henry@ginger.sri.com (Henry A. Pasternack) (02/28/90)
I just bought a 25MHz 68030, claimed to be new, with a ten day money back return guarantee. After getting home, I noticed that the part number is XC68030RC25A, not "MC", which, I would guess, makes it a pre-production chip. The lot number on the chip is 3B56P8815. I am tempted to return the part because it was represented to me as a "68030", which I suppose it is, in some sense. On the other hand, I have no idea what kinds minor functional problems this chip may have, if I am correct in interpreting the "XC" designation as meaning pre-release. Can someone give me insight into the significance of the "XC" designation? What is the likelihood that this chip is precisely functionally equivalent to an MC68030RC25A? I'm not too concerned because if this chip is flawed, I'll just go back to the store and get a refund. Is there someone around the Bay Area who has a capability to help me test this chip within the next week or so? Thanks. -Henry
daveh@cbmvax.commodore.com (Dave Haynie) (03/01/90)
In article <9613@unix.SRI.COM> henry@ginger.sri.com (Henry A. Pasternack) writes: >I noticed that the part number is XC68030RC25A, not "MC", >which, I would guess, makes it a pre-production chip. > I am tempted to return the part because it was represented >to me as a "68030", which I suppose it is, in some sense. On >the other hand, I have no idea what kinds minor functional >problems this chip may have, if I am correct in interpreting >the "XC" designation as meaning pre-release. XC certainly indicates that the part's design may not have been validated when the part was actually made, but it doesn't necessarily say anything bad about it either. I don't recall the official Motorola line on what it means, but I've never found it a big problem. I have an unmarked, supposedly room temperature 25MHz 68030 around here somewhere that's never shown any bugs (and for that matter, works just fine in a hot system, though I suppose the room temperature rating is more an indication of where it may be expected to be a fully speced 25MHz part). Motorola should have a bug sheet on that part if there are any bugs, which I would think pretty unlikely given my experience with early 68030s. We got XC68851s for years after Motorola started making the part and never found a problem there either, at least with the 68030 compatible instructions. >-Henry -- Dave Haynie Commodore-Amiga (Systems Engineering) "The Crew That Never Rests" {uunet|pyramid|rutgers}!cbmvax!daveh PLINK: hazy BIX: hazy Too much of everything is just enough
michael@mcdchg.chg.mcd.mot.com (Michael Bodine) (03/03/90)
Dave Haynie (daveh@cbmvax.cbm.commodore.com) writes: > In article <9613@unix.SRI.COM> henry@ginger.sri.com (Henry A. Pasternack) writes: > >I noticed that the part number is XC68030RC25A, not "MC", > >which, I would guess, makes it a pre-production chip. > XC certainly indicates that the part's design may not have been > validated when the part was actually made, but it doesn't necessarily > say anything bad about it either. I don't recall the official > Motorola line on what it means, but I've never found it a big Well, i guess i can't really speak for Semiconductor any longer since i stopped working for them a couple years back, but i'm sure i'll be corrected in a hurry if i flop. Dave is essentially correct. Motorola SPS designates silicon as XC parts until the part is fully qualified, ie. all the significant timing specs, temp specs, etc. specs are all known and documented. This includes bug-free parts, and (in reverse chronological order) all the beta or pre-release parts all the way back to alpha. At some point, earlier parts are usually designated with either SC numbers or no marking. To discover whether or not your part actually has an associated bug-list, contact your nearest SPS sales office and give them the lot number off the chip. The lot number includes the data code (week and year) as well as the mask number. The mask number is the key used to decide whether your particular part has a bug list or not. Usually, XC parts are VERY close to being 100% functional even if there IS an errata sheet. Of course, if you happen to want to do the one or two things that don't work quite right, you might as well have a part with the wrong number of pins. BTW, whomever you bought your XC part from should have received copies of the errata, if there is one, and should have given you a copy at the time of the sale! -- [ Michael Bodine, michael@chg.mcd.mot.com, Dial: (708) 576-7840, FAX: x8875 ] [ Motorola MCD; 1100 Woodfield; Suite 334; Schaumburg, Il 60173 ]
artp@motbos.UUCP (Art Parmet) (03/05/90)
In article <32555@mcdchg.chg.mcd.mot.com>, michael@mcdchg.chg.mcd.mot.com (Michael Bodine) writes: > Dave Haynie (daveh@cbmvax.cbm.commodore.com) writes: > > In article <9613@unix.SRI.COM> henry@ginger.sri.com (Henry A. Pasternack) writes: > > >I noticed that the part number is XC68030RC25A, not "MC", > > >which, I would guess, makes it a pre-production chip. .. > .... Motorola SPS designates > silicon as XC parts until the part is fully qualified, ie. all the significant > timing specs, temp specs, etc. specs are all known and documented. .... Mike's assessment is correct. Full qualification is sucessfull completion of Motorola's extensive internal certification process which includes the items Mike indicated as well as criteria such as life cycle testing, producability under all extremes of processing parameters, etc. prior to marking a part as "MC" status. In many instances the "XC" version that enters the "MC" certification process is the same mask set that eventually is used to produce full "MC" devices. Each "XC" version of a device that is produced has an errata sheet indicating all known anomolies (if any). This errata is available on request from any Motorola Semiconductor Field Sales Office. The availability of XC status devices (especially in volume) may vary from device to device and from mask set to mask set. The decision on the appropriate use of "XC" devices should be discussed at length with with your Motorola representative. -- ---- Art Parmet @ Motorola Semiconductor, Marlboro, Ma. UUCP: {decvax, gatech!mcdchg}..!motbos!artp Phone: +1 508-481-8100