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View Full Version : NX RAM Upgrade to 32 MB

Submicron
03-01-2003, 08:54 PM
Does anyone know how much RAM that OS 5 can address? I was just wondering whether there will be an aftermarket RAM upgrade made available for the NX. Previous Palms have been upgradeable by this guy. (http://www.palmpilotupgrade.com/about.html)
reggae
03-01-2003, 09:40 PM
just out of curiosity, why wouldn't you ask "that guy?"
Submicron
03-01-2003, 09:43 PM
I did, several days ago. I'm still waiting for a reply. I sent him a second e-mail today.
TheUltimate
03-01-2003, 10:39 PM
I might be wrong, but I think I heard that OS5 can only handle 16 mb, and that OS6 will address a larger Ram, like 32....
Baker1369
03-01-2003, 11:12 PM
OS5 has to support more than 16mb because the Garmin iQue has 32 mb and is running OS5...
rhart00
03-01-2003, 11:20 PM
they said os4 couldn't handle hires but sony has been making pda's for at least a 1.5/2 years now that are hires and run os4. don't believe everything you hear
Badandy
03-01-2003, 11:29 PM
Exactly. Sony is always the innovator in Palm OS devices.
cbulock
03-02-2003, 03:09 AM
Originally posted by Baker1369
OS5 has to support more than 16mb because the Garmin iQue has 32 mb and is running OS5...

A guy from PalmSource said that OS5 doesn't nativly support more than 16MB, but it is simple to modify it to support more. Thats what Garmin did. So it should be easy for Sony too.
clieconverted
03-02-2003, 09:58 AM
Tony @ Palmpilotupgrade did a great job on my old M505 and it worked flawlessly. When I originally purchased my Palm TT I emailed him and several others with the intent of 32MB and keeping it.

The bottom line response was (from all parties) that the newer OS, Processors would require new tools and time to understand the process itself. But most importantly they want to see if there is demand. One of the companies (stryker I think) put the tool set at $10,000. Allot of money before you see any profit.

So basically wait for OS6 and we will most likely see 32MB, but only if people complain loud enough.
n2ifp
03-02-2003, 10:08 AM
Who knows, one day we may get our 5mb back on a newer model. My understanding is that the NX series is not upgradable for adding additional memory. I believe it was due to having no place to put an additional memory chip.
mashoutposse
03-02-2003, 10:11 AM
My friend and I were upgrading Palm V's to 8MB with a soldering iron and a magnifying glass back in high school. $10,000? Methinks the other guy's bull****tin' ya.
euroclie
03-02-2003, 11:13 AM
Originally posted by n2ifp
Who knows, one day we may get our 5mb back on a newer model.

I think that getting back part of the system-locked 5Mb should be possible without having to hack the hardware...

The question is: how much do we need to run most applications?

And how many NX70V users would prefer having part of those 5Mb back and not being able to play MP3 or record/play video...

If there are enough people interested, I may investigate the issue.
crh3f
03-02-2003, 11:52 AM
so, am I reading this right: there's a way for me to have my NR70 upgraded to 32mb RAM?
n2ifp
03-02-2003, 11:59 AM
Originally posted by crh3f
so, am I reading this right: there's a way for me to have my NR70 upgraded to 32mb RAM?

We were discussing the NX series as they come with only 11mb of user available RAM.

The NR70 comes with 15mb of usable RAM. Additionlly since it's using OS4.1, adding 32mb may not be possible.

Right now, nothing for these models is available for an upgrade, even if it was possible.

 

 
Submicron
03-02-2003, 12:44 PM
My friend and I were upgrading Palm V's to 8MB with a soldering iron and a magnifying glass back in high school. $10,000? Methinks the other guy's bull****tin' ya.

______________________________________________

I also think that it shouldn't be any sort of major capital investment for physically upgrading the memory. It's probably more of a question as to whether more memory (a larger chip) will fit into the case. What with the camera circuitry, CF socket, memory stick socket, associated electronics and the battery, that case has to be packed pretty tight. That is... assuming OS 5 and the bus architecture can access the extry memory.
n2ifp
03-02-2003, 01:30 PM
Right, so let's not get physical, ha-ha:D!

Seriously, that was the main reason, where to put it. Having a decent soldering/rework station is not cheap either.
Tixx
03-02-2003, 02:22 PM
Originally posted by euroclie


I think that getting back part of the system-locked 5Mb should be possible without having to hack the hardware...

The question is: how much do we need to run most applications?

And how many NX70V users would prefer having part of those 5Mb back and not being able to play MP3 or record/play video...

If there are enough people interested, I may investigate the issue.

I'd give up MP3 for it:)
Shrink
03-02-2003, 02:54 PM
And how many NX70V users would prefer having part of those 5Mb back and not being able to play MP3 or record/play video...

