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Beginners Guide: Reading RAM and Memory Labels
Beginners Guide: Reading RAM and Memory Labels - PCSTATS
Do you know what kind of memory you are using for overclocking? Are you SURE that RAM is really what you think it is? PCSTATS shows you how to decipher the codes printed on each RAM chip and see for yourself!
Filed under: Memory Published:  Author: 
External Mfg. Website: PCSTATS Apr 06 2000   Max Page  
Home > Reviews > Memory > PCSTATS

Okay, what I'm about to discuss no one should really know. I mean there is knowing your hardware and there's knowing your hardware - this topic falls under the latter :-)

Ever wonder if that RAM you bought is really what you wanted? Unless the OEM is nice enough to put an inventory sticker on the ram stick with 64, 32, 100, or 133 cryptically in there somewhere, you wouldn't have a clue what it was you were holding.

The same goes for that sick of RAM that was hiding behind the couch - what speed is it?

How then do you decipher the codes printed on each chip? Well, step one is to go to the manufacturers website and hope they are web-savy enough to have put up decent documentation. I looked around trying to find out what one stick of RAM I have is but wasn't able to find any info on it.

Strangely enough Hyundai (Korean Car maker to most of us) has such a section on their website.

Listed are hundreds of Adobe PDF's that explain every single bit of code and tell you way more then any normal human should know about their RAM. Remember HY57V651620B TC-75, cause we're about to explain what the heck it actually means.

A)

B)

C)

D)

E)

F)

G)

H)

I)

J)

K)

HY 57 V 65 16 2 0 B / TC 75
HY 5X X XXX XX X X X X - XX XX

A) Hyundai: HY Memory products
B) Product Group: 57 SDRAM
C) Processor & P/S V CMOS, 3.3V
D) Density & Refresh 65 64M bits, 4k Ref
E) Data width 16 x16
F) Bank 2 4 Banks
G) Interface 0 LVTTL
H) Die generation B 3rd Generation
I) Power Consumption / Normal Power
j) Package TC 400mil TSOP-II
k) Speed 75 7.5 ns (133MHz)

So now the cryptic message makes some sense, and we see our stick of RAM is pretty dang good. 7.5ns, 3rd die generation and running at 133Mhz just like we expected. While this isn't a very useful exercise if you already know what you have, it can be very useful if you haven't a clue what a particular stick of RAM is.
 
One other tip which was sent in; looking towards the end of the ram-chips' serial (after a letter usually) is a number. Numbers like 7 or 75 depict 7ns and 7.5ns RAM and are pc133. Numbers like 8, 85, 10 depict 8ns, 8.5ns and 10ns RAM and are PC100 RAM.

While looking around their site I was able to dig up even more info on my "can I have 64megs of 133Mhz RAM, please". Again this all falls under the category of stuff no human should really know, but its still interesting none the less...

The Hyundai HY57V651620B is a 67,108,864-bit CMOS Synchronous DRAM, ideally suited for the main memory applications which require large memory density and high bandwidth. HY57V651620B is organized as 4banks of 1,048,576x16. HY57V651620B is offering fully synchronous operation referenced to a positive edge of the clock. All inputs and outputs are synchronized with the rising edge of the clock input. The data paths are internally pipelined to achieve very high bandwidth. All input and output voltage levels are compatible with LVTTL. Programmable options include the length of pipeline (Read latency of 2 or 3), the number of consecutive read or write cycles initiated by a single control command (Burst length of 1,2,4,8 or Full page), and the burst count sequence(sequential or interleave). A burst of read or write cycles in progress can be terminated by a burst terminate command or can be interrupted and replaced by a new burst read or write command on any cycle. (This pipelined design is not restricted by a `2N` rule.)
FEATURES
  • Single 3.3±0.3V power supply
  • All device pins are compatible with LVTTL interface
  • JEDEC standard 400mil 54pin TSOP-II with 0.8mm of pin pitch
  • All inputs and outputs referenced to positive edge of system clock
  • Data mask function by UDQM or LDQM
  • Internal four banks operation
  • Auto refresh and self refresh
  • 4096 refresh cycles / 64ms
  • Programmable Burst Length and Burst Type
    - 1, 2, 4, 8 or Full page for Sequential Burst
    - 1, 2, 4 or 8 for Interleave Burst
  • Programmable CAS Latency ; 2, 3 Clocks
Ramfinder v2.0

RamFinder was created to help anyone interested in finding more information about specific types of DIMM RAM. To use RamFinder simply match up the memory in question with one of the pictures or companies below and follow the link. The link will guide you to the general area where information, or data sheets are available for each particular manufacturers' memory products .

The following brands of memory are listed on RamFinder:

ACTCTS/Tonicom | Apacer | Elite MT | Enhanced | Fujitsu | Hitachi | Hyundai | Infineon | J.tec | LD | Micron | Mitsubishi | Mosel | Nanya | NCP | NEC | OKI | Panasonic | PQI | Samsung | Semicon | SMT | Texas Instruments | TONICOM | Toshiba | TwinMOS | Vanguard | Winbond


Check out the links and read your RAM!

