I was thinking about that very subject just this week
- I have a
TRS-80 Model III that I think has a flaky 4116. I have a chip tester,
but it only tests 64Kbit, 256Kbit and 1Mbit DIP DRAMs (i.e. -
single-supply parts). Is this hack as simple as eliminating the -5V
and +12V to the socket, or is there more to it? I have tubes and
tubes of NOS 4164s, and could easily build a 1-2-socket stacker with
missing pins to plug a 4164 into a 4116 socket if that's all it takes.
I also have a PET 4016 with the punched-out holes in the upper 16K
region of the board - I don't mind stringing wires to rebuild the
sockets, but that seems like a great candidate for hacking the power
to the RAM field. Also, it would be easier to drive a naked dynamic
PET board from a bench supply if it didn't need -5V.
I'd use a pair of 4464's in a smal perfoboard. BTW I have two apple ][+
I'm planning in doing just this mod.