If there are enough people interested, I may investigate the issue. [/B][/QUOTE]
I've had a total of 4 Clies and never have used the mp3 feature.
I sure would love 32MB for my NX
alan
contempt
03-02-2003, 03:31 PM
Why investigate the issue when Brayder should hopefully have their OS5 version of JackSprat and JackFlash available to us? Then again, they have been delayed.
clieconverted
03-02-2003, 05:00 PM
BS or not, I can only comment on what was emailed to me. As for a space limitation that may be, but if a company that has been doing OS5 memory upgrades is not willing to make a capital move due to cost and/or limited demand that tells you something.

Now if someone can open up their NX and solder in a new memory chip then sign me up.
Submicron
03-02-2003, 05:17 PM
quote:
___________________________________________
Posted by clieconverted:

BS or not, I can only comment on what was emailed to me. As for a space limitation that may be, but if a company that has been doing OS5 memory upgrades is not willing to make a capital move due to cost and/or limited demand that tells you something.

Now if someone can open up their NX and solder in a new memory chip then sign me up.
__________________________________________

Hehe... I agree! Sign me up too!
T1000X
03-02-2003, 05:54 PM
I remember seeing a while back some one or some place that could upgrade an OS4 device to have 32MB of RAM. How it was done, as I understand it, is the additional 16MB that was unaddressable as actual RAM by the OS was used as a File Store, or recognized as an external card slot. You can add more than 32MB of RAM to a Palm OS4 device, but additional mods are requried. The additional RAM is recognized exactly like that of an external card.

As for OS5, yes it can handle more than 16MB of RAM. But, it requires the Palm OS 5.2 update in order to do so. From all of the investigative work I've done, the Garmin iQue is using Palm OS 5.2 meaning it's Virtual Graffiti area is really a Virtual Graffiti 2 area! Of course it also uses Palm's OS5 Hi-Res+ API, along with their Palm Universal Connector on the bottom. Just do a comparison of images of the T|T's back and bottom and the iQue's back and bottom connections.

I'm sure if we could upgrade the OS on the NX and NZ series to be OS 5.2, then it could address more RAM. Once that is accomplished, then the next step would be to find a 32MB or larger chip that could work in the NX or NZ series. I think from what I've seen and heard, we can expect an updated NX model to come from Sony by Q2 that will have Palm OS 5.2 (with Graffiti 2), Bluetooth, the buttons on the screen like the NZ90 and 32MB of RAM. I gaurantee you we can expect to see 32MB Clies by the end of the year, and possibly those with Bluetooth and WiFi built in.
cbulock
03-03-2003, 02:07 AM
what exactly does giving up MP3 playback have to do with regaining the 5MB of memory? I don't think the MP3 player even requires it. The only app I currently know of that requires it is NetFront, and maybe Piscel viewer and the Movie Player.
euroclie
03-03-2003, 03:28 AM
Originally posted by cbulock
what exactly does giving up MP3 playback have to do with regaining the 5MB of memory?
Well, I didn't yet try to measure how much heap space is needed to run the MP3 app, or Netfront, or the Video stuff on the Clie. One thing is sure, though: one (at least) application needs that much system heap space to run, and decreasing the allocated heap space size will prevent it to run. You're right, NetFront seems quite heap space hungry (as it fails to run on the Tungsten T with an error message about insufficient heap memory), but since there's no MP3-dedicated chip, it's quite possible that playing MP3 files requires some substancial amount of heap space...

So all in all, I think it's a matter of choice: if someone doesn't use NetFront, or the MP3 stuff, or even the video stuff, then it seems quite safe to assume that they won't lose much if we somehow manage to get part of those 5mb back. But then, would one buy a NX70V and not use those audio/video features? ;)

I'll investigate these issues as soon as I can find some spare time, and let you know the result.
n2ifp
03-03-2003, 06:45 AM
Will an upgrade to OS5.2 be all that is necessary to access 32mb of RAM, even if a chip could be added?

I suspect it would be more practical if it's in a new model.
birick
03-03-2003, 07:12 AM
Originally posted by mashoutposse
My friend and I were upgrading Palm V's to 8MB with a soldering iron and a magnifying glass back in high school. $10,000? Methinks the other guy's bull****tin' ya.

The equipment to do a professional job (and they do) is very expensive. You might have trouble getting customers if all you have is a soldering iron and a magnifying glass. :D
pelaca
03-03-2003, 09:31 AM
Originally posted by mashoutposse
My friend and I were upgrading Palm V's to 8MB with a soldering iron and a magnifying glass back in high school. $10,000? Methinks the other guy's bull****tin' ya.

Your friend, have to use, a BGA rework station for change the SDRAM chip on the NR/NX/NZ...

Like your friend, I modify several machines with PalmOS and PPC windows... check my work on the N710C/N760C HERE (http://tokiolapalm.cool.ne.jp//giken/021119N7x0c_upgrade/index.htm)

The max RAM supported by the PXA250 is 64Mb in 2 banks... the NX only has 1 bank on the circuit, thatīs leave us with only 32 Mb of RAM max on the NX.
Maybe you have to modify the HAL routine on the ROM for the memory manager initialization...
TheUltimate
03-03-2003, 09:44 AM
Well I hope someone can figure out how to upgrade the clie to 32 mb! Along with develop a CF Driver!