iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Christopher Mitchell @kermmartian.z80.me · 09/08/2026

I was pleasantly surprised to discover "the Hollywood Carney's, a hot dog stand in a different converted railroad dining car" right by my hotel in LA, and the food was delicious to boot. #trains (TBBT got something right!)

030

Christopher Mitchell @kermmartian.z80.me · 28/07/2026

I managed to catch one of the few units that's been painted into the new Great British Railways livery on a recent UK trip, here at London Fenchurch and Upminster. #gbr #uktrains #trains

040

Reposted by Christopher Mitchell

Thomas Dickerson @elfprince13.mumak.app · 13/06/2026

Join @kermmartian.z80.me’s team if you enjoy procedural modeling!

022

Christopher Mitchell @kermmartian.z80.me · 13/06/2026

‪I'm looking to add more Procedural Developers/Tech Artists to my team. Are you a Houdini wiz with experience creating environments? Do you love acronyms ending in OPs? Please also point others my way! Staff: jobs.smartrecruiters.com/NBCUniversal..., Senior: jobs.smartrecruiters.com/NBCUniversal....

jobs.smartrecruiters.com

Staff Game Specialist

Company Description: NBCUniversal is one of the world's leading media and entertainment companies. We create world-class content, which we distribute across our portfolio of film, television, and stre...

010

Christopher Mitchell @kermmartian.z80.me · 16/05/2026

I spent a three-day train ride across the country adding support for @ticalculators.bsky.social's newest graphing calculator to Cemetech's web-based IDE, SourceCoder 3. View, edit, and export TI-BASIC programs (and other files) for the TI-84 Evo in your browser. www.cemetech.net/news/2026/5/...

080

Reposted by Christopher Mitchell

Cemetech @cemetech.net · 11/05/2026

Coming soon: TI-84 Evo support in SourceCoder 3, so you can created and edit Evo programs, variables, and images right on your computer.

031

Reposted by Christopher Mitchell

Cemetech @cemetech.net · 29/04/2026

The TI-84 Evo is here. An ARM Cortex-driven calculator in seven colors, running at 156MHz with double the storage of the TI-84 Plus CE, it appears to have a significantly redesigned OS that retains keypress compatibility with 30 years of TI-83/TI-84 Plus calcs. More: www.cemetech.net/news/2026/4/...

161

Reposted by Christopher Mitchell

Cemetech @cemetech.net · 19/04/2026

The Youtube video has been since taken down for now, but TI-Planet admin critor grabbed it first. We're looking forward to putting TI's new TI-84 Evo through its paces at the beginning of May to see if it's truly an improvement on one of our favorite calculators. www.cemetech.net/forum/viewto...

141

Reposted by Christopher Mitchell

Cemetech @cemetech.net · 15/04/2026

Cemetechians have spotted more photos and marketing materials about the new TI-84 Evo calculator, reportedly coming at the end of this month: www.cemetech.net/forum/viewto...

042

Reposted by Christopher Mitchell

Cemetech @cemetech.net · 22/03/2026

The results for our 2025 Projects of the Year are in! Screensaver CE gets the gold medal for classic and new screensavers on your TI calculator, while a graphics library, an HP Prime Tetris game, and a flamethrower with an embedded calculator join it on the podium. www.cemetech.net/news/2026/3/...

042

Reposted by Christopher Mitchell

Cemetech @cemetech.net · 01/03/2026

Fifteen DIY coding/hacking projects won or tied as "Projects of the Month" on Cemetech in 2025: now it's time to choose the best of the best. Games, screensavers, utilities, and a calculator flamethrower await: www.cemetech.net/news/2026/3/...

073

Christopher Mitchell @kermmartian.z80.me · 01/03/2026

Thanks to geekboy1011's laser engraving expertise and ablating powder coating, I now have a good way to add durable, attractive labels to my simulator panels.

290

Reposted by Christopher Mitchell

Cemetech @cemetech.net · 10/02/2026

Here's (almost) everything we know about the new TI-84 Evo calculator from Texas Instruments (3x faster CPU, more storage, new UI...): youtu.be/EsLICWjasoo

youtu.be

NEW TI Calculator Discovered: TI-84 Evo

YouTube video by KermMartian

031

Christopher Mitchell @kermmartian.z80.me · 02/02/2026

And because it continues to be such an unexpected item of interest, I made a video about my process of connecting a physical GSM-R driver's control panel to @trainsimworld.com's Train Sim World: www.youtube.com/watch?v=UrSw...

youtube.com

Simulating GSM-R in Train Sim World 6

YouTube video by KermMartian

030

Reposted by Christopher Mitchell

Cemetech @cemetech.net · 31/01/2026

New info on the upcoming TI-84 Plus Evo graphing calculator, thanks to MateoConLechuga: USB-C, 3.5MB Flash storage, a smoother font, wider graphing, and a possible change to the TI Innovator accessories making them incompatible with the TI-84 Plus CE. Discussion: www.cemetech.net/forum/viewto...

