RAM pack

Sinclair ZX81 with 16 kB "RAM pack" expansion attached at the rear.

RAM pack,[1][2] RAMpack, RAM expansion cartridge, RAM expansion unit (REU),[3] memory expansion pak[4] and memory module[5] are some of the most common names given to various self-contained units or cartridges that expand a computer, games console or other device's own internal RAM in a user-friendly manner.

Such units are generally designed to be installable by an end-user with little technical knowledge, often simply by plugging them into an expansion or cartridge slot easily accessible at the rear of the machine (e.g. the Sinclair ZX81 or the VTech Laser 200[6]), or via a user-accessible hatch (e.g. the Atari 800's CX852 and CX853 modules or the Nintendo 64 Expansion Pak[7]).

The ZX81 16K RAM expansion gained particular notoriety for the "RAM pack wobble" problem[8][9] due to the fact it was top-heavy and only supported by the edge connector. This led to it falling out, crashing the ZX81 and losing any program or data currently in the computer's memory.

Examples of such memory expansions include:

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 http://fjkraan.home.xs4all.nl/comp/zx80/rampack.html (shown as "RAM pack" on 1-3 KB unit itself)
  2. 2.0 2.1 http://www.jupiter-ace.co.uk/hardware_rampacks.html (shown as "RAM pack" on manual)
  3. John Christian Lønningdal. "Commodore Retro Heaven". Retro.lonningdal.net. Retrieved 2014-03-25.
  4. 4.0 4.1 "Nintendo 64 Jumper Pak and Expansion Pak Wiki | DKOldies Nintendo Game Blog". Blog.dkoldies.com. 2009-03-26. Retrieved 2014-03-25.
  5. "ATARI 1064 Memory Module". Rhod.fr. Retrieved 2014-03-25.
  6. "File:Disk smith vz200 with ram expansion.jpg". En.wikipedia.org. 2007-07-31. Retrieved 2014-03-25.
  7. "Customer Service | Nintendo 64 - Installing the Nintendo 64 Expansion Pak". Nintendo. Retrieved 2014-03-25.
  8. 8.0 8.1 http://www.sincuser.f9.co.uk/013/hardwre.htm (cf. "...stops any RAM pack wobble..." referring to problems with the original Sinclair unit)
  9. 9.0 9.1 http://www.sincuser.f9.co.uk/018/hardwre.htm ("...another solution to RAM pack wobble...")