Preparing Your Computer

To use the calculator programs on this web site you must first transfer them to your computer, and then to at least one calculator. You can then use the "link" cable provided with all new TI graphing calculators to transmit the programs from one calculator to another.

Your computer needs:

• a TI-Graph Link cable to connect the computer to a calculator. This is NOT the same as the "link" cable that connects one calculator to another.

• either the TI Connect or the TI-Graph Link software. Both software programs are available for free download from TI.

TI-Graph Link Cables

TI makes three types of TI-Graph Link cables to connect your calculator to a computer. Any one of the three TI-Graph Link cables can be used to download programs from this web site, but there are important differences.

• The Gray, serial cable works well with either Windows or Macintosh computers and with either the TI Connect or TI-Graph Link software.
  
• The Black, serial cable works well with Windows computers using either TI Connect or TI-Graph Link software. It does not work with Mac computers.
  
• The Silver, USB cable works with either Windows or Mac computers, provided you have a USB port on your computer. In combination with the TI Connect software, the silver USB cable is generally the easiest way to transmit programs directly from a computer to a calculator. It is also the best all-around choice for Macintosh users. The Silver USB cable does not, however, work with the Windows TI-Graph Link software to let you view and edit calculator programs. If you use Windows and expect to edit or write calculator programs on your computer, you should avoid using the Silver, USB cable at least until TI updates the TI-Graph Link software.
  
  Click here for more information about cables from TI's web site
  

TI Computer Software

TI distributes two computer programs, TI Connect and TI-Graph Link, that let you transfer calculator programs and other information between a computer and a calculator. We recommend that you install TI Connect on your computer. If you would like to use your computer to view, edit or write calculator programs, you should also install TI-Graph Link.

• TI Connect is a newer software package that lets you download calculator programs from the web (including this site) and transfer them to a calculator. TI Connect also allows you to upgrade the firmware in the calculator, back up calculator data and programs, and do a variety of other useful tasks. TI Connect does not, however, let you view, edit or write calculator programs on the computer. (Programs can still be edited or developed on the calculator itself, but it's cumbersome to use the calculator keyboard for that purpose.) TI Connect for either Windows or Mac is available for free download from TI's web site.
  
• TI Graph Link software lets you transfer programs and other information between the calculator and a computer. It also provides a convenient environment in which to edit or write calculator programs. The Windows version has not been updated recently, and it is not fully consistent with the latest versions of Windows. TI-Graph Link for either Windows or Mac is available for free download from TI's web site. The version of TI-Graph Link listed for the TI-83 plus also works with TI-83 calculators and it works with either the standard or the "silver edition" of that calculator.