Memory expansion modules for Pippin were manufactured by Bandai Digital Entertainment.
Bandai's Pippin Atmark and @WORLD consoles shipped with 6MB of built-in RAM, while the Katz Media Player 2000 shipped with at least 8MB. This memory was shared by the on-board video (which used 1MB as VRAM) and the Macintosh operating system (which itself took up about 2MB), leaving the remainder to be used by the application.[1] Support for displaying Japanese and Kanji characters consumed about another 1MB of memory, 1.5MB if Japanese text input is required.[2] Some Pippin titles required a memory upgrade to launch or enable additional features.[3]
Design[]
Sometimes referred to as "retention cards", the modules use a 68-pin Hirose FX-type mezzanine connector to add 2, 4, 8 or 16MB of RAM, mounted on a small board that was manufactured by ADTEC Corporation (アドテック) and housed in a plastic case.[4] As high-capacity modules were very rare, hobbyists have been known to produce handcrafted units.[5]
Release[]
Because some software updates, such as Internet Kit v.2.0, required a memory upgrade, Bandai Digital Entertainment announced that the complete price (including installation fee) for a 2MB memory module would be discounted from JP¥ 15,000 to 9,800 from September 25 to December 10, 1996.[6] The upgrade service began at the end of November 1996 and the complete installation price for a 8MB memory module was also discounted, from JP¥ 27,000 to 19,800.[7] Memory cards could also be purchased directly in Japan by users who did not want to send in their consoles for the installation service.[8] In Europe, Katz Media sold a 16MB memory module with their SurfEZ! web browser for US$ 149.[9]
Versions[]
Model | Product ID / Family No. | Date | MSRP* |
---|---|---|---|
Pippin ATMARK ATMARK(sic) Memory Card 2MB | PA-82003-2 | 1995 | ? |
Pippin ATMARK ATMARK(sic) Memory Card 2MB | PA-82011[10] | 1996 | JP¥ 11,800[11] (¥15,000 installed)[6] |
PA-82011 / 601077500[12] | 1996-01-07 | ||
Pippin @ ATMARK EX-Memory 4MB (for EVT-2 prototype)** | PA-82003-1[13] | 1995 | ? |
Pippin @ ATMARK EX-Memory 4MB (for developers) | PA-82003-4[14] | 1995 | ? |
Pippin ATMARK ATMARK(sic) Memory Card 8MB | PA-82013 / 60110[15] | 1996-01-10 | JP¥ 21,800[11] (¥27,000 installed)[7] |
PA-82013 / 70102[16] | 1997-01-02 | ||
PA-82013 / 70109[17] | 1997-01-09 | ||
Pippin @World Memory Module 8MB | PW10009 / 71128[18] | 1997-11-28 | ? |
Pippin @World 16MB Memory Module** | PW10027[19] | 1997 | US$ 149[9] |
* Price does not include installation.
** Rare specimens show makeshift labeling.[20]
Gallery[]
Titles that require a memory upgrade[]
The following upgrade requirements presume the 6MB default configuration of most consumer consoles from Bandai Digital Entertainment.[11] Katz Media Player 2000 consoles have 8MB or at least 14MB of RAM in consumer and developer configurations, respectively.[21][22]
Title | Module needed | Note |
---|---|---|
ad.hoc Medical Practice Quick Training Course | 8MB | Will not launch without an upgrade.[23] |
Action Designer: Ultraman Tiga | 2MB | Printing features require an upgrade.[12] |
Anime Designer: Dragon Ball Z | 2MB | Printing features require an upgrade.[12] |
Circus! | 2MB | Will not launch without an upgrade.[24] |
Gadget: Invention, Travel, & Adventure | 2MB | Will not launch without an upgrade.[3] |
Gundam Virtual Modeler Light | 8MB | Will not launch without an upgrade.[3] |
Internet Kit ver.2.0 | 2MB | New features require an upgrade.[25] |
The Journeyman Project: Pegasus Prime | 8MB | Will not launch without an upgrade.[26][27] |
Mobile Suit Gundam: Zion Dukedom Military-File | 2MB | Will not launch without an upgrade.[28] |
Power Nazoler | 2MB | Power Mac version requires 4MB free.[29] |
Star Wars: Dark Forces | ? | Demo disc specifies 8MB RAM needed.[30] |
Super Marathon | 2MB | More features enabled in game options.[3] |
WebViewer with MS Internet Explorer / J-DATA NetCruiser | 8MB | Will not launch without an upgrade.[31] |
Yellow Brick Road I | 2MB | Will not launch without an upgrade.[3] |
Yellow Brick Road II | 2MB | Will not launch without an upgrade.[3] |
References[]
- ↑ Useful Notes / Pippin, TV Tropes. Accessed 2017-04-20.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 Adding Memory to the Pippin (French) by Pierre Dandumont, Journal du Lapin. 2016-07-30.
