26 Jan
2001
26 Jan
'01
3:59 p.m.
On Fri, 26 Jan 2001 healyzh(a)aracnet.com wrote:
SIMM stackers, yes. A shop which I frequent still has got them, but
nowadays 30-pin memory is as rare as hen's teeth, unless you're looking
for the 1 MB variety, but adding them up in order to create a dead-slow 4
MB high-rise 72-pin SIMM doesn't seem as the wise thing to do.
Now, to make
this on topic, there have been memory module converters before.
For the Amiga 3000, which used exotic ZIP (not the moderately common SIPP)
modules, there have been SIMM->ZIP converters for a long time. Our hardware
guy said he would try to build one for our next meeting, so that we may get
some use out of our newly-restored A3000. Similarly, it is possible to wire
Sure I've got one for my A3000, it was a lot cheaper than getting ZIP's.
72-pin SIMMs into 64-pin ones (used on GVP
equipment and certain Macs and
addon boards). Why shouldn't it be possible to make SDRAM to SIMM adapters?
ISTR, when the 72-pin SIMM's came out you could get converters to use your
old RAM, likewise you used to be able to get converters that would turn 4
1MB SIMMs into 1 4MB SIMM. I don't know the techincal difficulties it would
cause, but one problem I
see is the speed of the RAM. For example, I've got a HP5MP printer, it
takes 72-pin SIMMs. If you stick 60ns ones it, it won't be able to use
them, but it loves 70ns ones. Then there is the issue of supply and demand,
there just isn't the demand for such a product.
I think I'll have to go ask around on comp.sys.amiga.hardware or
comp.sys.atari.st.tech and see what the tech people say. I actually think
that there may be a certain demand, at least enough for some people to set
about creating some smaller batches. After all, how many of us aren't
using 72-pin systems?
Mind you, one problem is the ever-growing tangible size of memory modules.
How do you stuff a 14 cm long SDRAM module into a much smaller 72-pin
socket? Still, it's apparently possible to stuff 72 pins into 64.
Of course, with the blindeningly short access speeds of SDRAM, there may
be the possibility that this kind of RAM won't run at "normal" speeds
measured in tens of nanoseconds.