Texas Instruments TI-62 Galaxy

Datasheet legend
Ab/c: Fractions calculation
AC: Alternating current
BaseN: Number base calculations
Card: Magnetic card storage
Cmem: Continuous memory
Cond: Conditional execution
Const: Scientific constants
Cplx: Complex number arithmetic
DC: Direct current
Eqlib: Equation library
Exp: Exponential/logarithmic functions
Fin: Financial functions
Grph: Graphing capability
Hyp: Hyperbolic functions
Ind: Indirect addressing
Intg: Numerical integration
Jump: Unconditional jump (GOTO)
Lbl: Program labels
LCD: Liquid Crystal Display
LED: Light-Emitting Diode
Li-ion: Lithium-ion rechargeable battery
Lreg: Linear regression (2-variable statistics)
mA: Milliamperes of current
Mtrx: Matrix support
NiCd: Nickel-Cadmium rechargeable battery
NiMH: Nickel-metal-hydrite rechargeable battery
Prnt: Printer
RTC: Real-time clock
Sdev: Standard deviation (1-variable statistics)
Solv: Equation solver
Subr: Subroutine call capability
Symb: Symbolic computing
Tape: Magnetic tape storage
Trig: Trigonometric functions
Units: Unit conversions
VAC: Volts AC
VDC: Volts DC
Years of production:   Display type: Numeric display  
New price:   Display color: Black  
    Display technology: Liquid crystal display 
Size: 3½"×5"×½" Display size: 10+2 digits
Weight: 4 oz    
    Entry method: Algebraic with precedence 
Batteries: 2×"LR44" button cell Advanced functions: Trig Exp Lreg Cmem 
External power:   Memory functions: +/-/×/÷ 
I/O:      
    Programming model: Fully-merged keystroke entry 
Precision: 13 digits Program functions: Jump Cond Subr Lbl  
Memories: 10(1) numbers Program display: Mnemonic display  
Program memory: 100 program steps Program editing: Auto-insert program entry  
Chipset:   Forensic result: 9.00044229369  

ti62.jpg (30074 bytes)Although its appearance may suggest otherwise, the TI-62 appears to be a close relative of a very different-looking Texas Instruments calculator, the TI-57 LCD. Relative, yes: identical, definitely not! The TI-62 is in fact a much improved version, addressing many of the deficiencies of the TI-57 LCD model.

More memory, for starters: programs can be up to 100 steps long, if all but one memory registers are converted into program usage. Conversely, a 42-step program can coexist with 10 memory registers. Since the programming model is fully merged, this makes the TI-62 a respectable machine.

Then there's a bigger, semi-alphanumeric display that is used to show program steps in mnemonic form. It can also displays 10-digit numbers with a two-digit exponent.

The keyboard is also a great improvement: the TI-57 LCD had that hideously stiff, bouncy keyboard that Texas Instruments inexplicably used in several of their early LCD calculators. (This was corrected when the TI-57 II was released, but the TI-62's "Galaxy" style keyboard is still better.)

Overall, the TI-62 gives the solid feel of a well designed, solid, useful algebraic programmable. Maybe that explains why it is no longer in production?

The example program I wrote for the TI-62, implementing the Gamma function, is not particularly efficient: it uses a copious amount of program steps and several number registers to compute the Lanczos-approximation. The fact that such a "wasteful" program fits easily into the TI-62's memory confirms that this is indeed a respectable machine.

STO 1:   2.506628283501
STO 2:  92.20704845211
STO 3: -83.17763708287
STO 4:  14.80283193078
STO 5:  -0.2208497079533

LBL G	00
STO 0	01
EXC 2	02
÷	03
EXC 2	04
+	05
RCL 1	06
+	07
RCL 3	08
÷	09
1	10
ST+ 0	11
RCL 0	12
+	13
RCL 4	14
÷	15
1	16
ST+ 0	17
RCL 0	18
+	19
RCL 5	20
÷	21
1	22
ST+ 0	23
RCL 0	24
=	25
lnx	26
+	27
(	28
RCL 0	29
-	30
3	31
.	32
5	33
)	34
×	35
(	36
RCL 0	37
+	38
.	39
8	40
5	41
)	42
STO 0	43
lnx	44
-	45
RCL 0	46
=	47
RTN	48