Computer RAM.. IN Projects.

I don't know much about the archetechture of RAM.
But i want to know that can we use computer RAMS in our projects??

Like there was a thread about "PC oscilloscope".. Some students want to build them.
Can we use to store fast coming data coming from ADC unit on RAM??
IF yes then where can i learn about RAM, i mean how they work, IF not then why not???

There are basically two types, Static RAM and Dynamic RAM, Dynamic RAM is larger and cheaper, but MUCH more difficult to use - Static RAM is smaller, more expensive, but VERY easy to use.

Basically with Static RAM you have an address bus, a data bus, a chip-select line and a read/write line - and that's all you need to worry about.

I think one really good clue would be to just look at a stick of PC DDR RAM - it has 184 pins! It's designed for raw speed, NOT ease of use, as Nigel pointed out. For applications like the one you mentioned, you can buy RAM that's much easier to use that's still more than fast enough. PC RAM has bandwidths of up to several gigabytes per second, which would be way overkill for a homemade oscilloscope, even if you COULD get it to work!

Go search wikipedia, they've got tons of information about RAM.

As others said, static RAM is MUCH easier to use. I am guessing that you would like to use memory out of discarded PCs. that would be dynamic.

(Very simplified) With dynamic ram each memory cell has to be touched/read/refreshed many times a second or it forgets its contents. This has to go on in addition to any read or write activity.

Because this is difficult to do they make chips for that purpose. They are called dynamic ram controllers.

Again static is much easier to use.

HTH

If you want to salvage RAM from an old computer, then L2 Cache RAM may work because they are usually static RAM and fast as all get out!

Yes, but it is hard to find data on the ram used for L2...

Even FPGA's usually use dedicated external DRAM controllers when they have to use the stuff. This is one of those things Digikey is good for, even if you don't buy from them they let you search their entire catalog using a parametric search, so you can use RAM serial/parallel timeing and size and see what's available. Just browsing around I found a nice one for hobby usage.
**broken link removed**
32kbytes of memory in 8 banks 100ns access time, DIP package, and it has a lithium backup cell built into the DIP packaging itself which makes it non-volatile.