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#1
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How Do I Add More RAM?
I have a special programmer used for security systems. The problem with it
is that it based on 1980's RAM technology. Does anyone know if it is possible to modify the unit to accept modern memory sticks? The base unit only holds 512K, which I believe is a memory chip. The expansion port that gives you another 512K using Epson MIXMOS RAM Card. I would like to utilize either port for a memory stick, thus eliminating problems storing client information. A simple 16MB memory stick would be like putting a dragster engine in a VW Bug... Can anyone help? Thank you in advance. Jim Rojas |
#2
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How Do I Add More RAM?
Jim Rojas wrote:
I have a special programmer used for security systems. The problem with it is that it based on 1980's RAM technology. Does anyone know if it is possible to modify the unit to accept modern memory sticks? The base unit only holds 512K, which I believe is a memory chip. The expansion port that gives you another 512K using Epson MIXMOS RAM Card. I would like to utilize either port for a memory stick, thus eliminating problems storing client information. A simple 16MB memory stick would be like putting a dragster engine in a VW Bug... Can anyone help? Thank you in advance. Jim Rojas 1980's ? the memory will be static ram (SRAM). (my guess) 16meg memorys will most likely not work. |
#3
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How Do I Add More RAM?
Do you have any suggestions on how I should proceed?
Jim Rojas "Ryan Wheeler" wrote in message news Jim Rojas wrote: I have a special programmer used for security systems. The problem with it is that it based on 1980's RAM technology. Does anyone know if it is possible to modify the unit to accept modern memory sticks? The base unit only holds 512K, which I believe is a memory chip. The expansion port that gives you another 512K using Epson MIXMOS RAM Card. I would like to utilize either port for a memory stick, thus eliminating problems storing client information. A simple 16MB memory stick would be like putting a dragster engine in a VW Bug... Can anyone help? Thank you in advance. Jim Rojas 1980's ? the memory will be static ram (SRAM). (my guess) 16meg memorys will most likely not work. |
#4
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How Do I Add More RAM?
"Jim Rojas" writes:
Do you have any suggestions on how I should proceed? Jim Rojas Can you determine how much memory the device would support? Almost every designer made some decision about the maximum amount of memory that could be used. Going beyond that will likely be a monumental task. You have said it can handle an additional 512k. Is the problem that you cannot get one of those modules with the extra 512k? If so then you might be able to read the part number off the internal memory and look for a compatible part still available to build yourself a 512k module. Or are you trying to go way beyond the bounds of what the software buried inside the device was ever intended to handle? Or are you trying to find a way to have non-volatile storage of the data? Finding out what the limits are for the programmer would be a good first step for you. Finding out what the part number was for the memories inside the programmer and/or the module would be a good second step. Deciding what the minimum functionality is that you must have for this project would be a good third step. The nonvolatile modules that have been introduced in recent years with 16meg...1024meg have completely different and more complicated interfaces that make it fairly unlikely that you can just plug one of these into a product built twentyfive years ago and expect it to work. Imagine pulling a fuel injection/emissions system out of a 2005 car and trying to figure out how to bolt it into a 1980 car, and that is likely a lot more feasible that doing the same with memory. It isn't really a valid analogy, but consider the IBM PC that was humming along at 4.77 Mhz then and computers today hum along at 500 times that speed. That's sort of like 60 MPH then versus 30,000 MPH now. One end or the other isn't going to like that speed conversion. "Ryan Wheeler" wrote in message news Jim Rojas wrote: I have a special programmer used for security systems. The problem with it is that it based on 1980's RAM technology. Does anyone know if it is possible to modify the unit to accept modern memory sticks? The base unit only holds 512K, which I believe is a memory chip. The expansion port that gives you another 512K using Epson MIXMOS RAM Card. I would like to utilize either port for a memory stick, thus eliminating problems storing client information. A simple 16MB memory stick would be like putting a dragster engine in a VW Bug... Can anyone help? Thank you in advance. Jim Rojas 1980's ? the memory will be static ram (SRAM). (my guess) 16meg memorys will most likely not work. |
#5
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How Do I Add More RAM?
