Table of Contents
Texas Instruments nSpire CX
includes CX II calculators. YMMV for all items listed here if attempted on a CX II calculator
Operating Systems (ARM something)
Android Donut 1.6
After about 10 minutes or so (boot ups are shorter on subsequent launches)
Mostly functional. What doesn’t work is the Touchpad, the battery status, Bluetooth (maybe), and Wi-Fi. Otherwise, Android runs perfectly fine on this, and at quite an acceptable speed. Works on CalcOS 3.9, not 3.6, and maybe not later versions. With personal testing, any calculators made after the “Framebuffer swap” in late 2015 CANNOT be used with this, due to the framebuffer not being accounted for once Android is loaded off the external USB drive. Files online are dead links, so it is required to search the XDA archive, or refer to local copies of the files.
https://github.com/nDroidProject
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Skbuc_pQj9g
https://twitter.com/joshumax/status/613538817773928448
https://forum.xda-developers.com/t/port-calculator-android-on-the-ti-nspire-cx.3143757/
Arch Linux
TI NSpire CX (Revision J)
A fully capable port of Arch to the calculator, with many hardware functionalities implemented. There’s a WM, networking, audio, and more. However, the networking and audio require external hardware through a USB hub. Otherwise, this is a very fully featured system for the calculator, albeit a bit slow. Appears to work on all CalcOS versions, but functionality on post-framebuffer swap calculators is currently untested/unknown. At the very least, there is a working port of Arch for the CX II calculators, which (may) use the same screen as post-W revision original CX calculators.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O3eSspki0Ws
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NYyWBrClsTU
https://www.reddit.com/r/linuxmasterrace/comments/b27r1p/btw_i_use_arch_on_my_calculator/ (some helpful tips here)
Classic Mac OS 1.1-7.5.5 (in Mini vMac)
you could enable mouse keys by pressing tab and hold the 5 key while using the touchpad
Runs directly as an ndless app, rather than native on the calculator as with Android/Linux. Known as working on the “post-framebuffer” calculators. Speed is acceptable, but could maybe be improved with an older version if desired.
Console emulation (potential)
Whether these emulators support operating systems for these consoles is unknown; it must be looked into further. Consoles without meaningful OSes are not included.
https://emulation.gametechwiki.com/index.php/Emulators_on_TI_Calculators
Atari 2600 - Stella-NSpire
Bandai WonderSwan (Color) – Oswan
NEC TurboGrafx 16 – Temper, HuGo, mednafen PCE
Nintendo Entertainment System – NESpire 0.3 llccd or tangrsmod, LameNES
Super Nintendo Entertainment System – PocketSNES 1.43 various builds in releases
Nintendo Game Boy (Color) – gbc4nspire v0.93, “post-framebuffer” compatible
Nintendo Game Boy Advance – gpSP v0.91, “post-framebuffer” compatible?
Nintendo Pokémon Mini - Pokemini
Sega Genesis – picodrive-nspire, Dgen
Sega Master System – SMS Plus
Sony PlayStation 1 – PCSX4NSpire
Debian
It takes a while (~2 minutes) to boot, so be patient
It’s unsure if X11 works on this, but it does boot to a fully functional Debian shell with programs available. Perfectly fine for text-based functions and usages.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Evzz0wO-t78
https://ivoah.net/blog/2016/03/20/how-to-install-debian-on-a-ti-nspire/
Emulation Nest
This device runs an operating system which is known to emulate various devices with EOPs. See the Classic Mac OS page.
Linux (two versions)
The newer version is a total rewrite of the original code to switch to device trees
Of the Linux port to the nSpire, there are two versions available. One is the legacy port, which has for the most part, been depreciated. However, it is easier to start, and may have better supports. The newer port may be “better” through USB support and device tree switching. X.Org is possible on the old kernel, it appears.
https://tiplanet.org/nspire_linux_builds/ (various builds some w/ X)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fz6xPQ1mqxc (old build, USB keys)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=01qOqG8yLR4 (old build, mplayer)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hET3g3CWLlg (old build, tmux internet)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gIpKxmdRC_Y (old build, keypad/reboot)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qVGnYGbH7UI (old build, TWM & GUI internet)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HGGlQ4RCbWk (old build, touchpad & X11)
https://web.archive.org/web/20151217004022/http://hackspire.unsads.com/wiki/index.php/Linux
Ndless (+GAMES)
Plug in USB keyboards and mice. Enhance Lua with extensions.
Less so of an operating system, and moreso a way to actually run operating systems (alongside many other things) on the nSpire calculators. Also, a lot of games.
PC emulation (potential)
Whether these emulators support operating systems for these computers is unknown; it must be looked into further. PCs without meaningful OSes are not included.
https://emulation.gametechwiki.com/index.php/Emulators_on_TI_Calculators
CHIP-8 - Chip8Emu
Commodore Plus/4 – Yapesdl-NSpire
Zilog Z80 (moreso TI-84 emu) – nspire-z80 0.12
Other
BASIC Games, Programs
These EOPs don’t require ndless to run, as they use the manufacturer-allowed BASIC environment.
Lua Games, Graphics, & Programs
These EOPs don’t require ndless to run, as they use the manufacturer-allowed Lua environment.
https://www.ticalc.org/pub/nspire/lua/games/