dbraun@cadev3.intel.com (Doug Braun ~) (12/29/87)
I am hacking up a new computer for myself, and I am trying to find out if anyone makes a 64K x 4 STATIC-COLUMN RAM chip. Intel had it in their catalog at one point, but they are out of the RAM business. I know I can get 256k x 4 static-column RAMs, but they are overkill (and too expensive) for my application. If any of you have catalogs from companies like NEC, Hitachi, Toshiba, etc., could you look to see if they make this product? If you can't find a static-column part, I might be able to use a nibble-mode one. BTW, a "static column" RAM is one where you can apply new column addresses without reasserting CAS, and very quickly access any data from one row. A "nibble-mode" RAM lets you access sequential bits by repeatedly reasserting CAS. An internal counter supplies the new column addresses for you. Doug Braun Intel Corp CAD 408 496-5939 / decwrl \ | hplabs | -| oliveb |- !intelca!mipos3!cadev4!dbraun | amd | \ qantel /
dje@datacube.UUCP (12/31/87)
I understand that the requirements for parts differ when you're building one of something than when you're designing a product. We use lots of RAMs in image memory applications. Cost and availability are prime issues here. We build fast image memories. Nibble 256K X 1's are readily available. Nibble 64K X 4's are not, though. We designed them in about 2 years ago. At the time we had three data sheets and production parts from Hitachi. Then a year later, the Hitachi source dried up, and no-one else really made them. Seems we and one other manufacturer were the only significant users, so Hitachi stopped making them. We changed the design to use fast page parts. This requires presenting addressing on subsequent CAS's. Regarding Static Column DRAMs, Intel made announcements with a flurry (Nice glossy brochures), handed out samples, got everyone excited, and dropped the parts. (Designus interruptus). No-one has really pushed Static Column hard since, but you may find a source for them. Also, static column parts are CMOS, meaning they will usually cost more. Fast page *almost* eliminates the need for those other guys: They're as fast as nibble and almost as fast as Static column. Dave Erickson ---------------------------------------------- ------ Datacube Inc. / /| 4 Dearborn Rd. ------ | Peabody, Ma 01960 || \| | ihnp4!datacube!dje || /|/ Human:(617)535-6644 ------ Fax: (617)535-5643