Ryan Wheeler wrote:
Jim Rojas wrote: I have a special programmer used for security systems. The problem with it is that it based on 1980's RAM technology. Does anyone know if it is possible to modify the unit to accept modern memory sticks? The base unit only holds 512K, which I believe is a memory chip. The expansion port that gives you another 512K using Epson MIXMOS RAM Card. I would like to utilize either port for a memory stick, thus eliminating problems storing client information. A simple 16MB memory stick would be like putting a dragster engine in a VW Bug... Can anyone help? Thank you in advance. Jim Rojas 1980's ? the memory will be static ram (SRAM). (my guess) 16meg memorys will most likely not work. Um, static RAM was (is) expensive. I'm looking into an Apple // and it's rows of dynamic RAM chips. Same with the (1982?) Tandy CoCo and the (1978) TRS-80 board I've got here. You COULD replace it with static RAM and then you don't have to worry about refresh rates, but no matter, you're going to be INTIMATE with what each wire on that expansion slot is. Does it have enough address lines? does it have a chip select wired out that you need to attach to or do you need to decode that yourself? the SPEED of the chip (response wise) what you likely DONT need to deal with. A static RAM that yawns for a 100Mhz chip will twiddle its thumbs for an 8MHz chip. (that's part of why I'd avoid dynamic RAM - you don't want to deal with refresh strobes that are coming too slow to keep you're stuff alive. And no, your "1980's" technology will not have enough address wires to reach the whole memory. ("80's is a little vague as we went from Z80s and 6502s and their 64k max to 386s, 68040s, SPARCs, MIPS with far MORE addressing). But a 512K static RAM chip is findable. This is not a task for a novice. |
#6
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How Do I Add More RAM?
chuck yerkes wrote:
Ryan Wheeler wrote: Jim Rojas wrote: I have a special programmer used for security systems. The problem with it is that it based on 1980's RAM technology. Does anyone know if it is possible to modify the unit to accept modern memory sticks? The base unit only holds 512K, which I believe is a memory chip. The expansion port that gives you another 512K using Epson MIXMOS RAM Card. I would like to utilize either port for a memory stick, thus eliminating problems storing client information. A simple 16MB memory stick would be like putting a dragster engine in a VW Bug... Can anyone help? Thank you in advance. Jim Rojas 1980's ? the memory will be static ram (SRAM). (my guess) 16meg memorys will most likely not work. Um, static RAM was (is) expensive. I'm looking into an Apple // and it's rows of dynamic RAM chips. Same with the (1982?) Tandy CoCo and the (1978) TRS-80 board I've got here. You COULD replace it with static RAM and then you don't have to worry about refresh rates, but no matter, you're going to be INTIMATE with what each wire on that expansion slot is. Does it have enough address lines? does it have a chip select wired out that you need to attach to or do you need to decode that yourself? the SPEED of the chip (response wise) what you likely DONT need to deal with. A static RAM that yawns for a 100Mhz chip will twiddle its thumbs for an 8MHz chip. (that's part of why I'd avoid dynamic RAM - you don't want to deal with refresh strobes that are coming too slow to keep you're stuff alive. And no, your "1980's" technology will not have enough address wires to reach the whole memory. ("80's is a little vague as we went from Z80s and 6502s and their 64k max to 386s, 68040s, SPARCs, MIPS with far MORE addressing). But a 512K static RAM chip is findable. This is not a task for a novice. have a look at this idea: http://www.maxim-ic.com/appnotes.cfm/appnote_number/535 all static ram |
#7
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How Do I Add More RAM?
