This answer assumes you are running Windows. The instructions are only slightly different for Mac users.
The software you need to transfer programs from your computer to your calculator is called TI-Connect. There are others, but TI-Connect is the “official” one made by Texas Instruments. It should come on a CD-ROM when you bought the calculator. If you lost it/don’t have one, you can always download it here:
Download and install TI-Connect. And make sure it’s able to detect your calculator; I’ve seen too many cases where someone’s got it installed only to learn that it can’t detect their calculator. To test it after installation, run TI-Connect, plug in and turn on your calculator, then select TI-DeviceExplorer. If your install was successful, then TI-Connect should be able to find your calc and give a directory of the files on it. If not, then you’re going to have quite a headache.
Anyway, once you have the software up and working, then you can start downloading games. is one of the largest online repositories for calculator games, so I suggest taking a look. When you see something that you like (doesn’t have to be games), then just download it.
Most of the files on will be in a compressed .zip folder. You’ll need to extract it with your favorite .zip extractor. It can be WinZip, WinRar, 7-zip, whatever. In fact, if you have Windows XP/Vista, you already have one built-in. Just right-click on the .zip file and choose Extract (All).
The result should be a file with the extension .8xp (or .8xk, .8xg, .83p, etc… depending on what you downloaded). Remember the location of this file.
In TI-DeviceExplorer, go to Tools > Windows Explorer. This will open up an instance of, well, Windows Explorer. Now go to the location of the file you just extracted. Drag the .8xp (or whatever) file from Windows Explorer into the TI-DeviceExplorer window, and the transfer process should begin.
Now that the program is on your calculator, it will be located under the Prgm menu and can be found by pressing [Prgm] (.8xk files are applications, and will be found under the [Apps] menu instead). If the program was written in TI-Basic, then all you have to do is run the program as normal. If it was written in Z80 Assembly however (you’d get Err:Syntax if you try to run it), you’ll need to let the calc know that. So go into the Catalog ([2nd][0]) and scroll down until you see “Asm(”. Then run the program like that; the home screen should read something like, “Asm(prgmPROGRAM” and the assembly program should be able to run.
Some assembly programs however must be run from an assembly shell like MirageOS. MirageOS has the ability to run programs written in TI-Basic, Z80 ASM, and Ion, as well as provide a nice looking on-calc file manager. It’s an application, so it will be under the [Apps] menu. You can download MirageOS here:
That’s pretty much all there is to it. It may look daunting (at least by the length of this post), but once you’ve done it a few times, it’ll gradually become easier. Good luck.
Speak Your Mind
Tell us what you're thinking... and oh, if you want a pic to show with your comment, go get a gravatar!
Ti 84 calculator games
This answer assumes you are running Windows. The instructions are only slightly different for Mac users.
The software you need to transfer programs from your computer to your calculator is called TI-Connect. There are others, but TI-Connect is the “official” one made by Texas Instruments. It should come on a CD-ROM when you bought the calculator. If you lost it/don’t have one, you can always download it here:
Download and install TI-Connect. And make sure it’s able to detect your calculator; I’ve seen too many cases where someone’s got it installed only to learn that it can’t detect their calculator. To test it after installation, run TI-Connect, plug in and turn on your calculator, then select TI-DeviceExplorer. If your install was successful, then TI-Connect should be able to find your calc and give a directory of the files on it. If not, then you’re going to have quite a headache.
Anyway, once you have the software up and working, then you can start downloading games. is one of the largest online repositories for calculator games, so I suggest taking a look. When you see something that you like (doesn’t have to be games), then just download it.
Most of the files on will be in a compressed .zip folder. You’ll need to extract it with your favorite .zip extractor. It can be WinZip, WinRar, 7-zip, whatever. In fact, if you have Windows XP/Vista, you already have one built-in. Just right-click on the .zip file and choose Extract (All).
The result should be a file with the extension .8xp (or .8xk, .8xg, .83p, etc… depending on what you downloaded). Remember the location of this file.
In TI-DeviceExplorer, go to Tools > Windows Explorer. This will open up an instance of, well, Windows Explorer. Now go to the location of the file you just extracted. Drag the .8xp (or whatever) file from Windows Explorer into the TI-DeviceExplorer window, and the transfer process should begin.
Now that the program is on your calculator, it will be located under the Prgm menu and can be found by pressing [Prgm] (.8xk files are applications, and will be found under the [Apps] menu instead). If the program was written in TI-Basic, then all you have to do is run the program as normal. If it was written in Z80 Assembly however (you’d get Err:Syntax if you try to run it), you’ll need to let the calc know that. So go into the Catalog ([2nd][0]) and scroll down until you see “Asm(”. Then run the program like that; the home screen should read something like, “Asm(prgmPROGRAM” and the assembly program should be able to run.
Some assembly programs however must be run from an assembly shell like MirageOS. MirageOS has the ability to run programs written in TI-Basic, Z80 ASM, and Ion, as well as provide a nice looking on-calc file manager. It’s an application, so it will be under the [Apps] menu. You can download MirageOS here:
That’s pretty much all there is to it. It may look daunting (at least by the length of this post), but once you’ve done it a few times, it’ll gradually become easier. Good luck.