Time to play: GUESS THAT SIMM!

[MrMacPlus]

Name this strange thing and you deserve a cookie. I found it in a box of RAM I was sent, and don't need it, maybe I'll sell it if I get a good offer.

http://mrmacplus.gryphonclaw.net/macintosh/weirdsimm.JPG

I know it's blurry.

 

[tmtomh]

Looks like a ROM SIMM or cache SIMM.

Definitely not RAM or VRAM.

M

 

[MrMacPlus]

Looks like a ROM SIMM or cache SIMM.
Definitely not RAM or VRAM.

M

It's a cache SIMM, bonus points if you know the specific computer model it's for. Hint: I don't own this machine.

 

[Unknown_K]

Talk about a bad picture.

 

[MrMacPlus]

Talk about a bad picture.

That's a Kodak Easyshare for you.

 

[Christopher]

Mac Pro

You said it was a mac you don't own.

 

[MrMacPlus]

Mac Pro
You said it was a mac you don't own.

Hmmm... Nope. I'm pretty sure someone on these forums owns one.

 

[Christopher]

Oh oh! This could be from a Cray X/MP!

 

[Unknown_K]

Talk about a bad picture.

That's a Kodak Easyshare for you.

No thats a bad picture (hands shaking, bad focus). I use a Kodak 5MP digital camera and it works fine, the cheap easyshare software that came with it was ok (not the greatest buts its free).

 

[Leografix]

Hmm... reminds me a bit of a Twentieth Anniversary Mac Cache. At least it looks a bit like the Sonnet Crescendo upgrade which already carries a cache.

The Apple Network Server's cache looks similar, too but regarding the picture I would say this one is a bit smaller.

J

 

[MrMacPlus]

Ready for me to reveal the answer?

 

[tmtomh]

Please do reveal the answer. If it's indeed a SIMM (as opposed to a DIMM), then I would guess an L2 cache from a 6100/7100/8100. Though to me it actually looks a bit more like a cache DIMM from a 6400/6500.

M

 

[MrMacPlus]

Please do reveal the answer. If it's indeed a SIMM (as opposed to a DIMM), then I would guess an L2 cache from a 6100/7100/8100. Though to me it actually looks a bit more like a cache DIMM from a 6400/6500.
M

sure, I'll give you that one. It's a 256k Cache SIMM from a PowerMac 6100. Anyone need it?

 

[Dennis Nedry]

I've always wondered what difference the cache actually makes in a 6100. I can't imagine it would be anything too dramatic.

I noticed that 6100s that come with this are labeled 6100/66 instead of 6100/60. Does it actually overclock CPU by 6 MHz?

 

[tmtomh]

The 6100 had two variants - a 60MHz version and a 66MHz version. The L2 cache has nothing to do with CPU clock speed.

 

[Bunsen]

The /66 is in fact an upgraded machine with a faster-rated 601 and a faster bus. The fact that it came with cache is incidental.

In fact, the improvement on an x100 from adding cache can be quite dramatic. For starters, if you're using the onboard vampire video, it speeds up screen redraws enormously - a 1MB cache can, er, cache the entire screen at high dot and colour counts. Even a 256k cache can do so for lesser screens.

Alas, the 1MB cache makes hen's teeth look like AOL CDs, whereas the 256k can be had for a dime apiece.

Given that G3 upgrades are relatively cheap and plentiful, and have cache, this is rarely an issue. However, there are fools such as I who would love to recreate the 1MB module, perhaps using something similar to a SIMMtree to mount 4 x 256k.

Informed speculation as to feasibility is hereby invited.

 

[Mike Richardson]

http://eshop.macsales.com/item/IDT/CACHE256M/

Here is the individual cache for 95 cents.

That bulk rate cache lot is really interesting. I'm tempted to buy it. I probably have about 7 or so x100 Macs that could use caches, and the rest I could resell.

 

[MrMacPlus]

I'd seriously sell the SIMM to you for a buck. For good karma, also. I also have 4 of the VRAM 68pin SIMMs apparently for the NuBus video cards.

 

[Dennis Nedry]

The 6100 had two variants - a 60MHz version and a 66MHz version. The L2 cache has nothing to do with CPU clock speed.

I guess I had always assumed it was because of the cache because the two typically coincide. I just learned something new.