ScramWorks - a RamWorks compatible memory card for the Apple IIe

[mdj]

All,

As many would be aware, I have been in the process of developing a RamWorks compatible Auxiliary memory card for the IIe. Originally conceived as a working prototype to demonstrate at OzKFest 2013, I've completed some refinements to the original design and am now happy to proceed in finalising a PCB and actually having some of them made, demand permitting.

Those who have not seen the pictures can see Andrew Roughan's excellent shots here:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/10917598@N06/9406882031/in/photostream/

Due to advances in memory technology since the prototype was commissioned, ScramWorks will no longer be offered in a 2MB configuration, but only in a 16MB configuration.

If demand permits, a more modest (and yet still completely ridiculous) 8MB model will be made available.

Some people have expressed interest in making ScramWorks compatible with existing RGB extender cards for the RamWorks series cards, and this is of course quite possible, though only if demand requires.

Additionally there has been some interest in providing compatibility with Nishida Radio Component video adapters.

If all interested parties could complete and submit the following survey (as a Google Form) I would be very grateful.

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1-Fs61SzL5Pfj2e83i0aDM0e5-xBs7zUJVJcnkqJ9R5Q/viewform?usp=send_form

Thanks for you interest, and stay tuned for further updates.

Matt

[STYNX]

On Sunday, May 18, 2014 2:14:20 PM UTC+2, mdj wrote:
> ...

> If all interested parties could complete and submit the following survey (as a Google Form) I would be very grateful.

> ...

Hi Matt,

very nice! If it is possible, i would really like to have the option of having a backup-battery on the card to hold the memory contents without power. I think the 16mb option is absolutely bonkers, but very cool non the less. Do you intend to offer a similar expansion for the Apple 2c(+) Memory slot? I would be very interested in that as well.

-Jonas

[mdj]

On Sunday, 18 May 2014 22:26:28 UTC+10, STYNX wrote:

> very nice! If it is possible, i would really like to have the option of having a backup-battery on the card to hold the memory contents without power. I think the 16mb option is absolutely bonkers, but very cool non the less.

Thanks! Ironically, the circuitry with 8 or 16MB is simpler than with the 2MB chips, since it does away with the need for anything but an inverter for chip selection.

What's the use-case you perceive for battery backup ?

>Do you intend to offer a similar expansion for the Apple 2c(+) Memory slot? I would be very interested in that as well.

The IIc(+) memory slot is designed for a "Slinky" memory card, and the ScramWorks is an Auxiliary card design. The equivalent Applied Engineering product for the IIc was the Z-RAM, and I have considered adapting the design for one of those. It is somewhat more complex to do than in a IIe though.

Matt

[Antoine Vignau]

Matt,
question 3, answer (if any)... should not be mandatory
av

[mdj]

On Sunday, 18 May 2014 22:56:53 UTC+10, Antoine Vignau wrote:
> Matt,
>
> question 3, answer (if any)... should not be mandatory

Oops! Thanks Antoine. Fixed.

[STYNX]

On Sunday, May 18, 2014 2:42:07 PM UTC+2, mdj wrote:

> The IIc(+) memory slot is designed for a "Slinky" memory card, and the ScramWorks is an Auxiliary card design. The equivalent Applied Engineering product for the IIc was the Z-RAM, and I have considered adapting the design for one of those. It is somewhat more complex to do than in a IIe though.

I was mistaken, as your Picture of the breadboard-prototype has a non-US main board (with the AUX-Slot in the middle). I thought i saw the Cables go into SLOT3 and interpreted it as a SLOT-card. A AUX-mem expansion has no need for the backup-battery. My 2c question comes from this misconception. A AUX-memory card with 16Mb is really crazy... what kind of memory-technology do you use?

-Jonas

[STYNX]

On Sunday, May 18, 2014 5:44:52 PM UTC+2, STYNX wrote:
> I was mistaken ...

I should read titles the next time

"... a RamWorks compatible memory card for the Apple IIe"
:-P

-Jonas

[mdj]

On Monday, 19 May 2014 01:44:52 UTC+10, STYNX wrote:

> I was mistaken, as your Picture of the breadboard-prototype has a non-US main board (with the AUX-Slot in the middle). I thought i saw the Cables go into SLOT3 and interpreted it as a SLOT-card. A AUX-mem expansion has no need for the backup-battery. My 2c question comes from this misconception. A AUX-memory card with 16Mb is really crazy... what kind of memory-technology do you use?

The largest SRAMs I can find that aren't BGA :-)

Now that there are plenty of options for high-speed secondary storage, I don't see a lot of point in another slinky card. With a battery backup in the IIc though it does make a fair bit of sense as a fast internal-only storage device, though I myself would prefer a SmartPort solution.

