A ROM cartridge, sometimes referred to simply as a cartridge or cart, is a
removable enclosure containing read-only memory designed to be connected to a
consumer electronics device device such as a home computer or video game
console. ROM cartridges can be used to load software such as video games or
other application programs. The cartridge slot could also be used
for hardware additions, for example speech synthesis. Some cartridges had
battery-backed static random-access memory, allowing a user to save data
such as game progress or scores between uses.
ROM cartridges allowed the user to rapidly load and access programs and
data without the expense of a floppy disk drive, which was an expensive
peripheral during the home computer era, and without using slow, sequential, and
often unreliable Compact Cassette tape. An advantage for the manufacturer was
the relative security of distribution of software in cartridge form, which was
difficult for end users to replicate. However, cartridges were expensive to
manufacture compared to making a floppy disk or CD-ROM. As disk drives became
more common and software expanded beyond the practical limits of ROM size,
cartridge slots disappeared from later consoles and computers. Cartridges are
still used today with handheld gaming consoles such as the Nintendo DS and
available as downloads in the Nintendo eShop for systems in the Nintendo 3DS
family. History
ROM cartridges were popularized by early home computers which featured a special
bus port for the insertion of cartridges containing software in ROM. In most
cases the designs were fairly crude, with the entire address and data buses
exposed by the port and attached via an edge connector; the cartridge was memory
mapped directly into the system's address space.
Notable computers using cartridges in addition to magnetic media were the
Commodore VIC-20 and 64, MSX standard, the Atari 8-bit family, the Texas
Instruments TI-99/4A and the IBM PCjr. Some arcade system boards, such as
Capcom's CP System and SNK's Neo Geo, also used ROM cartridges.
From the late 1970s to mid-1990s, the majority of home video game systems were
cartridge-based. The first system to make use of ROM cartridges was the
Fairchild Channel F, released in 1976. As compact disc technology came to be
used widely for data storage, most hardware companies moved from cartridges
to CD-based game systems. Nintendo remained the lone hold-out, using
cartridges for their Nintendo 64 system; the company did not transition to
optical media until 2001's GameCube. Design
ROM cartridges can not only carry software, but additional hardware
expansion as well. Examples include the Super FX coprocessor chip in some Super
Nintendo games, and voice and chess modules in the Magnavox Odyssey².
Micro Machines 2 on the Sega Genesis used a custom "J-Cart" cartridge design
by Codemasters which incorporated two additional gamepad ports. This allowed
players to have up to four gamepads connected to the console without the
need for an additional third-party adaptor.
The ROM cartridge slot principle continues in various mobile devices,
thanks to the development of high density low-cost flash memory. For
example, a GPS navigation device might allow user updates of maps by inserting
a flash memory chip into an expansion slot. An E-book reader can store the
text of several thousand books on a flash chip. Personal computers may allow
the user to boot and install an operating system off a USB flash drive
instead of CD ROM or floppy disks. Digital cameras with flash drive slots
allow users to rapidly exchange cards when full, and allow rapid transfer of
pictures to a computer or printer. Advantages and disadvantages
Storing software on ROM cartridges has a number of advantages over other methods
of storage like floppy disks and optical media. As the ROM cartridge is memory
mapped into the system's normal address space, software stored in the ROM can be
read like normal memory; since the system does not have to transfer data
from slower media, it allows for nearly instant load time and code execution.
Software run directly from ROM typically uses less RAM, leaving memory free for
other processes. While the standard size of optical media dictates a minimum size
for devices which can read disks, ROM cartridges can be manufactured in
different sizes, allowing for smaller devices like handheld game systems. And
while ROM cartridges can be damaged, they are generally more robust and
resistant to damage than optical media; accumulation of dirt and dust on the
cartridge contacts can cause problems, but cleaning the contacts with an
isopropyl alcohol solution typically resolves the problems without risk of
corrosion. ROM cartridges typically have less
capacity than other media. The PCjr-compatible version of Lotus 1-2-3
comes on two cartridges and a floppy disk. ROM cartridges are typically more
expensive to manufacture than discs, and storage space available on a cartridge
is less than that of an optical disc like a DVD-ROM or CD-ROM. Techniques
such as bank switching were used to add more capacity to a cartridge. As video
games became more complex, software manufacturers began sacrificing the
quick load time of ROM cartridges for the greater capacity and lower cost of
optical media. See also
ROM image Dongle
Port expander RAM pack
Currah References
External links History of Home Video Games at the
Wayback Machine