Ryan Wheeler wrote:
chuck yerkes wrote: Ryan Wheeler wrote: Jim Rojas wrote: I have a special programmer used for security systems. The problem with it is that it based on 1980's RAM technology. Does anyone know if it is possible to modify the unit to accept modern memory sticks? The base unit only holds 512K, which I believe is a memory chip. The expansion port that gives you another 512K using Epson MIXMOS RAM Card. I would like to utilize either port for a memory stick, thus eliminating problems storing client information. A simple 16MB memory stick would be like putting a dragster engine in a VW Bug... Can anyone help? Thank you in advance. Jim Rojas 1980's ? the memory will be static ram (SRAM). (my guess) 16meg memorys will most likely not work. Um, static RAM was (is) expensive. I'm looking into an Apple // and it's rows of dynamic RAM chips. Same with the (1982?) Tandy CoCo and the (1978) TRS-80 board I've got here. You COULD replace it with static RAM and then you don't have to worry about refresh rates, but no matter, you're going to be INTIMATE with what each wire on that expansion slot is. Does it have enough address lines? does it have a chip select wired out that you need to attach to or do you need to decode that yourself? the SPEED of the chip (response wise) what you likely DONT need to deal with. A static RAM that yawns for a 100Mhz chip will twiddle its thumbs for an 8MHz chip. (that's part of why I'd avoid dynamic RAM - you don't want to deal with refresh strobes that are coming too slow to keep you're stuff alive. And no, your "1980's" technology will not have enough address wires to reach the whole memory. ("80's is a little vague as we went from Z80s and 6502s and their 64k max to 386s, 68040s, SPARCs, MIPS with far MORE addressing). But a 512K static RAM chip is findable. This is not a task for a novice. have a look at this idea: http://www.maxim-ic.com/appnotes.cfm/appnote_number/535 all static ram you mention a ram expansion port. What is available on that port? |
#8
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How Do I Add More RAM?
The RAM expansion port uses the credit card sized Epson MIXMOS RAM CARD.
Your sample idea looks promising. The programmer was designed to up to a 1MB RAM Card. It may be that it can accept more RAM, but Epson only made it up to 1 MB. But if your sample idea is feasible, It would solve all my problems. I can send you a picture of my RAM Card if you like. As well as pictures of the actual programmer. Thank you for the valuable information you provided. Jim Rojas "Ryan Wheeler" wrote in message . rogers.com... Ryan Wheeler wrote: chuck yerkes wrote: Ryan Wheeler wrote: Jim Rojas wrote: I have a special programmer used for security systems. The problem with it is that it based on 1980's RAM technology. Does anyone know if it is possible to modify the unit to accept modern memory sticks? The base unit only holds 512K, which I believe is a memory chip. The expansion port that gives you another 512K using Epson MIXMOS RAM Card. I would like to utilize either port for a memory stick, thus eliminating problems storing client information. A simple 16MB memory stick would be like putting a dragster engine in a VW Bug... Can anyone help? Thank you in advance. Jim Rojas 1980's ? the memory will be static ram (SRAM). (my guess) 16meg memorys will most likely not work. Um, static RAM was (is) expensive. I'm looking into an Apple // and it's rows of dynamic RAM chips. Same with the (1982?) Tandy CoCo and the (1978) TRS-80 board I've got here. You COULD replace it with static RAM and then you don't have to worry about refresh rates, but no matter, you're going to be INTIMATE with what each wire on that expansion slot is. Does it have enough address lines? does it have a chip select wired out that you need to attach to or do you need to decode that yourself? the SPEED of the chip (response wise) what you likely DONT need to deal with. A static RAM that yawns for a 100Mhz chip will twiddle its thumbs for an 8MHz chip. (that's part of why I'd avoid dynamic RAM - you don't want to deal with refresh strobes that are coming too slow to keep you're stuff alive. And no, your "1980's" technology will not have enough address wires to reach the whole memory. ("80's is a little vague as we went from Z80s and 6502s and their 64k max to 386s, 68040s, SPARCs, MIPS with far MORE addressing). But a 512K static RAM chip is findable. This is not a task for a novice. have a look at this idea: http://www.maxim-ic.com/appnotes.cfm/appnote_number/535 all static ram you mention a ram expansion port. What is available on that port? |
#9
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"Jim Rojas" wrote in message ... I have a special programmer used for security systems. The problem with it is that it based on 1980's RAM technology. Does anyone know if it is possible to modify the unit to accept modern memory sticks? The base unit only holds 512K, which I believe is a memory chip. The expansion port that gives you another 512K using Epson MIXMOS RAM Card. I would like to utilize either port for a memory stick, thus eliminating problems storing client information. A simple 16MB memory stick would be like putting a dragster engine in a VW Bug... Can anyone help? Thank you in advance. Jim Rojas Memory architecture has undergone many generations of change over the years. Without a special interface, designed to emulate both architectures, the chances of mating new memory to 20-year old systems is remote at best. Best bet is to hunt for old RAM at flea markets. |
#10
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The Amiga computers use 512K chips, they should be easy to find and go for a
song, my last Amiga 2000 I bought cost the princely sum of $2 Paul |
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