83 timer

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Summary:

just a quick question

83 timer

basickevin 13 Dec 2008 00:04

Ok. So I've been trying to create a timer for the ti-83+ that works without an internal clock, asm program, or any outside help. The only problems so far are:
a. The timer runs at different speeds for different levels of ram open
b. The timer counts on math to run, so while it's running it's not very accurate (it was at one point accurate to +- .25 seconds per minute). If I improve the algorithm, it changes the time it takes to run through one iteration of the loop, and the algorithm is actually worse. AHHHHHH!

Would it be ok to give a "suggested ram used" number for running, and use approximations during the loop then display the near exact time after the loop? Because this is starting to heart my head.

Re: 83 timer

Socks 13 Dec 2008 00:28

First, why are you trying to build a timer for the 83+? If you're doing it like an egg timer, and it's for yourself, my solution would be to go out and get a cheap digital kitchen timer. They can be picked up at Target or Walmart, or a variety of other stores, for US$5.

If it's for a game, I reccomend just building it into a for loop that surrounds the game as opposed to a while loop or a repeat loop.

Sorry I can't be more helpful, but the exact timings are dependant on RAM (as you noted), how long it's been since a garbage collect or defrag and amount of use, battery level… You get the idea. It's pretty hard to do. And then you need the user to tune it, because you never know what they'll be running.

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/Socks

Re: 83 timer

Weregoose 13 Dec 2008 01:44

Try this:

For(A,0,E9
Output(1,1,A
For(B,0,14
End
Send(A
End

It finally fell behind a full second somewhere between 17-18 minutes on my (mostly empty) TI-83+. After cramming loads of data into almost all of its variables—to the extent that executing 1 on the home screen took roughly a quarter of a second—it started losing the same amount of time after 13-14 minutes (four minutes sooner).

Last edited on 13 Dec 2008 01:46 by Weregoose Show more

Re: 83 timer

Socks 13 Dec 2008 01:58

Hey, not bad. Have you tried it with different battery stuff?

And what's the Send(A for?

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/Socks

Last edited on 13 Dec 2008 01:58 by Socks Show more

Re: 83 timer

Weregoose 13 Dec 2008 02:00

Send(A doesn't seem to care about available RAM, from my experience.

I'll try using this program again when my batteries die down.

Re: 83 timer

Socks 13 Dec 2008 02:04

Oh, that makes sense. It probably doesn't because of that it doesn't actually affect the memory - it just sends a var to the cable. (Anybody willing to support the theory?)

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/Socks

Re: 83 timer

basickevin 14 Dec 2008 02:24

In response to the first post, I was just testing the limitations of the calculator. I didn't actually have a need for it, I just wanted to show that it could be done.
Anyway, How on earth did weregoose come up with that routine within 1 hour and 40 minutes of my post? That's quite the feat.
I had something more like this.

:DelVar ADelVar BRepeat getKey=23
:B+1→B
:If B≥11.05A+10
:A+1→A
:Text(-1,1,1,A
:End

Also, weregoose, things like that send(A trick are why this site exists. Has anyone documented that before?

Last edited on 14 Dec 2008 02:28 by basickevin Show more