruments calculators have inspired many to become professional software developers.
The story of TI calculators demonstrates that where there's a will, there's a way in terms of innovation and hacking.
Transcripts
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