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Texas Instruments TI-30X

Date of introduction:  1993 Display technology:  LCD
New price:  $24.99 Display size:  10 + 2
Size:  5.7" x 2.8" x 0.55"
 146 x 72 x 14 mm3
   
Weight:  3.0 ounces, 85 grams Serial No:  
Batteries:  2*LR44 Date of manufacture:  mth 04 year 1995
AC-Adapter:   Origin of manufacture:  Italy
Precision:  12 Integrated circuits:  Toshiba T6A61
Memories:  3    
Program steps:   Courtesy of:  Joerg Woerner

TI-30X_RCI0795_P1.jpg (240828 Byte)Starting from the very first TI-30 in 1976 sporting a red LED-display, all TI-30 variants used an 8-digit display. This is for most calculations convenient but in scientific notation you'll get only 5 digits of mantissa. 

The TI-30X introduced a major improvement, the display capacity was eXpanded to a full 10 digit mantissa with two independent digits for the exponent. The complete X-family covered 4 models:

TI-30X  New display with 10 + 2 digits, 3 memories
TI-30X SOLAR With Anylite solar-cells
TI-35X  Adds 2-dim statistics and hex-calculations
TI-36X SOLAR  With Anylite solar-cells

TI-30X_RCI0495_PCB.jpg (54151 Byte)TI-30X_RCI0795_Back.jpg (317926 Byte)Dismantling the TI-30X reveals a novel construction based on a rubber keyboard pressing on a flexible printed circuit board (PCB) with an attached rigid board holding a Toshiba T6A61 single-chip calculator circuit. 

Funny to know that this circuit was developed already in 1991 and not used before 1993. Simply by comparing the designation of the integrated circuits of the calculators you'll get the whole X-family:

T6A57    TI-36X SOLAR
T6A58    TI-35X
T6A59    TI-40X Galaxy
T6A60    TI-9X Galaxy
T6A61    TI-30X

Read more about the Logarithm Bug and its side effect on the related yx function present in this calculator.

Later the TI-30Xa added a constant key and all models got in the year 1996 a more stylish housing.

An identical calculator was sold by Radio Shack with the EC-4042. The same housing was used with the BA Real Estate.

If you still love the 8 digit display search for the TI-30S and the sibbling TI-25X Solar.

If you are interested in the calculating accuracy of scientific calculators don't miss the Calculator forensics.

Stokes Publishing Company, Inc. based in Sunnyvale, California sold a companion for the teacher, view the wonderful Scientific-30X.

The TI-30X is featured in the Texas Instruments Incorporated sales catalog CL-1233 dated 1994.

 

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

© Joerg Woerner, December 5, 2001. No reprints without written permission.