DATAMATH

DATAMATH CALCULATOR MUSEUM

Texas Instruments TI-500

Date of introduction:	1974	Display technology:	n.a.
New price:	$ 249.95	Display size:
Size:	14.0" x 10.0" x 3.7"	Printer technology:	Drum impact
Weight:	6 pounds 8 ounces	Serial No:	50002136
Batteries:		Date of manufacture:	wk 22 year 1974
AC-Adapter:	120V AC	Origin of manufacture:	USA
Precision:	12	Integrated circuits:	TMS0203, TMC0221, TMC0305
Memories:	1
Program steps:		Courtesy of:	Joerg Woerner

This rare TI-500 was introduced in the year 1974 and seems to be a sibbling of the TI-450 and TI-620.

The TI-500 uses a calculator architecture based on the TMS02xx/TMS03xx family but misses the usual 12-digit display. Related calculators using this chip set are the SR-20 and SR-22. The first usage of the chip set was the TI-4000 and the Canon 121F. The architecture found in this TI-500 differs greatly from other calculators, it uses two Data-Chips (TMS0203, TMC0221) and one ROM-Chip (TMC0305). A possible reason could be found in the efforts to control the drum printer.

If you search in the history of Texas Instruments for the first printing calculator you'll find the TI-5050 introduced one year after this TI-500. The TI-5040 featured the first combination of a display and a printer in a desktop housing.

Printer paper:

The thermal paper used with this printer (TP-30250 1-1/2" wide and 14 Feet length) was discontinued long time ago. In 2008 Appleton (Appleton, WI) manufactured with the Alpha 700-2.4 paper still a compatible paper.

If you have additions to the above article please email: joerg@datamath.org.