Add this page to your Favorites
ACTCTS RAM
ACTCTS Ram / Tonicom Ram
Manufacturers Symbol: ACTCTS, ACTRAM, TONICOM
Manufacturer Name: CTS Computer Technology System Corp.
Data Sheets: Click to View
Apacer Ram
Manufacturers Symbol: APACER
Manufacturer Name: Apacer Technology Inc.
Data Sheets: Click to View
EliteMT Ram
Manufacturers Symbol: ELITEMT, ESMT
Manufacturer Name: Elite Semiconductor Memory Technology Inc.
Data Sheets: Click to View
Enhanced Ram
Manufacturers Symbol: Enhanced
Manufacturer Name: Enhanced Memory Systems Inc.
Data Sheets: Click to View
Fujitsu RAM
Fujitsu Ram
Manufacturers Symbol: FUJITSU
Manufacturer Name: Fujitsu ltd.
Data Sheets: Click to View
Hitachi RAM
Hitachi Ram
Manufacturers Symbol: HITACHI
Manufacturer Name: Hitachi Semiconductor Inc.
Data Sheets: Click to View
Hyundai Ram
Manufacturers Symbol: HYUNDAI
Manufacturer Name: Hyundai Electronics Industries Co., Ltd.
Data Sheets: Click to View
Infineon Ram
Manufacturers Symbol: INFINEON
Manufacturer Name: Infineon Technologies AG
Data Sheets: Click to View
Jtec Ram
Manufacturers Symbol: JTEC
Manufacturer Name: Unknown
Data Sheets: Unknown
LD Ram
Manufacturers Symbol: LD
Manufacturer Name: Unknown
Data Sheets: Unknown
Micron Ram
Manufacturers Symbol: MT
Manufacturer Name: Micron Technology Inc.
Data Sheets: Click to View
Mitsubishi Ram
Manufacturers Symbol: MITSUBISHI
Manufacturer Name: Mitsubishi Electric & Electronics Inc.
Data Sheets: Click to View
Mosel Ram
Manufacturers Symbol: MOSEL
Manufacturer Name: Mosel Vitelic, Corp.
Data Sheets: Click to View
Nanya Ram
Manufacturers Symbol: NANYA
Manufacturer Name: Nanya Technology Corp.
Data Sheets: Click to View
NCP Ram
Manufacturers Symbol: NCP
Manufacturer Name: Hexon Technology
Data Sheets: Click to View
NEC Ram
Manufacturers Symbol: NEC
Manufacturer Name: NEC Electronics Inc.
Data Sheets: Click to View
OKI Ram
Manufacturers Symbol: OKI
Manufacturer Name: Oki Semiconductor
Data Sheets: Click to View
Panasonic Ram
Manufacturers Symbol: PANASONIC
Manufacturer Name: Matsushita Electric Corp.
Data Sheets: Click to View
PQI RAM
PQI Ram
Manufacturers Symbol: PQI
Manufacturer Name: Power Quotient International Co., Ltd.
Data Sheets: Click to View
Samsung Ram / SEC Ram
Manufacturers Symbol: SEC
Manufacturer Name: Samsung Semiconductor, Inc.
Data Sheets: Click to View
Semicon Ram
Manufacturers Symbol: SEMICON, LGS
Manufacturer Name: LG Semicon Corp.
Data Sheets: Click to View

South Land Micro RAM

Southland Micro Ram / SMT Ram
Manufacturers Symbol: SMT
Manufacturer Name: Southland Micro Systems
Data Sheets: Click to View
Texas Instruments Ram
Manufacturers Symbol: TI
Manufacturer Name: Texas Instruments Inc.
Data Sheets: Click to View
Tonicom Ram / ACTCTS Ram
Manufacturers Symbol: TONICOM, ACTCTS, ACTRAM
Manufacturer Name: cts computer technology system corp.
data sheets: click to view
Toshiba Ram
Manufacturers Symbol: TOSHIBA
Manufacturer Name: Toshiba Electronics Inc.
Data Sheets: Click to View
TwinMOS Ram
Manufacturers Symbol: TwinMOS
Manufacturer Name: TwinMOS Technologies Inc.
Data Sheets: Click to View
Vangard Int'l Semiconductor Ram
Manufacturers Symbol: VG
Manufacturer Name: Vanguad International Semiconductor Corp.
Data Sheets: Click to View
WINBOND RAM
Winbond Ram
Manufacturers Symbol: WINBOND
Manufacturer Name: Winbond Electronics Corp.
Data Sheets: Click to View


Buying RAM - Upgrading Memory:

If you're looking to buy some RAM for your system we recommend you go to Crucial Memory. A wizard on their site makes finding the proper type of memory for your system pretty easy. Even if you know next to nothing about the technical details of what RAM you have currently. Upon entering the site, choose either your motherboard or system manufacturer from the drop-down list, followed by the model. They will then show you a list of all their suitable memory upgrades for your system.


 

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