1 Description
2 Gallery
3 Backup/Restore save states
4 Battery
5 PAC Compatibility logo
6 Software using the PAC
- 6.1 Games
- 6.2 Applications
7 External links

Description

The SW-M001 is a cartridge from Panasoft that contains 8kB SRAM for saving game data. Its product name is PAC (Pana Amusement Cartridge).

The 8kB is arbitrarily divided into 8 pages of 1024 Bytes each. A game may use one or more pages to save its data.

Some games allow you to select which pages to use, others are hardcoded to use specific pages. It is up to the user to ensure he does not overwrite old save states from the game, or save states of other games. Method access to SRAM is described here.

There is an option to backup save states to disk.

Gallery

Panasoft PAC cartridge box scan

Panasoft PAC cartridge scan

Panasoft PAC cartridge

Panasoft PAC PCB

Panasoft PAC PCB underside

Backup/Restore save states

Unlike the Panasoft FM-PAC, the PAC does not come with any software to backup or restore the save states.

There are however a few ways. One way is to have a Panasoft FM-PAC in addition to a PAC inserted, you can then run the FM-PAC software (by entering CALL FMPAC from BASIC), and copy the contents of both the FM-PAC and the PAC. Alternatively there are these tools to make or restore backups.

PAC Saver ver1.05 by AtoC. (Source code)

Battery

The PAC (and likewise the Panasoft FM-PAC) has a non-rechargeable battery, without it the SRAM will not keep the contents when the system is switched off. This coin cell battery can be replaced, you need to open the cartridge and replace the battery by soldering a new one (type: CR2025 or BR2025 Lithium 3V). Confirmation is needed about battery pins type. Be careful not to overheat the battery when soldering it, and put on safety glasses because of the risk of explosion with heat.