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Re: Info on some Apple // cards?



heuser.marcus@freenet.de wrote:

  At u5 (BUF1) = DS1216 -
                                8702


This is a very interesting "module" from Dallas Semiconductor. To quote
the data sheet, which can be found here
http://www.ortodoxism.ro/datasheets/maxim/DS1216-DS1216D.pdf:

"The DS1216 SmartWatch RAM and SmartWatch ROM Sockets are 600mil-wide
DIP sockets with a built-in CMOS watch function, an NV RAM controller
circuit, and an embedded lithium energy source.
The sockets provide an NV RAM solution for memory sized from 2k x 8
to 512k x 8 with package sizes from 26 pins to 32 pins. When a socket
is mated with a CMOS SRAM, it provides a complete solution to problems
associated with memory volatility and uses a common energy source
to maintain time and date.
The SmartWatch ROM sockets use the embedded lithium source to maintain
the time and date only. A key feature of the SmartWatch is that the
watch function remains transparent to the RAM. The SmartWatch monitors
VCC for an out-of-tolerance condition. When such a condition occurs, an
internal lithium energy source is automatically switched on and write
protection is unconditionally enabled to prevent loss of watch and RAM
data."

There are several different versions of this part so the naming on the
chip is important.

This means that the card has a clock-calendar capability (quite similar
to the No Slot Clock, but accessible only to the on-card processor).

You can also plug additional buffer low-power SRAM into this socket
(piggybacked on the clock module), which becomes non-volatile memory--
a capability which the card almost certainly does not use (or it would
be under the standard BUF0 chip).

-michael

Music synthesis for 8-bit Apple II's!
Home page:  http://members.aol.com/MJMahon/

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