How-to Create a TI-83 Plus ROM Image

Original Feature

Notes

This document was created using a TI-83 Plus using a silver USB TI-GraphLink cable on Windows XP. You may be able to use this document with a different calculator or cable, but your steps may differ slightly. It will require a bit more brain power.
This document is running on a wiki, that means you can change and add information by just hitting "edit" up top. (free account required)
Contact the author: Leave Plaz a (public) message or send me a (private) e-mail.

Introduction

I, like every other high student I know, own a Texas Instruments 83 Plus graphing calculator. However, it is quite bulky and expensive. I would rather not transport it around. Plus I might forget to bring it home one night or it might get lost, stolen, or damaged on the way home. It's nice to have a backup. That is why I set out to get my calculator to work on my computer. I know your computer comes with a calculator, but it doesn't do graphing. You could look on the Internet for one, but you might not know how to use it. Plus why learn something again, your teacher already taught you how your TI works. Plus if you program, it is easier to type the computer. Hey, you could even type in class notes on your computer, transfer them to your calculator, and use them in class. (Note: Not recommended for use during exams)

Failed Efforts

I looked far and wide for information on how to do this. I kept landing at ticalc.org's Emulator Page. They give instructions on how to get the ROM image from your calculator, but they do not tell you how to do it with a TI-83 Plus. The program they recommend, romdump2 doesn't work with an 83 Plus. I tried searching Google to find how to do it. I read many news and chat groups, and found lots of other people who had the same problem. I even tried downloading the SDK and modifying the files after reading a tip that that would work. I searched through about 20 websites all listing tips that seemed a little dated. Nothing worked. The trouble was that there hasn't been much activity I could find for the last 5 years. This is the time that the TI-83 Plus became popular, and is now TI's best seller. The information hasn't been updated. Well, I pressed on in my search and finally discovered rom8x. This actually worked for a TI-83 Plus. In all, I spent about 3 hours searching the web to get this to work. That is why I decided to write this guide, there simply isn't any place that tells you how this stuff works.

Cables

The TI GraphLink cable and TI Connect software

So I set out one day during my summer vacation to try and find out how to do it. First thing you need is a cable linking your computer and calculator. About 5 years ago almost all of the cables were of the serial type. The problem was that USB, a new way of connecting components was invented and quickly became popular. Nowadays every computer comes with several USB ports, but few new computers come with serial ports anymore. Texas Instruments now sells almost exclusively the TI Connectivity Kit with a silver USB to calculator mini-jack cable called the "TI-GraphLink USB (silver)." In fact, the more expensive cousin of the TI-83 Plus, the TI-84 Plus and TI-84 Plus Silver Edition come with the USB cord included. That means there is nothing more to buy. (More information on choosing cables)

Software

The next thing you will need to do is to download and install the needed software.

TI-Connect - This comes with you TI cable/calculator. Install this from your CD or download it from TI's site. (Make sure you install before you connect the USB cable.) This program lets transfer files between your calculator and computer, as well as update the OS and take and load screenshots. It also contains the TI GraphLink USB drivers.
rom8x - This is THE program that lets you extract the ROM from your TI-83 Plus calculator. Usage data below.
Virtual TI v2.5 beta 5 - The most widely used TI Emulator by Rusty Wagner (rusty@acz.org). Supports TI-83 Plus OS versions 1.12 and below. This is the best choice to use as it supports all of the features and many other TI calculators. It is a bit dated, I think it is about 5 years old and dosn't support USB cables for the built-in ROM dumper. But that's why we got rom8x.
- OS 1.12 for the TI-83 Plus is required to use Virtual TI 2.5. Unless you purchased your calculator more then a few years ago, your probably have a latter version. I am not sure if TI would like me redistributing their software. Contact ti-cares@ti.com and tell them you need a "TI-83 Plus operating system version 1.12" to run a legacy application. Hey that isn't even a lie. They might think you need it to run an app on your calculator, but Virtual TI is turning into a legacy app. I got my OS in a day. (Remember to backup your calculator using TI Connect before updating the OS.)
Virtual TI v3.0 Alpha The latest version of Virtual TI, but it doesn't have all of the features yet. However, it supports all versions of the TI 83 Plus OS. You need to use this if the OS on your calculator is 1.13 or above when you dump the ROM. Hopefully, this will change by unfortunately Virtual TI looks like it is out of development.
TilEm A new TI Emulator written for Linux, but ported to Windows. I haven't tested it, but it may work instead of Virtual TI.

