BROADSIDE ADDRESSING

7/6/96

BROADSIDE ADDRESSING: Some memory devices -- notably DRAMs -- use a technique called address multiplexing where addresses are broken into two pieces which are sent sequentially to the device. This helps with some engineering problems such as the number of wires which must be routed on a motherboard, but it slows operation since addresses must be split up (multiplexed) and later reassembled (demultiplexed). It has been suggested that performance improvements of 10% in DRAM access could be achieved by broadside (non-multiplexed) addressing. Broadside addressed devices would not be compatible with existing motherboards.