16 Nov
2010
16 Nov
'10
10:41 p.m.
On 16 Nov 2010 at 21:33, Tony Duell wrote:
Possibly. The 1103 was the first 1K bit DRAM IIRC
after all. However,
I wonder how much was due to problems with the DRAMs themselves and
how much was down to problems with supplies (They are unconventional
for the PMOS 1103s, it's really a main -16V supply and a +3V bias
supply, often states as 16V and 19V), decoupling (they are touchy
about this!), signal timing and the like.
It's worthwhile noting that nobody selected the 1103 for any speed
advantage over core. Less power or complexity, perhaps but it was
quite some time before MOS memories caught up to core in speed.
My own recollections of MOS memory weren't with the 1103s, but the
2107 4K variety. A 22-pin 3-supply chip with TTL compatible I/O,
with the exception of CE, which was kind of strange.
At any rate, I believe this chip finally had the mainframe makers
convinced about the benefits of MOS memory.
--Chuck