KnightOS: an operating system for calculators

KnightOS screenshots

There are many projects unknown to most people that are extremely interesting. For example, you might have imagined that an operating system could be run on a simple calculator. The hardware of these computing devices is quite limited, with a fairly simple processor, and little memory. But it is enough to run an operating system like KnightOS.

Weird? Well, if we look back at the history of computing, it can be seen that the first computing machines, historical computers, were nothing more than calculators with very large dimensions to be able to make complex calculations or decipher some messages as they were used. In the Second World War. Little by little they have evolved to execute more advanced and diverse programs until what it is today ...

In fact, if you remember the origins of Intel, the first commercial microprocessor, the Intel 4004, was not intended for a computer, but for a calculator from the Japanese company Busicom. Therefore, a calculator is not that far from a current computer, although the hardware resources and capabilities of the second are much higher than the first.

What I'm trying to tell you is that if you like to experimentYou may be interested in trying with your calculator and KnightOS, that it could give a second life to that device that you have almost forgotten and put in a drawer. If you are interested, you can obtain information and download this project from your official website.

What is KnightOS?

KnightOS is an open source operating system for Texas Instruments calculators. You can get it both in source code to see how it is done and compile it, or directly the binary to be able to run it on your calculator. It has an MIT license, so you can modify it if you need and distribute it.

KnightOS brings a new level of utility and customization for a device that is so limited from the factory to just doing calculations. This way you will have more functions to be able to play with them, access a file space, load new utilities, install additional software on your calculator thanks to its simple package manager, etc. A whole universe for hackers.

Compatible calculators

KnightOS, TI-84 Texas Instruments calculator

If you wonder if your Casio, your HP, etc., are compatible, the truth is that they are not. It does not work on all calculators. In fact, as I have already hinted, it is only for the Texas Instruments. These TIs are based on the famous Zilog Z80 microprocessor, a CPU for which this operating system has been optimized.

Therefore, supported TI calculator versions are:

  • IT-73
  • TI-83 +
  • TI-83 + Silver Edition
  • TI-84 +
  • TI-84 Silver Edition
  • TI-84 + Color Silver Edition.
  • Other French calculators that are variants of TI.
  • You can also run it through an emulator.

Collaborate with KnightOS

Si would you like to collaborate with the project KnightOS to further boost your IT calculatorIt must be added that there is a community around this project and they are constantly developing and improving this system to make it grow. And you can take part by writing documentation, manuals, translating, or programming.

If you are interested program and add code and improvements to the project, you can use ASM, C, Python, HTML / CSS and JavaScript as programming languages.

Steps to install the operating system

connect calculator to PC

Perform these steps carefully and knowing what you are doing. If you doubt, you better not do it or you could leave your calculator useless.
If you decide to use the KnightOS source code instead of the binary, you will need to compile it yourself. To do this, you must download the SDK provided by this project, and then compile as indicated on GitHub for the calculator you have ...

If you wonder about the KnightOS installation procedure on your IT, you have to perform the following steps:

  1. You have to have an operating system Microsoft Windows, Apple macOS, or a GNU / Linux distro, or FreeBSD.
  2. In your computer OS you must install TI Connect o TiLP. With one of these programs you will be able to facilitate the connection of your TI calculator with your PC to facilitate transfer of the data required to install KnightOS. In Linux, it does not have a GUI, so you will have to do it from the console, while in the other two operating systems it is somewhat more intuitive. Also, on Linux you probably have to compile it ...
  3. The next thing is to review the boot code version from your TI calculator. It is important to know the charger you have. You can check it on the TI-OS, by pressing the MODE button, then Alpha + S and the test will start. It will show you your version on the screen. If you have a version 1.02 or older you should proceed as I explain, but if it is a more modern version you will probably have to read the manual to see the extra steps you would need to do. For example, for 1.03 you may need to patch the boot code before, or use UOSRECV
  4. Now remove the battery from your calculator. If it is a TI-84 + you must press the reset button instead of removing the battery.
  5. And with the battery removed, connect the calculator with your PC.
  6. Keep holding the DEL button and put back the battery you removed and release DEL.
  7. And now you can install the operating system or update it. To do this, you can choose to:
    1. Use the TI-Connect tool in conjunction with TI OS Downloader.
    2. Use TiLP with GUI for macOS and Windows.
    3. Use TiLP in its text version on Linux. In this case, you just have to run the command "tilp -n /path/where/you/KnightOS.8xu" without quotes and with privileges, that is, as root or with sudo in front of it.
  8. Now wait for it to complete installation.
  9. Remove the cable connection of the PC and your calculator.
  10. Press the ON button from your calculator and you will have KnightOS.

If you don't like something for something, it doesn't work quite right, or you want to reinstall your IT's native operating system, that is, back to TI-OSYou can do it by downloading TI-OS and following the same instructions as to install KngithOS, but regardless of the version of the boot code in this case, since it would be the same for all of them. In order to download TI-OS You can go to the official Texas Instruments website in this section, fill out the form and download the code ...


4 comments, leave yours

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  1.   Cristian said

    You have put a photo with the old Ti-Nspire, that one is not compatible. Be careful with the texas instruments desktop application for the Ti-Nspire CX CAS. He made me an update because I did not realize that I was connected, without having given any site accept, or click, or anything and I have run out of the ndless (the one with a Ti-Nspire knows what I am talking about, basically being able to use Homebrew software). To be more descriptive, he left it to me as a paperweight and after an afternoon tinkering it works again but with the damn update and without ndless.

  2.   Christian said

    Hello Cristian, I am about to buy that calculator, you tell me what that is about ndless

    1.    Cristian said

      ndless http://ndless.me/ They are unofficial libraries to program applications in C / C ++ for the calculator. They are very good and allow us to do very interesting things. But they are not official and to be able to use them, as in mobile phones, you have to "root" the calculator, so to speak and you understand me, although it is not the same. But the current version of Ndless can only be installed if your calculator does not go beyond version 4.5.0 of the operating system. And do not update it above this one for now, from 4.5.0 to the following there are hardly any perceptible changes.

      Where is the problem? The other day I updated the texas desktop application which is a replica of the calculator and serves to manage a few more things. And they are known to have included something that automatically installs updates. Because I was updated to 4.5.2.8 and I lost the power to use Ndless. It has p …… ado because I used some fast applications that now I can not use and I have left it in a drawer.

      The calculator is very good in itself for a university use, I bought it when I was in university. At that time they let me use it in all the subjects except, logically, in the Calculus and Algebra subjects of the first grade (which will now be called with the new plans, fundamentals of finding pink balls, going up the mountain, under a bridge, eating a ham sandwich and add it all up, I and II, and it will surely be a four-month period, with 4 hours a week so as not to stress anyone and everyone approves)

      But apart from the jokes it is a good work tool and always the CAS model. The Ti-nspire CX CAS is good software and a case that complies but is not to rave about, the HP Prime has very good finishes but its environment does not convince me. So everything out there circulates legal and official the HP Prime emulator that goes with winehq, by looking at it you don't lose anything and that's how you decide. One of the two will be a very good buy.

  3.   Christian said

    Hi, Cristian, thank you very much for the information, what a pity I program in C / C ++, I'm sure ndless is very useful, I'm also looking at casio class cp400.
    I have the hpprime apk on a tablet but I'll see what to buy.
    Thank you for your disposition, I am very useful.