DATAMATH CALCULATOR MUSEUM |
Texas Instruments BA-SOLAR
Date of introduction: | 1986 | Display technology: | LCD |
New price: | Display size: | 10 (7 + 2) | |
Size: | 5.4" x 2.8" x 0.45" | ||
Weight: | 2.4 ounces | Serial No: | 143029 |
Batteries: | n.a. | Date of manufacture: | mth 09 year 1986 |
AC-Adapter: | Origin of manufacture: | Japan (T) | |
Precision: | 13 | Integrated circuits: | Toshiba T7917 |
Memories: | 1 | ||
Program steps: | Courtesy of: | Joerg Woerner |
Texas Instruments introduced with the BA-SOLAR in the year 1986 the first solar powered financial calculator. Instead their own calculator chip known from the BA-II they used the low-power Toshiba T7917 chip. This gives you the reason of the different accuracy and keyboard layout. We know similar "pairs" from the scientific calculators TI-35 II (TI) and TI-31 (Toshiba).
Like the sibling TI-31 the production of the BA-SOLAR was shifted later to China. You'll notice the Chinese version at their darker solar cells.
View the Chinese-made TI-31 SOLAR
and BA-SOLAR for a small comparison.
If we trace back the routes of Toshiba calculator chips within the TI-line, we evaluate:
Type | Model | Introduction | First Toshiba IC |
Basic | TI-1750 (1st) | year 1977 | T3532, year 1976 |
Basic SLR | TI-1766 | year 1981 | T6789, year 1981 |
Scientific | TI-25 | year 1978 | T3636, year 1977 |
Scientific SLR | TI-30 SLR | year 1982 | T6824, year 1982 |
Financial | none | T6787, year 1982 | |
Financial SLR | BA-SOLAR | year 1986 | T7917, year 1986 |
It took only a short time between the introduction of a
Toshiba calculator chip and the corresponding Texas Instruments calculators. For
the financial calculators TI used between the years 1978 and 1986 always their
own chips, the missing link could be found with the Canon
Financial calculator.
The next solar powered financial calculator appeared with the BA-35 Solar ten years later.
Don't miss the Personal Banker, one of the best calculators developed ever.
If you have additions to the above article please email: joerg@datamath.org.
© Joerg Woerner, December 5, 2001. No reprints without written permission.