Sourcing (availability) of TMS99xx ICs ?

[Enigma]

Hi.

 

Do they still make TMS9900 CPUs (New) in one form or another ?? I know you can still get 'Old' TMS9995 etc but they are usually quite expensive. You also see a lot of old (Pulls) on ebay TMS9900,TMS9995,TMS9901 etc but you hear conflicting stories on their quality ?

 

There is an official VHDL TMS9995 core ?? But I don't think it's actually been put onto Silicon ?

I've also seen on the Forum talk of a ' 68689 ' but I've never seen one do they really exist ? Is there a datasheert for them ?

 

So where is the best place to source TMS99xx ICs ?? it's all rather confusing !!

[+Ksarul]

There is a relatively cheap source for TMS9900 CPUs on eBay, but you won't find them in that search. Look for S9900 chips. Milpartsonline has them as sets of four for $10. These are NOS chips from the second source for TI chips. They also made S9901s, S9902s, and S9914s.

 

I have my personal supply of the various TI chips, but they are not for sale. I do tend to avoid the ones from China--but oddly enough, some of those have turned out to be OK as well, as they are apparently fakes made using the original masks. . .

[bad robot]

What's a 68689 ???? never heard of it !

 

I've seen a website with a VHDL core but can't remember where !

 

Spotted the S9900 ... http://www.ebay.com/itm/4PC-LOT-S9900P-MICROPROCESSOR-16BIT-64PIN-DIP-/191715872058?hash=item2ca3280d3a

 

Are these (S9900s) exact copies of the originala or are they in any way different i.e. CMOS or with slightly different pin-outs ?

[bad robot]

There is a relatively cheap source for TMS9900 CPUs on eBay, but you won't find them in that search. Look for S9900 chips. Milpartsonline has them as sets of four for $10. These are NOS chips from the second source for TI chips. They also made S9901s, S9902s, and S9914s.

 

I have my personal supply of the various TI chips, but they are not for sale. I do tend to avoid the ones from China--but oddly enough, some of those have turned out to be OK as well, as they are apparently fakes made using the original masks. . .

So someone in (China ? ) has the original masks for the TMS9900,TMS9995 etc... interesting thought .. this means they could theoretically go back into production ! Though it's hard to believe someone would go to all the trouble of re-manufacturing old ICs like the TMS9900 etc

[Enigma]

There is a relatively cheap source for TMS9900 CPUs on eBay, but you won't find them in that search. Look for S9900 chips. Milpartsonline has them as sets of four for $10. These are NOS chips from the second source for TI chips. They also made S9901s, S9902s, and S9914s.

 

I have my personal supply of the various TI chips, but they are not for sale. I do tend to avoid the ones from China--but oddly enough, some of those have turned out to be OK as well, as they are apparently fakes made using the original masks. . .

The S9900 looks like a good alternative to a TMS9900... did they make a S9995 (TMS9995 copy) ?

[+Ksarul]

The S99XX chips are plug-in replacements for the TI versions of the chip. They exist because the US government required that a chip they used in one of their systems had at least two suppliers--and thus the S9900 series. TI provided them the necessary data to make the chips and they did, which allowed TI to sell the family in the military market. I've never seen an S9995 or an S99105 though. . .or any of the video chips either, for that matter. The only ones I know of for sure other than the ones I mentioned in my first post on this subject were the S9902s. I have at least one of each type except for the S9914s. . .

[pnr]

AMI were a leading manufacturer of RAM chips in the 70's. In 1977 they entered into a second sourcing deal with TI and started producing some of the 9900 series. See here for the 1979 and 1985 databooks:

http://bitsavers.informatik.uni-stuttgart.de/pdf/ami/_dataBooks/

 

I don't think AMI ever did a S9914 or a S9995.

 

I saw a post in an old newsnet group that AMI S9900's were used in some TI99/4a's when its production was at full throttle (82/83).

 

All my TI chips (other than those in my 99/4a) are from China and work just fine. I think they are nicely refurbished pulls, not new manufacture.

[bad robot]

Best in my opinion when buying TMS99xx ICs to build a test rig to check that they work as soon as you get them. a TI-99/4A makes a good test rig for testing TMS9900s,TIM9904s,TMS9901s etc best if possible to fit ZIF sockets to motherboard for ease ! For TMS9995 ICs then you could use a Powertran cortex or Tomy Tutor (though these are difficult to get and expensive) or probably easier to build your own little test rig .. see Stuart site : http://www.avjd51.dsl.pipex.com/tms9995_breadboard/tms9995_breadboard.htm

[simon ti99]

Wherever you get your TMS99xx ICs always test them ASAP as any ICs that are 30+ years old can be DUFF, even NOS. So building a test rig to check them probably isn't such a silly idea.

[+Schmitzi]

Hi,

 

 

maybe this is something for you ?

 

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/131644875099

[lezanderson]

Old ICs (TMS99xx)

 

I've bought quite a lot of old ICs from various sources, though mainly from China, and found on the whole about 85% are fine, some are wrongly labelled, probably due to the original makings being to faint to read. Some are DUFF probably due to bad handling and not using Anti-Static precautions etc. Though you've got to remember these ICs can date back to the Mid 70s , so even NOS (New Old Stock) from say 1976 could be faulty..having not been used for some 40 years ! So TEST them once they've arrived No good getting ICs and not testing them for six month as then it's too late to complain !

 

Also if your buying multiple ICs ask for a Discount as if your buying DIRECT you can avoid paying ebay fees as long as you trust the supplier you'll be OK. It's also best to avoid the extremely (Silly) priced ICs , ones for $100 etc you see. Someone is just seeing if there's anybody stupid enough to buy them...the old saying 'There's one born Every Minute' pops to mind !