- ↑ 試作RAM分解 (Japanese: Disassembly of prototype RAM) by MISUTHiKU (みすてぃく), PIPPINであそぼ~. 2001-08-11. Archived 2015-06-21.
- ↑ Memory addition to Pippin (Japanese) by chemy cano, Pipp!n@Archive. Archived 2007-02-03.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 バンダイがピピンのバージョンアップサービス (Japanese), PC Week / Japan. 1996-09-25. Archived 1999-02-23.
- ↑ Operation 1: Memory Card Expansion (Japanese) by MAISON PiPPiN, GeoCities. Archived 2000-01-22.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 Combien coûtait une Pippin de développement chez Katz Media ? (French) by Pierre Dandumont, Le Journal du Lapin. 2019-08-04.
- ↑ PPIN PiPPiN AtMaRK Japan Video Game Console W/CD-ROM Apple System BANDAI Rare, eBay. 2017-04-05.
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 Spec. (Japanese) by chemy cano, Pipp!n@Archive. Archived 2007-02-05.
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 Pippin: 2, 4 ou 8 Mo de plus? (French) by Pierre Dandumont, Journal du Lapin. 2019-02-10.
- ↑ 開発用PIPPIN (Japanese) by MISUTHiKU (みすてぃく), PIPPINであそぼ~. Archived 2002-11-07.
- ↑ Bandai Pippin Image Archive, The Mac Geek. Accessed 2017-04-19.
- ↑ The Apple Pippin, the unknown console by Pierre Dandumont. Le journal du Lapin. 2016-05-28.
- ↑ Bandai Apple / Atmark Pippin 8MB RAM Memory Card in box - rare, eBay. 2017-04-05.
- ↑ 16MB-RAM増設 (Japanese: 16MB-RAM expansion) by MISUTHiKU (みすてぃく). Let's play with Pippin. Archived 2006-06-21.
- ↑ Pippin 8MB RAM modules (ATMARK and @ World) by defor, Twitter. Accessed 2019-08-20.
- ↑ Bandai Electronics - Pippin @World, Old-Computers.com. Accessed 2017-04-19.
- ↑ Pippin: 16mb Memory by Mark Johnson, Flickr. 2003-05-09.
- ↑ Pippin Specifications, Katz Media SARL. Archived 1998-01-29.
- ↑ Katz Media Begins Shipping Pippins in Europe, Katz Media SARL. Archived 1997-03-17.
- ↑ ad.hoc, a program for the Pippin (French) by Pierre Dandumont, Journal du Lapin. 2018-01-10.
- ↑ Let’s Play Apple Pippin: Circus! (French) by Pierre Dandumont, Journal du Lapin. 2018-03-18.
- ↑ What's New? Internet Kitバージョンアップサービス (Japanese), Atmark Channel Home Page. Archived 1997-01-02.
- ↑ An unreleased Pippin game: The Journeyman Project: Pegasus Prime (French) by Pierre Dandumont, Journal du Lapin. 2017-01-05.
- ↑ Info - Older / unreleased versions, The Journeyman Project. Accessed 2017-05-11.
- ↑ Let's Play Apple Pippin: Zion Dukedom Military-File (French) by Pierre Dandumont, Journal du Lapin. 2018-04-01.
- ↑ パワーナゾラー動作環境 (Japanese: Power Nazoler operating environment), Infortech. Archived 1999-02-22.
- ↑ Katz Media Apple Pippin Development Kit by aspect, AssemblerGames. 2015-06-02.
- ↑ WebViewer (別名 NETCRUISER 3.0) (Japanese) by MAISON PiPPiN, GeoCities. Archived 2000-03-01.
External links[]
- Hacking the Pippin at Vintage Mac World (archived 2017-08-17) (mirror)
- ピピンアットマーク: オプション (Pippin Atmark: Options) at Wikipedia (Japanese).
- Pippin @ Atmark memory card 2MB/8MB at the Atmark Channel (archived 1998-02-12)