[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]
Re: Need info on upgrading IIgs
In article <3sak77$b06@porthos.rutgers.edu>,
David Pirmann <pirmann@porthos.rutgers.edu> wrote:
>
> Are there RAM cards that take standard PC simms?
Yes. (Well, the old standard - 8-bit, 30 pin SIMMs, not the newer
32-bit, 72 pin ones.) The parity bit is not required, so you can use
8-bit rather than 9-bit ones.
There are two SIMM-based RAM cards that I have personally used: the
OctoRAM, originally sold by MDIdeas, and the original Q-RAM GS from
Quality Computers. The latter isn't available any more - QC replaced
it with the Q-RAM GS-2, which uses ZIL chips, I think.
MDIdeas is out of business, but I heard that the OctoRAM was still
available from somewhere. I don't have the details handy.
The Q-RAM GS takes one, two or four 1MB SIMMs. The OctoRAM can take
one, two, four or eight SIMMs, either 256KB or 1MB (all must be the
same type). If eight SIMMs are installed, it isn't DMA compatible
(except with a RAMFast).
There is at least one other SIMM-based RAM card that I saw advertised
a while back, but I don't recall much about it. It looked almost
identical to the Q-RAM GS.
Having said all that, the cheapest 4MB RAM card for the IIgs is
probably the one from Sequential Systems. They offer two RAM cards:
one with 4MB preinstalled (and no further upgrades) and another which
can be expanded to 8MB. The 4MB card is something like US$130.
> Assuming I don't need or want the best (e.g. I hear the RamFAST SCSI
> card is probably the best) how much could I expect to pay for a
> normal scsi card
The RamFast is the only SCSI card that is still available
commercially. I don't know the exact price - something like US$120, I
think.
You may be able to find Apple High-Speed SCSI cards (slower than the
RAMFast for 8-bit software) from some sources, but they will be
getting hard to find. When they were sold commercially, they went for
about US$100.
The original Apple SCSI card is considerably slower than either of the
above, and should be much cheaper (second hand). If you consider
buying one of these, make sure it has the latest ROM version (revision
C, labelled 341-0437-A).
Assuming you are only interested in using it with a hard drive, any of
the cards will do - speed and price are the main points to consider.
The original Apple card can also support older Apple CD-ROM drives
(the CDSC, at least; I'm not sure about the CDSC-Plus or the CD-150).
With drivers and appropriate software, it may be possible to support
other devices under GS/OS, but this isn't very likely. Note that
under ProDOS-8, this card is limited to 7 partitions in total on all
drives, which can be rather restrictive with a large hard drive. The
firmware doesn't support removable hard drives properly (it doesn't
detect a changed cartridge).
The Apple High-Speed card supports all of the single-speed Apple
CD-ROM drives. It will also work with newer drives for data, but
cannot support audio CDs, except under GS/OS with special software.
It theoretically supports other SCSI devices, but this depends on
driver and software availability under GS/OS.
The RamFast supports the widest range of devices.
> and 4 meg ram card (or both on 1 card?)
You can't put both on the same card, because they have to go in
different slots.
The RAMFast and Sequential's 4MB RAM card are available from:
Sequential Systems
1200 Diamond Circle
Lafayette, CO 80026
U.S.A.
Phone 1-303-666-4549
Orders 1-800-759-4549
BBS 1-303-666-7797
Tech Support 1-800-999-1717
You may be able to find cheaper alternatives from resellers such as:
Alltech Electronics Co.
2618 Temple Heights
Oceanside, CA 92056
U.S.A.
Orders Only 800/995-7773
Inquiries & Tech Support 619/724-2404
Fax 619/724-8808
BBS (FutureNet #30) 619/724-4660
9:00 AM-5:30 PM, Mon. - Fri.
Shreve Systems
1200 Marshall St
Shreveport, LA 71101
U.S.A.
Orders Only 800/227-3971
Tech Support 318/424-7987
Fax 318/424-9771
Purchasing Dept 318/424-9791
--
David Empson
dempson@actrix.gen.nz
Snail mail: P.O. Box 27-103, Wellington, New Zealand