The WalrusLink Project

u/c4ooo September 03, 2016, 01:56:31 AM

You might want to consider that the older models only had only an analog port, the TI8x+ analog and usb, while the CE only has USB.

u/DarkestEx September 03, 2016, 11:41:49 AM

Quote from: c4ooo on September 03, 2016, 01:56:31 AM
You might want to consider that the older models only had only an analog port, the TI8x+ analog and usb, while the CE only has USB.

Well this is not an analog but a digital port which we will support. We will NOT support the USB port at all. The CE will not be supported and on the TI-84+ we will only use the Headphone style connector.

u/c4ooo September 05, 2016, 02:20:59 AM

Hmm by "analog port" i meant the "Headphone style connector", but now i remember that its not analog

u/p2 September 05, 2016, 09:17:45 AM

as mentioned above WalrusLink will be connected to the calc using the 2.5mm headphone-style connector and you can chose between keyboard usage and the little audio amplifier (sadly not both at the same time).
So it should be possible to support TI-83+, TI-84+, TI-83+SE, TI-84+SE and TI-84+SE(TE) only speaking of the connector. (still not 100% sure about supporting the 83+-family).

u/calcplays September 05, 2016, 10:50:22 PM

Would it be possible to use the calculator as a keyboard on computers? A new level of accuracy could be brought to emulators, for one.

u/DarkestEx September 05, 2016, 10:52:50 PM

Quote from: calcplays on September 05, 2016, 10:50:22 PM
Would it be possible to use the calculator as a keyboard on computers? A new level of accuracy could be brought to emulators, for one.

If we would switch from a ATmega328p to a ATmega32u4, then certainly yes

Is there much interest in this?

@p2, you might want to get an arduino pro micro instead of one of the Unos. We can try this out

Last Edit: September 05, 2016, 10:54:59 PM by DarkestEx

u/Dream of Omnimaga September 06, 2016, 04:30:22 AM

Being able to control our computer, especially an emulator, with a calculator would be nice. I just hope that the TI-84+ doesn't get discontinued, because it would suck if no calculator that is still in production was supported. But I understand the difficulty of implementing USB support >.<

u/p2 September 06, 2016, 08:38:58 AM

I really like the idea of it

Could we add both in one device, like switching between both chips? Or could the ATmega32u4 do both tasks?

If its just the chip, I'm gonna buy two of them today

for the entire arduino I could need a link so I can buy one, too

Last Edit: September 06, 2016, 09:03:39 AM by p2

u/DarkestEx September 06, 2016, 09:56:40 AM

Quote from: DJ Omnimaga on September 06, 2016, 04:30:22 AM
Being able to control our computer, especially an emulator, with a calculator would be nice. I just hope that the TI-84+ doesn't get discontinued, because it would suck if no calculator that is still in production was supported. But I understand the difficulty of implementing USB support >.<

Well we are focusing on the 84+ and the 83+. The USB-only models will not be supported at all.

u/p2 September 15, 2016, 09:56:58 AM

Little irrelevant update: Most of the stuff we ordered has arrived by now so working on the hardware can begin now

u/Dream of Omnimaga September 20, 2016, 12:02:28 AM

Quote from: DarkestEx on September 06, 2016, 09:56:40 AM
Quote from: DJ Omnimaga on September 06, 2016, 04:30:22 AM
Being able to control our computer, especially an emulator, with a calculator would be nice. I just hope that the TI-84+ doesn't get discontinued, because it would suck if no calculator that is still in production was supported. But I understand the difficulty of implementing USB support >.<
Well we are focusing on the 84+ and the 83+. The USB-only models will not be supported at all.

Yeah I know, hence why I was saying that. If the TI-83+/84+ gets discontinued (probably in less than 2 years, or in the best case scenario they will lose ASM/Axe support) then WalrusLink audience will vanish overnight if it doesn't support newer models. But I don't want to pressure you into supporting USB-only models, since it's your project.

u/DarkestEx September 20, 2016, 05:01:55 AM

Quote from: DJ Omnimaga on September 20, 2016, 12:02:28 AM
Quote from: DarkestEx on September 06, 2016, 09:56:40 AM
Quote from: DJ Omnimaga on September 06, 2016, 04:30:22 AM
Being able to control our computer, especially an emulator, with a calculator would be nice. I just hope that the TI-84+ doesn't get discontinued, because it would suck if no calculator that is still in production was supported. But I understand the difficulty of implementing USB support >.<
Well we are focusing on the 84+ and the 83+. The USB-only models will not be supported at all.
Yeah I know, hence why I was saying that. If the TI-83+/84+ gets discontinued (probably in less than 2 years, or in the best case scenario they will lose ASM/Axe support) then WalrusLink audience will vanish overnight if it doesn't support newer models. But I don't want to pressure you into supporting USB-only models, since it's your project.

It would be impossible to add USB support with our current hardware and to be honest, there is no need for it. It's wouldn't be worth reverse-engineering the protocol and getting a USB stack up and running on some low-end ARM.

I don't think TI will make any bad updates for the monochrome series again. They have already focused on their new victims.

u/Dream of Omnimaga September 20, 2016, 05:34:59 AM

Quote from: DarkestEx on September 20, 2016, 05:01:55 AM

I don't think TI will make any bad updates for the monochrome series again. They have already focused on their new victims.

I think you are missing my point @DarkestEx (language barrier?). By discontinuing a calculator model, I mean that they could stop producing and selling it entirely, just like they did with the TI-81, TI-82, TI-85 and TI-86. In other words, only thrift shops and Ebay will sell them, used.

Last Edit: September 20, 2016, 05:36:49 AM by DJ Omnimaga

u/DarkestEx September 20, 2016, 05:43:09 AM

Quote from: DJ Omnimaga on September 20, 2016, 05:34:59 AM
Quote from: DarkestEx on September 20, 2016, 05:01:55 AM

I don't think TI will make any bad updates for the monochrome series again. They have already focused on their new victims.
I think you are missing my point @DarkestEx (language barrier?). By discontinuing a calculator model, I mean that they could stop producing and selling it entirely, just like they did with the TI-81, TI-82, TI-85 and TI-86. In other words, only thrift shops and Ebay will sell them, used.

Oh yes, that. Well this will be the last graphing calculator i will be using so I guess it doesn't matter much for me.

u/p2 September 20, 2016, 07:43:23 AM

I guess we should first focus on getting it up an runnign on a 84+

MAYBE we could try adding some more models later, we'll se ^^
@DarkestEx: Using the SD memory trick, do you think we could later add compatibility in an update? Or would entirely new hardware be required?