Disk on Chip FLASH ROM with special control logic to simulate a disk. The MZ104 Board has a socket for a M-Systems Disk on Chip (supplied with the contest boards).
Dynamic RAM (DRAM) is High Speed High Density Storage which requires special electrical interface to "refresh" the data. Generally very cost effective in that it uses one transistor per bit saved. The electrical interface to the DRAM is complex and requires a special controller.
Electrically Erasable PROM (EEPROM) is similar to PROM but may be erased in segments by the microprocessor. Very slow to erase.
Embedded Design is a computer product which is designed into a larger product, such as an automotive engine controller or a TV Set Top Box. Generally anything from a simple controller to something less than a full desktop computer.
EPROM is similar to PROM but may be erased by a strong UV light source. Very slow to erase. Seldom used anymore. Erasing removes all data.
FLASH ROM is similar to EEPROM but much cheaper and much faster. Each Flash Manufacturer uses somewhat different algorithms to electrically erase parts of the memory. Frequently used for BIOS in Desktop PCs in that the BIOS can be replaced in the field. A 4 MB Flash Chip is provided on the MZ104 contest board.
Programmable Read Only Memory (PROM) is inexpensive in small quantities and cheap to program. Program once only.
ROM (Read Only Memory) is similar to Static RAM but the code/data is burned into the ROM once and never changed. Data survives power failure. ROMs are designed and mass produced with the program/data inside. There is a very high setup charge and ROMs are generally ordered in large quantity. The MachZ has an internal ROM which contains the BUR (boot up ROM - Failsafe ROM).
Synchronous Dynamic RAM (SDRAM) is a variation of DRAM which is becoming the most popular and economical DRAM. It is the only type of DRAM supported by the MachZ Chip. The MachZ has a built-in SDRAM controller. The MZ104 Board has a socket which will take a single SDRAM chip of up to 64 MB. The Contest Boards will be provided with 32 MB of SDRAM (since it is a socket, you can substitute 64 MB if you'd like).
Serial EPROM (SEEPROM) is electrically erasable, remembers the data when power goes off, but accepts and receives data via a 2-wire serial interface. This memory is used by the Z-Tag input on the MachZ. Z-Tag is a ZF Logic Technology. SEEPROM is an important component in the FailSafe aspects of the Machz, and will be discussed in Article 3.
Static RAM (SRAM) is High Speed Moderate Density Memory. This memory requires a very simple electrical interface and does not require "refresh". The MachZ has special Mem_cs* signals to allow inexpensive (no extra parts) connection to SRAM and Flash.