Synertek 6502 chips, 1984 date-code

From: Dwight K. Elvey <dwightk.elvey_at_amd.com>
Date: Mon Jul 29 19:19:01 2002

>From: "Ross Archer" <archer_at_topnow.com>
>>
>I have some Synertek NMOS 6502s from various weeks
>in 1984, still in their (original?) Synertek static tubes.
>(At least, "Synertek" is stamped on the tubes.)
>
>A few "boy are these stupid" questions:
>
>1. Does anyone have any cool Synertek lore they'd like to
>share with the group? All I know about them is they made
>the SYM-1 and were a 6530 second-source. I guess it's safe
>to conclude they were also a 6502 second-source. :)
>
>2. Is this a "Find" in any sense? (I paid all of 30 cents
>each for them.) My motivation is to have enough replacement
>parts to keep all my 6502-based hardware humming for years
>to
>come. Though in this case I have several lifetimes' worth.
>:)
>
>3. Is there any reason to fear that these chips will "go
>bad"
>at any significant rate as they age? Is there any way I
>could
>store them (reasonably, I mean, no vaccum or outer-space
>suggestions, please. :) to maximize their lifespan?

Hi
 Sitting in the tube, they should last for 1000's of
years. Moisture is about the only problem. Keep them
in a zip-loc with a packet a silca-gel and they will
out live you and your grandchildren's grandchildren.
Any temperature that a human can live in will have
virtually no effect on them.

>
>My plan is to come into work some evening and suit up with
>the full anti-static treatment at an EMI bench with my
>little
>SBC (retrofitted with a 40 pin ZIF socket to avoid bending
>their machine-straight little legs), and test them all in
>rapid-fire succession. Is there anything inherently dumb
>about powering them up?

 If these are NOS and not test pulls, they should all be
functional. No need to test them unless you just feel
the urge.
Dwight

>
>Okay, well enough dumb questions. Just looking for
>any comments on any of the points, as the spirit moves you.
>:)
>
>-- Ross
>
Received on Mon Jul 29 2002 - 19:19:01 BST