Re: IIgs RAM cards, which one?

[Charles Stephens <devnull@dobbs.eng.sun.com>]

>>>>> "ST" == Supertimer  <supertimer@aol.com> writes:

 ST> Charles Stephens <cfs@Eng.Sun.com> wrote:
 >> Well, I want to make my "new" IIgs usuable, so I got myself a RamFAST
 >> SCSI card, but now I am in doubt about which memory card to use.
 >> 
 >> It seems my only choices new are the Sequential Systems RAM-GSplus and
 >> the Sirius RAM IIgs.
 >> 
 >> Now to take the card to 8M, the Sequential is US$119.95 and the Sirius
 >> is US$129.00.  However, with the Sirius card, I could get it at 2MB
 >> (US$65) and use SIMMs that I already have.

 ST> I would lean toward the Sirius.  Electronically, the two cards
 ST> are the same.  After 4MB (5MB total on a ROM 3), things start
 ST> getting iffy in terms of DMA compatibility....luckily, your
 ST> RamFAST card (assuming you got the new version from Sequential)
 ST> was designed to stuff all 8MB through DMA, so that's not a
 ST> problem.

I presume it will have the latest ROMs since I am buying it new from
them.

 ST> The only question is how much memory do you need and that really
 ST> depends on what kind of software you use.  2MB is a very good
 ST> level to start off on...if you find the system running out of memory
 ST> or want to do something that requires lots of memory (like the recent
 ST> projects to convert movies from other computers to the GS), then
 ST> with the Sirius, you can build from 2MB to 4MB or all the way to
 ST> 8MB using SIMM units you already have.  Sequential's card is also
 ST> good quality, but its RAM chips are butt hard to find....about the
 ST> only place stocking them is Sequential Systems.  To buy it from
 ST> them, they will charge you quite a bit.  If you buy a 4MB RAM-GS+
 ST> from them, then later buy 4MB of chips to expand that card, the
 ST> total is well above $129.00.

I plan on development, so the answer is 12MB, but some short sighted
firmware developer thought that was way too much.

 ST> If you don't want to mess with installing memory on the cards and
 ST> want to buy 8MB pre-installed, then the Sequential is the better
 ST> buy.  If you want to buy some memory (2MB of 4MB) now and add
 ST> more later, go with the Sirius....

Sounds like it.  I wonder if they sell it unpopulated.  That would be
best since I have seven 1MB SIMMs screaming for use.

cfs
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