052

Reposted by Christopher Mitchell

Cemetech @cemetech.net · 27/01/2026

Eleven years after the TI-84 Plus CE, the color screen version of the immortal TI-84 Plus calculator, @ticalculators.bsky.social will likely be releasing the TI-84 Evo. Leaks point to UI upgrades mirroring Casio and HP calcs, 3x faster CPU, and rearranged buttons. www.cemetech.net/news/2026/1/...

062

Christopher Mitchell @kermmartian.z80.me · 19/01/2026

The most common question I've gotten on my train simulator lately is how I managed to connect a GSM-R Driver's Control Panel (DCP) to my simulator. Although just a glorified display and keypad (no radio whatsoever is involved), it's popular for immersive simulation. Here's how: z80.me/blog/tsc-gsmr/

z80.me

Train Simulator Controller: Simulating a GSM-R Driver's Control Panel

GSM-R is the latest secure way for UK train drivers to communicate with signallers (dispatchers) and other drivers. Modern UK trains have a Driver’s Control Panel (DCP) with a display and buttons, but...

051

Christopher Mitchell @kermmartian.z80.me · 09/01/2026

Some of that nighttime ambience from my Class 80x train simulator finally coming together. @trainsimworld.com

051

Christopher Mitchell @kermmartian.z80.me · 28/12/2025

In a recent video by UK train company @lner.co.uk, a guest trying one of their simulators commented, "[you] could sell these [simulators ...] imagine going to my boyfriend saying, 'Hi, darling. I've got a new train simulator. This is taking up the entire bedroom, BTW.'" And I took that personally.

040

Reposted by Christopher Mitchell

Cemetech @cemetech.net · 27/12/2025

Do you like flying toasters, word games, crossword puzzles, or building operating systems for 8-bit CPUs? If so, November's Projects of the Month at Cemetech have you covered: www.cemetech.net/news/2025/12...

073

Christopher Mitchell @kermmartian.z80.me · 06/12/2025

Another day, another phalanx of CAN bus controllers for my increasingly sprawling train simulator. #trains #simulator

090

Reposted by Christopher Mitchell

Cemetech @cemetech.net · 29/11/2025

Arcade games galore, and more: Projects of the Month for October 2025 is here, with calculator and computer games (and beyond): www.cemetech.net/news/2025/11...

042

Reposted by Christopher Mitchell

Andrew Liptak @andrewliptak.com · 19/11/2025

Eeeeeeeee! I was never a huge Star Trek person, but Stargate SG-1 was *my* show. I'm really excited to see that they're not only doing a new series, but that it's apparently not a reboot / reimagining but a continuation. transfer-orbit.ghost.io/amazon-starg...

2186

Christopher Mitchell @kermmartian.z80.me · 18/11/2025

Last time, I showed one of the panels (TPWS) going into my train simulator; now, prototyping the complete dashboard section of my simulated UK Class 80x containing that panel: z80.me/blog/tsc-das... #trainsimulator

z80.me

Train Simulator Controller: Dashboard Prototyping, Part 3

After a cardboard prototype of the center console of my Class 80x simulator, I created a functional hardboard version and took it for a spin.

060

Christopher Mitchell @kermmartian.z80.me · 16/11/2025

My UK Class 80x train simulator project continues, with a painstakingly recreated TPWS panel, simulating a key safety system: z80.me/blog/tsc-tpws/

z80.me

Train Simulator Controller: TPWS Control Panel

TPWS is a key safety system in UK trains, so my Class 80x cab needed a precisely replicated TPWS control panel.

092

Reposted by Christopher Mitchell

Cemetech @cemetech.net · 29/09/2025

We woke up just before September ends: our August 2025 Projects of the Month is live. Tetrises, RPGs, hardware projects, for graphing calculators and beyond: see what our creative hobbyists have been making, and vote for the best: www.cemetech.net/news/2025/9/...

cemetech.net

Projects of the Month: August 2025 | News | Cemetech

021

Christopher Mitchell @kermmartian.z80.me · 07/09/2025

Another month, more progress towards constructing my full-scale train simulator, now with laser-cut hardboard to test out its 1:1 component layout: z80.me/blog/tsc-das...

z80.me

Train Simulator Controller: Dashboard Prototyping, Part 2

My cardboard prototype of the central portion of a Class 80x dashboard allowed me to iterate to a laser-cut hardboard prototype.