Instructions

First install TI-Connect from the CD or download the latest version. Then connect the silver USB Graph Link cable to your computer and calculator. Open TI-Connect and go to the TI DeviceExplorer. The first time you do this, you will have to choose which calculator to connect with. A separate entry for USB should show up when the cable is properly connected. If you are using an older cable, look under one of the COM ports. Verify that you can see that your calculators data and programs show up and then backup your device.

Backup your calculator

Before you start, you want to make sure you backup your calculator. Go to TI-Connect and select "Backup" Find a place to save your backup and make sure all of the check boxes are checked. Finally, hit "OK" to start. A backup should take a few minutes.

Downgrade to OS 1.12

This is an optional step, but needs to be done if you want to use Virtual TI v2.5. This lets you use all of the features in Virtual TI. The first step is to get the 1.12 OS from ti-cares@ti.com. (See above) After you have received it, make sure to backup your calculator. Changing the OS will delete your calculator's RAM. Anyway, navigate to the OS file and right click on it. Select "Send to TI Device" Then hit "Send to Device" in the window that appears. Upgrading the OS takes about 10-15 minutes, so relax for a while.

rom8x

Start by unzipping the rom8x folder. (More about zipping) When that is done, go in your rom8x folder and open the Readme. Yes, I know you don't normally read the Readme, but it is required this time. All the instructions are in there. I will only quickly summarize them here. (I am using the 0.2 release)

Right click on the G83PBE1.8xp file in the rom8x folder and click on "Send to TI Device." Make sure the program is being sent to the RAM, not the archive.
After the program is transferred, make sure your calculator has a lot of free space. If you just changed the OS, don't worry, you have enough. If not, delete some programs (not apps).
Go [2nd] [Catalog] and scroll down to "Asm(". Hit that and then go to [PRGM] and pick the name of the file you just transferred. Hit [Enter] to run the program.
If you encounter any errors, go to the Readme file for help.
Go to the TI DeviceExplorer in TI-Connect, and expand the "Application Variables" section by clicking on the little plus icon. Select the app var starting with a D and followed by the model number of your calculator. Select that and go to the File menu and select "Move to PC." Find the rom8x folder and transfer the app var there.
You can now delete the program and app var you transferred and created. You no longer need your calculator for the following steps.
Move a copy of your calculator's OS into the rom8x folder. If you got the 1.12 OS from TI, use that. Otherwise download one from TI's site.
Go to the Start menu and select "Run". Type "cmd" (without the quotes) into the Run box. Hit Ok.
In the command prompt, type "cd" and the location of the rom8x folder on your system starting with a backwards slash (\). If you don't know the location of the folder look in the address bar of the window with that folder open. If you saved the folder on you Desktop in Windows XP you would type "cd \Documents and Settings\{You user name}\Desktop\rom8x" For more help see the rom8x Readme.
When your in the rom8x directory, type "rom8x" followed by your calculator model (in this case "83PBE") "-u" and the name of the OS file in the rom8x directory. So for me that would be 'rom8x 83PBE -u ti83p_OS_1.12.8xu"
If all goes right a .ROM file should appear in the rom8x folder. If not, visit the rom8x Readme.

Virtual TI

You now have the ROM file you need to power Virtual TI. Unzip Virtual TI and move the .ROM file generated by rom8x into the Virtual TI folder. Open vti.exe and enjoy running your TI-83 Plus on your computer.