Matt

[Gary Gray]

I responded with interest in 1 16Mb and 0 8 Mb... but I guess what I
would actually buy depends on what sort of price premium we're talking
about between the two (and how much they would cost overall).

[D Finnigan]

I submitted my response to the form and I also posted the news on the Mac
GUI home page. I currently have a 1 MB RamWorks III card, but I wouldn't
mind having additional capacity.

--
]DF$
Apple II Book: http://macgui.com/newa2guide/
Usenet: http://macgui.com/usenet/ <-- get posts by email!
Apple II Web & Blog hosting: http://a2hq.com/

[MarkO_]

I own Two RAMWORKS III cards and One RAMWORKS II card. The 16MB cards really appeal to me, as well as the Ability to work with the RGB Addon Cards.

MarkO

[David Chiu]

On 05/22/2014 12:01 AM, MarkO_ wrote:
> I own Two RAMWORKS III cards and One RAMWORKS II card. The 16MB cards really appeal to me, as well as the Ability to work with the RGB Addon Cards.
>
> MarkO
>
>

with number of CGA monitor dwindling, might it make more sense to go
vga... or dare I dream, DVI/HDMI?

[Steven Hirsch]

On 05/22/2014 11:48 PM, David Chiu wrote:
> On 05/22/2014 12:01 AM, MarkO_ wrote:

>> I own Two RAMWORKS III cards and One RAMWORKS II card. The 16MB cards
>> really appeal to me, as well as the Ability to work with the RGB Addon Cards.

> with number of CGA monitor dwindling, might it make more sense to go vga... or
> dare I dream, DVI/HDMI?

Nishida Radio is working on an AUX slot VGA adapter for Apple IIe. He already
has one for component video. Unfortunately, the video adapter is not able to
piggyback on a memory expansion board.

[Michael J. Mahon]

Given the relative complexities, it makes a lot more sense to add SRAM
RAMWorks functionality to the VGA card than doing it the other way around.
--
-michael - NadaNet 3.1 and AppleCrate II: http://home.comcast.net/~mjmahon

[mdj]

On Friday, 23 May 2014 21:10:53 UTC+10, Steven Hirsch wrote:

> Nishida Radio is working on an AUX slot VGA adapter for Apple IIe. He already
>
> has one for component video. Unfortunately, the video adapter is not able to
>
> piggyback on a memory expansion board.

Has something changed recently ? The existing Component and VGA cards have a piggyback connector.

[Steven Hirsch]

That supports the reverse situation! The legacy approach involves a memory
card plugged into the AUX slot with a piggy-backed video adapter. Nishida has
designed a video card that plugs into the AUX slot with a piggy-backed memory
card of his own design (with limited capacity).

At this point, I suspect the easiest path is to fabricate some sort of adapter.

Steve

[waynej...@gmail.com]

Am I missing something? They state that their RAM card is the one that plugs into the Aux slot with the video card piggybacking off it and the pics show that. Why can't the Scramworks do the same?

[gid...@sasktel.net]

On Saturday, 24 May 2014 08:42:13 UTC-6, waynej...@gmail.com wrote:
> Am I missing something? They state that their RAM card is the one that plugs into the Aux slot with the video card piggybacking off it and the pics show that. Why can't the Scramworks do the same?

It can with RGB but if you want HDMI or VGA from the Aux slot, then the video takes precedence over the RAM, in which case the RAM gets piggy backed onto the video card installed in the Aux slot.

[waynej...@gmail.com]

For their VGA card it says"You can use this card with a Nishida Radio's 64K RAM Card. In that case, plug the edge connector of the 64K RAM Card in the AUX connector"

[gid...@sasktel.net]

On Saturday, 24 May 2014 23:08:09 UTC-6, waynej...@gmail.com wrote:
> For their VGA card it says"You can use this card with a Nishida Radio's 64K RAM Card. In that case, plug the edge connector of the 64K RAM Card in the AUX connector"

Right. The AUX connector is not the AUX slot. So the RAM card is piggy backed on to the VGA card which has the AUX connector.

That is how I am reading it.

[waynej...@gmail.com]

I think that's a language thing. If you look at the pics at http://tulip-house.ddo.jp/DIGITAL/A2ERAM/english.html you see the 64k card plugged into the Aux slot with the video card piggybacked and it's edge connector hanging free

[gid...@sasktel.net]

On Sunday, 25 May 2014 08:12:06 UTC-6, waynej...@gmail.com wrote:
> I think that's a language thing. If you look at the pics at http://tulip-house.ddo.jp/DIGITAL/A2ERAM/english.html you see the 64k card plugged into the Aux slot with the video card piggybacked and it's edge connector hanging free

Pictures speak a thousand words and I stand corrected.

[Steven Hirsch]

Color me puzzled... I could swear I saw a photo that was exactly the reverse.