Datapaks are the most common memory modules for the Psion Organiser II.
The earliest packs were for the Series 1, and were 8K or 16K. A
32K pack was produced for the Series 1 too, but I do not own one.
The Series II can use the same 8K and 16K packs as the Series 1, but Psion
redesigned the circuit board so that both pack sizes can use the same board.
Note however that their first program packs (e.g. the Maths Pack) still used
the older 16K circuit board.
The Series 1 used a linear addressing method, and this leads to slow access
times on larger packs. For the Series II a faster addressing method was
devised, namely paged addressing. Shown here are 32K packs of both types,
linear and paged, and their circuit differs only in the placement of one
zero-Ohm resistor.
A close examination also shows one other difference between the two 32k packs.
The second uses a CMOS type EPROM, recognisable from the C in the the chip name
(27C256 instead of 27256). This type is more energy efficient, so is less of a
drain on the battery. Psion even marked the labels with a P in a circle to
indicate this type.
Packs of size 64K and 128K were made by various companies as well as by Psion
themselves. If you look carefully, Psion's 64K pack circuit board still supports
a configuration with linear addressing, though I do not own such a pack.
8K Datapak
For Series 1
16K Datapak
For Series 1, Iss. 1
16K Datapak
For Series 1, Iss. 2
8K Datapak
Issue 2
16K Datapak
Issue 2, CMOS
32K Datapak
Linear addressing
32K Datapak
Paged addressing, CMOS
32K Datapak
Unknown maker, CMOS
64K Datapak
Psion
64K Datapak
Unknown maker, CMOS
64K Datapak
MSE Data, CMOS
64K Datapak
MSE Data, Surface mounted
128K Datapak
Psion, issue 1
128K Datapak
Psion, issue 2
128K Datapak
Unknown maker
Datapaks
Psion
Datapaks contain an EPROM chip. Deleting data from these packs did not
free up space. For that they had to be reformatted by shining UV light
onto the EPROM chip for half an hour. Removing the label from a datapak
reveals a small opening over the EPROM chip's window. Psion supplied pack
formatting services for those who did not have a pack formatter themselves,
and also supplied replacement labels.
When I format a pack, I just remove half of the casing in order to keep the
label intact.
Pack Window
Pack Labels
Series 1 design
Pack Labels
Series 2 design
Program Packs
Most Psion II software was supplied on ordinary datapaks. Such packs could therefore
be re-formatted and used for other data if you wished. There are however some exceptions.
The Series 1 did not have support for a read-only flag on packs, so its software
packs usually had a slightly different circuit board that omitted the program voltage
line. These packs cannot be written to, even though they still use EPROM chips.
As far as I know, there are only two kinds of software packs for the Psion II that were
not ordinary datapaks. The Concise Oxford Spelling Checker used a pack with the same
circuitry as a 64K datapack, except that it used a 64K PROM chip. Some Travel Packs
are the same. Its successor, the Thesaurus & Spelling Checker, had
a custom circuit board with a surface-mounted 256K ROM chip. It has a different
addressing method to other packs, but its software allows it to be used on any
Psion, even the CM.
Program Pack
For Series 1
64K Rompak
256K Rompak
Rampaks
Rampaks are memory modules containing a volatile RAM chip. To keep the memory
contents intact even when removed or when the organiser is switched off, the pack
contains a battery. Psion only produced 32K rampaks, but there were other companies
that produced larger sizes. Olivier Gossuin recently
made a new 256K Rampak, also shown below, for which part of the casing needs to be
cut away to make enough room for the thicker battery.
32K Rampak
Psion
64K Rampak
Dynasys
64K Rampak
MSE Data
64K Rampak
Klatt EDV Germany
128K Rampak
Dynasys
128K Rampak
Dynasys
256K Rampak
Dynasys
256K Rampak
Technolog
256K Rampak
Olivier Gossuin
256K Rampak
Olivier Gossuin
256K Rampak
Olivier Gossuin
256K Rampak
Olivier Gossuin
512K Rampak
Dynasys
512K Rampak
Fitted
512K Rampak
Disassembled
512K Rampak
Pack board, front
512K Rampak
Pack board, back
512K Rampak
Main board, front
512K Rampak
Main board, back
Flashpaks
Flashpaks contain EEPROM chips. These can be formatted electronically by the
organiser. All it needed was a software driver that is normally present on the
flashpak itself. In order to restore the driver software to the pak after
formatting, a second pack with a copy of the driver was needed in the other
slot. Psion flashpaks came in the sizes 128K and 256K. The former simply had
just one memory chip, the latter had two. The circuitry was designed to also
allow the use of chips with double the capacity, but it seems this was never
done at the time, presumably due to the cost. Recently
Olivier Gossuin has created a new 512K
flashpak with such larger chips.
128K Flashpak
Psion
256K Flashpak
Psion
512K Flashpak
Olivier Gossuin
Psion Software Packs
Psion created some software packs themselves, but also published under the Psion brand
a few packs created by others.
