RAMBOX: what is this and how to recognize if from a picture?

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RAMBOX: what is this and how to recognize if from a picture?

Postby floppy_stuttgart » Sun Oct 31, 2021 3:10 pm

Hello,
a seller on eBay is selling an "HP41 card reader". But I suppose it could be a RAMBOX from W&W without the label (because a W&W manual is in the package to be sold; equipment coming "from the dad"). Here is another one with the label https://picclick.de/Rambox-von-WW-f%C3% ... 51095.html
Question:
- what is this RAMBOX?
- use in comparison with a Nov64d? (any need? I have Nov64d)
- If this is interesting, how he seller should test it?
Any advice and information is welcome.
floppy_stuttgart
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Re: RAMBOX: what is this and how to recognize if from a pict

Postby rprosperi » Sun Oct 31, 2021 4:12 pm

Do you have a link to the listing?

On a W&W RAMBOX, in the 'slot' on the back of the case, where there is just a simple label on a card reader, there are 3 sets of 8 microswitches, which are used to configure the RAMBOX. I'm not sure if all are the same, but for all the RAMBOX's I've seen, the face of the switches is bright blue.

This device contains 32K of 10-bit RAM (emulating 41 ROM) which you can map into the 41's upper pages to install MCODE you may be developing, or even copy existing ROMs. Of the 32K, 4K is allocated for the RAMBOX's built-in f/w.
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Re: RAMBOX: what is this and how to recognize if from a pict

Postby pcscote » Mon Nov 01, 2021 6:42 pm

Just nick-picking here, actually the W&W RAMBOX device do not have built-in firmware, you have to load the W&W ROM image into a 4K RAM page and the internal battery backup keep it there.
The battery of one of my W&W RAMBOX is dead and I have to reload the W&W ROM image each time I connect the box to one of my HP-41.

BTW, you can also use the box as a generic RAM box device and it will work.

FYI, uploading the W&W ROM image in the W&W RAMBOX 64 or a HP-41CY is very tricky, but with Jürgen Keller reanimation tool it is a lot easier.
Jürgen Keller reanimation article and tool page (I have dedicated a Clonix-D module just for that purpose.)
The tool also work with the original RAMBOX version.

All Nov modules (NoVRAM, NoV-32, NoV-64 & NoV-64d) can be used as RAM box, you need to configure the module as a NOV module and unselect the HEPAX option.

Sylvain
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Re: RAMBOX: what is this and how to recognize if from a pict

Postby floppy_stuttgart » Wed Nov 03, 2021 5:32 pm

Thanks.
I asked the seller: No switches visible. That was only an offer with a card reader and a RAMBOX manual
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