Re: RAM Drive + Wiz I

[spec@vax2.concordia.ca (Mitchell Spector)]

In article dempson@actrix.gen.nz (David Empson) writes...

>If it is the original motherboard, your only option is the Applied
>Engineering Z-RAM, which is plugged into the computer in place of the
>CPU and MMU chips (which are then plugged into the Z-RAM).
>
>If you have the "memory expansion" model of the IIc, you need Apple's
>IIc memory expansion card.  I believe there is a third party alternative
>(can anyone else confirm this)?

    Third party alternatives to the Apple "Slinky" memory card? Yep, I
believe there were, and off the top of my head they included the Applied
Engineering RAM Express I and II, Sequential Systems' RAM IIc and the
Chinook C-RAM. Unless I'm mistaken, all these were designed to work in
both the memory expandable IIc and IIc Plus.

    I've heard conflicting reports about Apple's own card. Technically
it should not work because of the timing differences between the IIc
and IIc Plus, however some people claim they have Apple cards inside
their IIc Pluses working flawlessly. My theory is either Apple made
some sort of modification to older cards or released a revision of
the IIc Memory Expansion Card starting early in 1989.

>I'm not sure if the Z-RAM works in this model.

    Hmm, interesting, I never really thought of that. I think it
would physically fit (the 65C02 and MMU are in the same location
on the ROM 3/4 IIc and IIc+) but I'm not sure if the machine is
able to support it. I don't believe the IIc+ would because of the
timing differences and redesigned board. I do have Slinky RAM and 
auxiliary RAM that both live together inside my Apple IIe, but
that isn't quite the same as the IIc situtation.

    Incidentally, speaking of alternatives, for the bank-switching
variety there was Checkmate's MultiRAM CX and an older card called
the "C Card" from Legend Industries. (Apple made no bank-switching
card, unless you count the 1K and 64K auxiliary cards for the IIe).

>(If the value printed is 5, you have a IIc+, which should also work with
>the IIc memory expansion card - can anyone confirm this?)

    See above. I don't own a Slinky card for my IIc+ or memory
expandable IIc so I haven't been able to do any testing myself
(with the Apple card that is).

Mitchell Spector
spec@vax2.concordia.ca