Software Packs
Made by Psion
Software Packs
Published by Psion
Concise Oxford Spelling Checker
Psion
Concise Oxford Spelling Checker
Manual
Flash Formatter
Psion
Flash Formatter
Manual
Flash Formatter
In box
Flash Formatter
In box
Formulator
Psion
Formulator
Manual
Formulator
In box
Finance Pack
Psion
Maths Pack
Psion
Maths Pack
Manual
Pocket Spreadsheet
Psion
Pocket Spreadsheet
Manual
Pocket Spreadsheet
In box
Pocket Spreadsheet
With packaging, manual
Games Pack
Published by Psion
Portfolio
Published by Psion
Portfolio
Manual
Portfolio
With packaging, manual
Thesaurus and Spelling Checker
Published by Psion
Thesaurus and Spelling Checker
Manual
Travel Pack
Published by Psion
Third-Party Software Packs
The bulk of the software available for the Psion II was written by third parties. The first
section below consists of packs aimed at the ordinary consumer.
If you own any software packs not listed here, please let me know. You can contact me at
.
AirNav
Maritek
AirNav
Manual 1
AirNav
Manual 2
Assembler Pack
AR Software
Assembler Pack
Manual
AutoScribe Plus
Widget Software Ltd.
Coastal procedures
Maritek
Coastal data
Maritek
Coastal
Manual
Data Organiser
Harvester Information Systems
Data Organiser
Manual
Data Organiser
German version
Data Organiser
Box, German
Data Organiser
Box, Italian
Data Organiser
Manual, Spanish
Data Organiser
Box, Spanish
FilePak
KA.
FilePak
Manual
FilePak
In box
FileMaster
Widget Software Ltd.
FileMaster
Manual
FileMaster
In box
FileMaster
Widget Software Ltd.
Finger Organiser
Harvester Information Systems
Finger Organiser
Manual
Finger Organiser
German version
Finger Organiser
Manual, German
Finger Organiser
Box, German
Finger Organiser
Box, Italian
Flightmaster 1
Software 2000 Inc.
Flightmaster 2
Software 2000 Inc.
Flightmaster
Box, front
Flightmaster
Box, rear
Flightmaster
Box, inside
Flightmaster
Manual
Fnkey 4.0
Cubsoft
Fnkey 3.0
Manual
Fnkey 4.0
Supplementary Manual
Games Organiser
Harvester Information Systems
Games Organiser
Manual
Games Organiser
Manual Errata
Games Organiser
Box, front
Games Organiser
Box, rear
Games Organiser 2
Box, Italian
Hangman
Global Software
Hangman
In Box
Harvester Superchip
Harvester Info. Systems
Harvester Superchip
Manual
Harvester Superchip
In Box
Harvester Superchip
In Box, Italian
Harvester Superchip
In Box, Spanish
Harvester Superchip
Manual, Spanish
HB Games Pack
HB Consultants
Informed Organiser
Harvester Information Systems
The Informed Organiser
Manual
Informed Organiser
In Box, Italian
Informed Organiser
In Box, Spanish
Informed Organiser
Manual, Spanish
Jotter Pack
Camel Systems Ltd
Jotter Pack
Manual
Letter Organiser
Harvester Information Systems
Letter Organiser
In Box, Italian
Letter Organiser
In Box, Spanish
Letter Organiser
Manual, Spanish
Looksat
Broadoak Computing
OBase
Transform Ltd.
Personal Finance
Willow Enterprises Ltd
Personal Finance II
Willow Enterprises Ltd
Prakpak Vocab. I
Mackay Language Software
Prakpak English
Mackay Language Software
Unknown
Mackay Language Software; blank
Pure Finance
DIP
Pure Finance
Box, front
Pure Finance
Box, rear
Pure Finance
Manual
Scientific Organiser
Harvester Information Systems
Scientific Organiser
Box
Textbase
Eidersoft
Textbase
Manual
Tidal procedures
Maritek
Tidal data
Maritek
Tidal
Manual
Top Finance
Aware
Top Finance
Manual
Top Finance
In box
XBase 2.0
Cubsoft
XBase 2.0
Manual
XBase 3.0
Cubsoft
Here are some software packs aimed at or specifically tailored for business and industry:
Barcode Printer I
Gaascom Ltd.
Cipher
Written for British Telecom.
Cutdata (program)
Stellram
Cutdata (database)
Stellram
Cutdata
Manual
Cutdata (program)
In box
Cutdata (database)
In box
Debitek Logger Pack
Debitek
Easybar Plus
GEAC Program Pack
Geac Computer Corp.
Helper-Plus 5.1N
Ferret Information Systems
LZ Engineer
National Survey Software
Murray Citi Rate
Murray
Numbase
Eidersoft
Numbase
Manual
Numbase
In box
Prudential Rate Book
Prudential
Prudential Guide
Prudential
S.A.F.E.
Harvester Information Systems
S.A.F.E.
Infosheets
S.A.M.S.
Harvester Information Systems
S.L.E.P.
Harvester Information Systems
S.L.E.P.
Manual
S.O.L.D.
Harvester Information Systems
Topo Set
Sokkia Ltd.
T.R.E.P.
APT Projects Ltd.
The following software packs are used in conjunction with particular hardware.
