max # of eeprom/prom/rom read cycles/chip life

[Rob]

"Brigman, Corley" wrote:
> 
> >So the EPROM's and EEPROM's are getting old...Sounds like the thing to
> >do is remove the EPROM or EEPROM  (if socketed)  while it's still
> >retaining  data, read the data on a PROM programmer, and store the data
> >on a floppy disc for re-programming the memory chip when it gets flaky.
> 
> My question: How many synths will this really affect? Per the original
> poster,

For the record, I just recieved the new ROMS in today...for the
studio440.. funny thing is that, upon changing the ROMS, the indicator
leds are brighter?!?! 
What? i thought.
Well, while I had it open, I went ahead and put the old roms back in...
ok, sure enough, the leds were a little dim.. booted up a couple of
times.. still dim..
Ok, put the new roms back in...SURE ENOUGH, the new roms made the led
indicators brighter!
Wierd...
I almost cannot believe this, but I looked at it a couple of times, and
its actually true..
Ok, for the record, also, what IS the min # of read cycles for ROMS
currently? 

Ok, say, back in 1987, it was 10 BILLION... Well, by now, if u used the
ROM everyday, you could be pushing the limits about now, esp in a
sampler or any other program intensive unit..

MMT-8s anyone? I have seem some of those go belly up for NO apparent
reason..
Prophet 5s are another culprit.. I have worked on two of em where they
were working when they just signed off while they were on... lights, but
no sound..

I am just trying to use some theory to figure all this out...
Although I am really starting to think now that its the 6850 UARTs in my
particular case..

 Remember the ol C64 drives? Well, those things are in there, too.. and
I have had MANY a c64 drive go belly up in my day... 
;)

Rob