Requirements

In order to transfer programs to your TI-89 Titanium or TI-84 Plus you will need to install the TI Connect program that comes on the CD with your calculator. If you do not have the CD, you will need to download the program from the TI Website.

Also, you will need a link cord. This cord is different from the older calculators, and is just a standard Mini B USB cable. Both calculators generally come with a USB cord in the package, but you can also buy one from Amazonif you do not have the cable. These cords retail for about $5.00.

Installing TI Connect

To begin, leave your calculator disconnected from your computer. You will need to insert the CD that came with your calculator, and follow the directions. If you don’t have the CD, install TI Connect now.

Once TI Connect is installed, you may connect your calculator. If you are running Windows, your computer should tell you it is installing the drivers for the new device (your calculator).

Running TI Connect

Go ahead and run TI Connect by clicking on one of the shortcuts created, or go into the Applications folder if you are running Mac OSX. You should see a window similar to the one on the right (click the image to expand it). Select the “TI DeviceExplorer” button to bring up the Explorer window. If your calculator is plugged in correctly, TI Connect will detect the device.

If your calculator is successfully detected, click on it in the list and press “Select”. A list of variables will show up, along with your calculator model.

If your calculator is not successfully detected, try uninstalling TI Connect, then install it again.

Using the DeviceExplorer

Now, unzip the games from the ZIP file that they were contained in. There is usually 1 8XP file, and one TXT readme file. You can unzip the files with WinZip, 7 ZIP (free), or with Windows XP SP2 or later (this includes Windows Vista).

After the files are unzipped, drag all of the 8XP files into the TI DeviceExplorer window to begin the transfer.

What is it?

What is Garbage Collection? Well, in order to explain that, you will have to know how the calculator stores information.

The calculator memory is broken up into multiple “Segments”. When you first buy your calculator, and then upload a program, the program is inserted into “Sector 1″. Each program will vary in size, so often, you end up needing more space than what is left in the sector. This means that the variable or program will be loaded into the next sector, as the sectors can not change in size.

Eventually, all of the sectors will have small holes, in which large programs do not fit. When this happens, you need to Garbage Collect.

Garbage Collection is when the calculator rearranges all of the blocks of data, so they all fit into the sectors. In addition, when you unarchive a program, it is just copied into the RAM, but not actually deleted from the archive. This will leave two copies of the program on the calculator. However, Garbage Colleting will clear up some memory by deleting the extra copy in the archive, which will free up blocks of memory for other programs.

How do I Garbage Collect without waiting for the calculator to ask?

If you ever want to free up some space on your calculator, you can call the Garbage Collect command from the catalog. You can access the catalog by pressing the [2ND] key, then the [0] key. Once the menu is displayed, you can scroll down to the command. When “GarbageCollect” is highlighted, press the enter key. Now, press enter again to execute the command and display the Garbage Collect menu.

Please note, Garbage Collection may take anywhere from seconds, to minutes, or even up to a half-an-hour, but after you Garbage Collect, you might notice a speed difference– your calculator might seem faster.

Transfering a Program to a TI-83 Plus

There are a few things you will need before you can actually transfer the program to your calculator:

• A Link Cord with TI Graphlink Software
• Your Calculator

The TI-83 Plus does not come with a link cord in the package, so you will need to buy a Texas Instruments 94327 TI Graphlink USB Cable(pictured on the left). You can find them in various places, including your local electronics or office supply store. You can also purchase the cable on Amazon.com.

Once you have the cable, you must download and install the TI Graphlink Software. Begin by inserting the disc that came with the cable, and follow the directions to install the software.DO NOT connect the calculator to your computer until the software installation is complete.

If you do not have the CD and need the Graphlink Software, you may download it for free on the Texas Instruments website.

After the software is installed, connect your calculator by inserting the pin connector into the bottom of your TI-83 Plus, and the USB connector to your computer. If you bought the serial link, connect it to the back of your computer.

Now, download the ZIP file of your choice, which will contain a .8XP file and a .TXT manual. Extract the ZIP archive with a program, such as WinZip. Windows XP and Vista will decompress a ZIP file without the need for additional programs. In Windows XP or Vista, double click on the ZIP file and drag the individual program files into another folder.

The .8XP file is the program you want to transfer to your calculator, though there can sometimes be more than one program in the ZIP file.  Transfer all of the .8XP files to your calculator, or the program may not run.

After connecting your calculator to your computer, open up the “Link” menu in TI Graphlink. Choose the “Send To” menu , and then click on the “RAM” menu item. Select all of the files you would like to transfer, and the programs will be sent.