This is a quick Follow-Up to my recent post and video on my AliExpress Re-Marked Chips Frustration!
You can find this here: More AliExpress Re-marked Chips Frustration
Since then, I have now bought numerous HD6309P & MC6809P CPU chips, from various different AliExpress suppliers, in the search of a supplier of original internal clock (non “E” variant) CPU chips.
But, so far, every single chip received (all marked as ..09P parts), have, on testing, in fact been external clock “E” variants. i.e. ..09EP parts.
Now, I’ve finally got myself a new bottle of Acetone. So, it’s time for a bit of chip rubbing!
Join me, for a brief video, as I discover what a little Acetone reveals.
In summary… The chips that are available from various AliExpress stores, which are marked as non “E” variants, all seem to be (without any exception… as yet), in fact “E” variants. i.e. The External clock versions of the CPU.
Presumably, the suppliers only reason for re-marking these chips, is to tidy them up a little? Of course, they could also be fraudulantly re-marking them as higher speed variants. e.g. Re-marking a MC6809 (or a MC68A09), as a faster 2Mhz MC68B09? Hopefully not!
Presumably also, they are re-marking “E” variant chips, as non “E” variants, just through pure ignorance over the fact that these are in fact two different versions of the CPU, which have differences in their pin-out. ie. Not exchangeable!
Nothing else makes sense, as it would be fair to say that most customers are probably actually after the “E” variant External clock chips, and not the original internal clock non “E” variants. This is simply because the majority of retro computers of the era, were based on the MC6809E variant, as used in combination with the MC6883 SAM and MC6847 VDC chip standard design.
Therefore, this does suggest that the re-marking of “E” variant chips, as non “E” variants, is simply through ignorance!
So, as revealed in my video (linked above), now that I have a new bottle of Acetone, the fake marking is removed from a re-marked HD63B09P, to reveal it’s original marking of HD63B09EP.
The only good news was that the “B” speed (1.5Mhz) was indeed correct. The original marking was also quite tidy!
This just leaves me completely mind blown, why they bother re-marking the chips (and re-marking them incorrectly), when the original marking is just fine!
Here’s the before (as the supplier had re-marked), and the after Acetone treatment (actual markings) found on the HD63B09 example chip.
As a result of my inability to find a supplier of the original Internal clock 6809 or 6309 chips, it means I will probably need to revisit my MECB bus 6809 CPU board design, to implement a two phase clock generator, so it becomes a 6809E CPU board design.
Otherwise, a 6809 CPU board design will only be usable with my existing old stock of a few Motorola 6809 CPU’s, and will not work with the 6809E (and Hitachi 6309E) chips, that appear to be all that is currently / predominantly available from the likes of AliExpress (albiet incorrectly re-marked as non “E” variants).
That’s all for now.