Strangest TI-83+ I've seen...

AL · Post by AL » Thu 21 Apr, 2005 2:08 am

All right, a friend of mine did something really weird with his calculator and ended up having a screenshot of Sam's Baseball 99' stuck on it. Another friend started fiddling with it (aka, take an AAA out, hold clear, take back-up out etc.) and managed to make it worse. What it does is it shows a screenshot of Baseball 99' and then it fades away. Following the fade, the screen comes up again and shows what seems like the tint set at 8+, then it fades away again. After about 20 seconds, it turns itself off.

The Off ability DOES NOT WORK. If we take out an AAA, it turns off of course, but when we insert the battery back in, the screenshot shows up again. I cannot send an operating system through my ancient TI-GraphLink.. it doesn't seem to accept it. Another friend suggest the ROM was corrupted.

Any ideas on what's going on? Should he give it the boot?

MetalHead25 · Post by **MetalHead25** » Thu 21 Apr, 2005 2:13 am

wow, that is a weird case

mnc2fan · Post by **mnc2fan** » Thu 21 Apr, 2005 2:41 am

I'm just guessing but isn't there someway you can wipe out the rom, LCD driver, and Z80 with a certain amount of shock like static. But it would probably fry you calc more than anything!! If I was desperate I would give it a try. Again more than likely it would fry your calc!!!!

MetalHead25 · Post by **MetalHead25** » Thu 21 Apr, 2005 2:42 am

how bout u contact TI Instruments?

DigiTan · Post by **DigiTan** » Thu 21 Apr, 2005 3:46 am

I only program for TI-82, but I can say the fading crashing were a common side-effect of corrupting the RAM space around the graphics buffer or wiping out the VAT. If removing the batteries didn't solve the problem, there's a good chance RAM is staying alive thanks to stray capacitance. If you can trigger a brownout reset by removing the batteries while the calc is on, that may help. Also, you can try shorting a wire or stick of graphite across the battery leads to quickly remove any stored charges (I recommend graphite).

Also, do not apply a static shock to any type of digital system. This will cause permanent damage.

Post by **DarkAuron** » Thu 21 Apr, 2005 3:55 am

How long do you keep the batteries out? I've never had this kind of a major problem before (except when the calc got stuck in "GIMME AN OS" for a day when trying to update to 1.18), but I hear leaving the batteries out for at least 5-6 hours should make sure it's got nothing left in it.

Also, what calc are we talking about?

DigiTan · Post by **DigiTan** » Thu 21 Apr, 2005 4:13 am

That's a good question. Mathtools recommended 3 hours. Normally, I need your 5-6 hours unless I short out the supply. These calc don't seem to wanna reset when they're supposed to.

Post by **tr1p1ea** » Thu 21 Apr, 2005 8:10 am

This is not unusual, you just have to leave the batteries out for a few hours.

Madskillz · Post by **Madskillz** » Thu 21 Apr, 2005 1:18 pm

well if this is what happened to my 83+, and is common also with the 83+ SEs (tr1p I think it happened to that ebay calc) I caution all of you. I had no idea how I got mine back to work, but it still isnt fully fixed. I can at least do simple math, that is it on it. The battery trick doesnt work, and the forced send OS to calc, fails to work either. After leaving my bats out for well over a week, I came back hoping, but got nothing in return. On a friends SE, which I had first seen this error/bug, I wasnt even able to get that working. He sent it to TI and get a refurbished one back from Mexico. They were unable to repair his. I however, was able to get mine somewhat working...though it resets randomly.

I tried a bunch of stuff:
-The bat trick which you mentioned...I also while holding I think clear kept pressing on, (or vis versa) that seemed to be the thing that forced it somewhat back to normal. Once I was able to get into I cleared all my MEM and did that multiple times, resetting/clearing everything.
-The forced send OS to calc, I tried that. Didnt work. Who knows though. That is remove a bat, then re-insert while holding del and pressing on.

I hope these methods will work. If not, try getting in contact with TI.

Post by **Patori** » Thu 21 Apr, 2005 1:54 pm

Take out all batteries, even the lithium, and let it stay for like an hour or so... It always works for kids at school.

DJ_O · Post by **DJ_O** » Thu 21 Apr, 2005 4:17 pm

Hmm I never heasrd of this before, maybe an haredware problem caused the bug. But there is something that is very annoying that happens on the 83+ (I dunno about the new 83+s and the non SE calcs):
create the following prgm:

0->Ymin
62->Ymax
ClrDraw
For(Z,0,62,2
Horizontal Z
End

see how the contrast is fading out. For ugliest results put your contrast at maximum. I tried this on many friends TI-83+ and it worked, but it didnt worked on the SE. I am wondering if this work with you and if this also work on the TI-82 and TI-83s?

leofox · Post by **leofox** » Thu 21 Apr, 2005 4:30 pm

My calculator sometimes randomly changes the contrast when i'm playing an ASM game (mostly phoenix, other games too but i notice it with phoenix faster).

CalcKing · Post by **CalcKing** » Thu 21 Apr, 2005 7:03 pm

leofox wrote:My calculator sometimes randomly changes the contrast when i'm playing an ASM game (mostly phoenix, other games too but i notice it with phoenix faster).

[+] and [-] change the contrast in Phoenix. Maybe you are pressing them?

leofox · Post by **leofox** » Thu 21 Apr, 2005 7:35 pm

That's possible. That doesn't explain why it happens in other games though..

DigiTan · Post by **DigiTan** » Thu 21 Apr, 2005 7:48 pm

That's strange. This is common when someone accidentally writes to the system RAM area, but normally the symptoms would be much worse than the ones you described. What progs were you using? (I'm guessing they weren't untested betas and didn't have contrast options?)