030

Christopher Mitchell @kermmartian.z80.me · 31/08/2025

Yeah, Acelabrate is pretty cool, but have you considered Acelabread? #amtrak #acela @amtrak.com

020

Christopher Mitchell @kermmartian.z80.me · 30/08/2025

Native code programmability (C/ASM) vanished from my dearly beloved TI-84 Plus CE calculators with an OS update in April, after irresponsible developers showed off embedding an ESP32 with a camera in a calculator to use it to cheat. The community just released a jailbreak: youtu.be/6MeHya0LJX8

youtu.be

Calculator Games UNLOCKED (2025)! TI-84 Plus CE Jailbroken, Again

YouTube video by KermMartian

030

Christopher Mitchell @kermmartian.z80.me · 01/08/2025

It may just be cardboard, but physical prototyping of my Class 80x train simulator at 1:1 scale has been very helpful in figuring out if I've gotten the size and layout right, not to mention reasonable for my desk: z80.me/blog/tsc-das...

050

Reposted by Christopher Mitchell

Cemetech @cemetech.net · 05/07/2025

Less than seven years late, Cemetech's calculator-hacking exhibits at World Maker Faire 2018 - and what the loss of the Faire in 2019 has meant for showing off DIY, making, and hacking, inside and outside the calculator community. www.cemetech.net/news/2025/7/...

012

Christopher Mitchell @kermmartian.z80.me · 22/06/2025

In another project completed recently, I added UK-style horn controls to my burgeoning train simulator. 🔊 Thanks to my reusable CAN bus controller, it took an afternoon, mostly of soldering and crimping: z80.me/blog/tsc-hor...

070

Christopher Mitchell @kermmartian.z80.me · 21/06/2025

I've been writing 3D graphing programs for assorted graphing calculators since at least 2003. Now, after starting a 3D grapher for the TI-84 Plus CE and then pausing for eight years (coincidentally roughly the time since @geopipe.ai was founded), I've released it: www.cemetech.net/forum/viewto...

0102

Reposted by Christopher Mitchell

Thomas Dickerson @elfprince13.mumak.app · 01/06/2025

Jerry did I ever tell ya I was high school buddies with the guy who made DoorsCS7? Used to go over to his house to watch Stargate on SSD and play with his sick TI-84+

061

Reposted by Christopher Mitchell

Ben Ryves @benryves.com · 29/05/2025

Trying to figure out why my Osaris won't read CF cards formatted by Windows, but will when formatted by my digital camera. I think it's the partition ID that's the issue that can be fixed in DISKPART with SET ID=06 (Windows uses 0E by default). Can even get my 1GB card to show up now!

Photo of an Osaris PDA showing that the "D" drive has a capacity of 978MB.

062

Christopher Mitchell @kermmartian.z80.me · 25/05/2025

My Train Simulator controller project continues as time allows. This time around, moving my CAN controller out of my air pressure gauge to allow it to fit into my dashboard, and the tribulations of learning to use lead-free solder: z80.me/blog/can-air...

z80.me

Train Simulator Controller: CAN-Connected Air Gauge, Part 2

In my ongoing quest to build a physical cab dashboard to control Train Simulator, an important set of components are the gauges that tell me what’s going on with the train. As I build the dashboard in...

041

Reposted by Christopher Mitchell

Cemetech @cemetech.net · 22/05/2025

What do a dithered puppy, row-major LCD graphics routines, and an update to a 29-year-old black-and-white arcade game have in common? They're all projects in Cemetech's April Projects of the Month update: www.cemetech.net/news/2025/5/...

032

Christopher Mitchell @kermmartian.z80.me · 15/05/2025

Achievement unlocked: realized I've actually been to today's Worldle, quite a few years ago for an academic conference.

020

Reposted by Christopher Mitchell

Cemetech @cemetech.net · 02/05/2025

Better late than never: March 2025's hobby STEM projects on Cemetech covered the usual gamut, from games to an emulator to a MIDI player. Check them out, and vote for the best! www.cemetech.net/news/2025/5/...

163

Christopher Mitchell @kermmartian.z80.me · 01/02/2025

What do you do when you want to build a train dashboard, but you don't have a train to measure? You figure out how to parse an obscure 3D model format, derive the planes the buttons lie in, and build a papercraft prototype. z80.me/blog/tsc-das...

130

Reposted by Christopher Mitchell

Thomas Dickerson @elfprince13.mumak.app · 27/01/2025

yes this is a Lego flex. IYKYK

041

Christopher Mitchell @kermmartian.z80.me · 27/01/2025

Okay, that works, and the RS-422 interface spits out...something. Now how do I talk to you?

000

Reposted by Christopher Mitchell

Cemetech @cemetech.net · 26/01/2025

Your mission, should you choose to accept it: vote for your favorite Cemetech graphing calculator software project of 2024: www.cemetech.net/news/2025/1/... . You have plenty of options, including games, programming tools, math apps, and shells.

074