FRAM 8MB Upgrade Alternate Ram ...

[Atarian Computing]

Just so I am clear, Alt Ram, or fast ram is TT ram? or no?

I am interested in a ram upgrade for my MegaSTE that brings me TT ram.. aka a TOTAL available ram so I can run Mint etc..

James

Strictly speaking Fast-Ram is TT-Ram, which Alt-Ram is not. But Alt-Ram will allow for a basic SpareMiNT installation (barely). This project and Magnum ST are Alt-Ram.

TT-Ram or Fast-Ram on an ST would require a PAK68/3+FRAK/2 or SST by David Small.

[frank.lukas]

The 68000 CPU has a limit up to max 16MB and Altram are from 4MB to 12MB by the FRAM Upgrade. The same with a MonSTer or Magnum ST. The Magnum ST can up to 15MB with a 16MB Simm but all graphiccard begin by 12MB.

Fastram begin above the 16MB limit of a 68000 CPU.

[Bikerbob]

So this Magnum looks do-able frank.. But I downloaded the files, but I dont know enough about design.

I want to produce a board(s) and then construct.. is that information in there?? I dont see a BOM I dont see something in a file type I am used to sending to a prototype company.. is this MachXL the program the board is done in?

If the magnum is a good board, why are people not making them .. aka Exxos or someone with that type of expertise?

James

[exxos]

That design is way more complicated than it needs to be.. thats why nobody make them... you really only need PLD to do the decoding and some decent sram chips.. its really simple...

I am working on fast-ram boards, but I just don't have much time to spend on it.. for example...
https://www.exxosforum.co.uk/forum/viewt ... 390#p17695

That has 8MB alt-ram.

[Bikerbob]

That design is way more complicated than it needs to be.. thats why nobody make them... you really only need PLD to do the decoding and some decent sram chips.. its really simple...

I am working on fast-ram boards, but I just don't have much time to spend on it.. for example...
https://www.exxosforum.co.uk/forum/viewt ... 390#p17695

That has 8MB alt-ram.

Ok cool, I have no problem supporting you if thats the route.. but I thought this was for STFM.. I am looking for megaSTE or STE.. not STF or DIL package.

James

[exxos]

Ok cool, I have no problem supporting you if thats the route.. but I thought this was for STFM.. I am looking for megaSTE or STE.. not STF or DIL package.

I am only working on STFM these days yes. I was more pointing out how simple these things are to actually construct.

[Bikerbob]

Ok cool, I have no problem supporting you if thats the route.. but I thought this was for STFM.. I am looking for megaSTE or STE.. not STF or DIL package.

I am only working on STFM these days yes. I was more pointing out how simple these things are to actually construct.

LOL.. except simple or complicated or whatever.. it makes no difference to me if I cannot use it. This one seems to work for the MegaSTE.. and since it is the only one with any chance of production as far as I can tell in any near future.. thats why I am looking at it.

James

[exxos]

There are no PCB files even for it is there ?

Before anything you would have to work out how to use the PCB program and recreate the schematics that software first.. But the amount of time involved in doing that, it be far easier just to go with a PLD and learn how to program it. You only need to decode the address range of wherever you want the RAM to be in the memory map.

So if you really wanted to do this project,You need to learn how to use Eagle first. I already did some tutorials on this a few months ago. But it will be far easier in the long run just to do it all in a PLD with fast ram like on my board I was doing.

[Bikerbob]

The board has been produced in the past. I will go to the Atari-home.de or get someone who knows the group there and see if I can get the PCB from someone who has done it.

I am a builder .. not a designer.. show me soldering points and I am good. Ask me to engineer it.. no go. I would rather pay someone to design the board.

I am not being flippant but if its easy .. would it be a huge undertaking to do one up for a megaSTE? or your just too busy. I am waiting that maybe that booster that rpineau is working on might come to a point where it could be produced as well.. sign.. I have money and soldering iron, but no pcb and bom.

James

[exxos]

To busy mostly, in fact its why I dropped doing so much stuff lately as I am just not getting anything done at all.

But also like I said many times, my fingers hurt, so designing pcbs I cant do much anymore. Icky has been taking the load of me literally in that respect.. But we have the IDE, RTC, blitter, motherboard, booster , etc etc projects on the go already (see Ickys to do list) .. I had to stop work on the SEC booster (with alt-ram) due to lack of time already. In fact I have dropped STE & Falcon development totally now along with a lot of other things. I can't keep up with my webstore nevermind anything else. So "easy" projects pretty much take a year of my "free time". See here https://www.exxosforum.co.uk/forum/viewt ... =20&t=1182

We need more active people to work on such things..We are all beyond maxed out already.