Synertek 6502 chips, 1984 date-code

From: Ross Archer <archer_at_topnow.com>
Date: Mon Jul 29 20:00:01 2002

"Dwight K. Elvey" wrote:
>
> >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.

Humidity is pretty low in these parts,
and so should be OK with silica gel.

As an off-topic digression, isn't silica gel the stuff
that always comes in little packages labelled
"Do not eat"? Honestly. Do they really look that
delicious? :)
I wonder if this is a new trend and soon pink erasers will
sport
similar warnings...

>
> >
> >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.

I do. :)

Yes, they show all appearances of being NOS that's never
been
used in any way.

I guess you could call it, to paraphrase a famous fast-food
slogan, the "on and off urge."

:)

Thanks!

-- Ross

> 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 - 20:00:01 BST