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Underclocking to match BS2's speed? — Parallax Forums

Underclocking to match BS2's speed?

Velvet LeopardVelvet Leopard Posts: 47
edited 2004-08-20 13:35 in BASIC Stamp
Hi.· I have a memory board I want to experiment with.· It's maximum access time from the positive edge of the clock signal is 5.4 ns.· It performs 4,096 cycles per 64 ms.· I know this is fast.· Is there a way to slow this thing down so the basic stamp can use it?· The board is a MC-4532CD647XFA-A75 133MHz (333) 256MB SDRAM DIMM with 16 banks (uPD45128841).· I have the data sheets for both the DIMM and the banks.· I need to know if this CAN be slowed down so the stamp or other microcontroller can use it.· It is externally clocked.· I won't be upset if it can't, but I do want to try.· Thanks.··· Oh yeah.· I know it has 168 pins so not all of it can be used.· I just want to know if the banks can slowed so the stamp can use them.

Comments

  • Chris SavageChris Savage Parallax Engineering Posts: 14,406
    edited 2004-08-20 03:22
    Memory modules for computers aren't going to interface with the BS2...For one thing DRAM requires periodic refreshing to retain the data.· The memory circuits in computers are designed to interface with these modules and "keep the memory intact".· If you could access a DRAM module with a BS2, and you wrote some data to it, it would be gone in mere milliseconds.

    Is it me or are you looking for all the things a BS2 can't do?


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    Chris Savage

    Knight Designs
    324 West Main Street
    P.O. Box 97
    Montour Falls, NY 14865
    (607) 535-6777

    Business Page:·· http://www.knightdesigns.com
    Personal Page:··· http://www.lightlink.com/dream/chris
    ·
  • cabojoecabojoe Posts: 72
    edited 2004-08-20 04:09
    LOL Chris...Leopard, I advise you to spend some time at parallax's site in the accessories section. Everything they have there interfaces quite nicely with the stamp. I think you need to think about what you intend to do with the stamp, and look for the addons that will help you accomplish your goal. If your goal is to use PC stuff that you have laying around, then I would think that you should concentrate on interfacing your stuff to a PC.
  • Chris SavageChris Savage Parallax Engineering Posts: 14,406
    edited 2004-08-20 04:16
    I myself have interfaced to far too many things...Using far too many CPU platforms (Which probably explains why I never did very much with any of them)...Heck one year we even converted a 1980 Pontiac Grand Prix into a Computerized car very much like KITT from the TV Series Knight Rider.· All Digital Dash, on-board computer that monitored several engine and car systems...All kinds of neat things.· It was the biggest (And one of the most useless) projects I ever undertook.· But I knew what I wanted to accomplish, and I did alot of research on alot of the circuits used...Some came from very old issues of Popular Electronics, which I had to research on microfiche.· I thought about adding a computer monitoring system to my Katana 750, but am worried about the weather getting to it, so it will probably never happen.


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    Chris Savage

    Knight Designs
    324 West Main Street
    P.O. Box 97
    Montour Falls, NY 14865
    (607) 535-6777

    Business Page:·· http://www.knightdesigns.com
    Personal Page:··· http://www.lightlink.com/dream/chris
    ·
  • cabojoecabojoe Posts: 72
    edited 2004-08-20 04:25
    Real nice bike! I myself am waiting for a memory/brain interface lol.
  • Chris SavageChris Savage Parallax Engineering Posts: 14,406
    edited 2004-08-20 04:27
    cabojoe said...
    Real nice bike! I myself am waiting for a memory/brain interface lol.
    You and me BOTH!· cool.gif


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    Chris Savage

    Knight Designs
    324 West Main Street
    P.O. Box 97
    Montour Falls, NY 14865
    (607) 535-6777

    Business Page:·· http://www.knightdesigns.com
    Personal Page:··· http://www.lightlink.com/dream/chris
    ·
  • Velvet LeopardVelvet Leopard Posts: 47
    edited 2004-08-20 05:08
    Well, Chris, I guess you're right.· I am just real excited about having my first ever microcontroller.· I have high hopes about alot of things.· I will check out the accessories site out now, but what do I do if there is no accessory for what I intend my project to do?· Thanks for the info.· I have thought about doing a strict PC style project, but I think it is too far fetched.· Would you happen to know a place that can take a laptop's motherboard and divide the circuitry into several boards so it can fit into a very small or drawn out space.· If I could do that, I would already have most of my project done, but OS's are super hard to write though.
  • cabojoecabojoe Posts: 72
    edited 2004-08-20 05:42
    Are you trying to build a bot or what kinda idea do you have?
  • jakjrjakjr Posts: 88
    edited 2004-08-20 05:50
    I·think he's trying to build a windows box using his bs2 for the motherboard smilewinkgrin.gif .
  • LoopyBytelooseLoopyByteloose Posts: 12,537
    edited 2004-08-20 06:31
    Try to consider the limitations of small memory and slower speed as assets.
    They really help you realized the fundamental planning and fundamental structure of microprocessors.

    You could get a small single board computer with lots of memory and a harddisk, but you would likely never come to terms with the basic central issues of concise timing and compact memory use. (I know because I am lazy that way).

    The BasicStamp is wonderful as it can communicate, it can control, and it can organize. Usually it can do more than you have time to create. Parallax has an educational attitude that many other tech site seem to ignore.

    So be patient, actually do the experiments in the books to build your skills and knowledge, and keep an open mind as new ideas will come. Also, be thankful that technology has moved away from all those parallel lines that DRAM requires for addresses and data -- you really cannot breadboard such devices.

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    G. Herzog in Taiwan
  • Chris SavageChris Savage Parallax Engineering Posts: 14,406
    edited 2004-08-20 13:35
    We could help you if you would do two things different...

    One, perhaps you should layout your overall design goals...So far (From what I see) it appears as if you are changing your mind/application every other post.· I'm not sure if anyone knows what you're really trying to do.

    Two, stop focusing on the limitations of the BS2, and start focusing on what you need for your project.· If you break things down into simpler tasks, maybe it would be easier to achieve your end goal.

    If you're trying to do what I see in another forum, then you are definately biting off more than you can chew for a beginner with the BS2, and that may be part of your problem.

    For example, instead of trying to build a whole computer (figuratively speaking), work on just the video sub-system first...When we built the car computer, it took two years.· And that was just the electronics.


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    Chris Savage

    Knight Designs
    324 West Main Street
    P.O. Box 97
    Montour Falls, NY 14865
    (607) 535-6777

    Business Page:·· http://www.knightdesigns.com
    Personal Page:··· http://www.lightlink.com/dream/chris
    ·
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