[sdiy-interim] EPROM Armageddon?

[Barry Klein]

There was a recent column in I think Design News magazine by someone at
Analog Devices discussing the ability to calibrate things with old IC's in
them.  Basically it was saying that the op amps were degrading over time -
whether in use or on the shelf - and to expect a 20 year lifetime.  This was
not describing eproms.  I had intended to write the column author for more
clarification but I lost track of the article/magazine.

 

Barry

 

________________________________

From: synth-diy-bounces at aym.net2.nerim.net
[mailto:synth-diy-bounces at aym.net2.nerim.net] On Behalf Of
synth1 at airmail.net
Sent: Tuesday, March 27, 2007 10:30 PM
To: Amos
Cc: synth-diy at vermine.org
Subject: Re: [sdiy-interim] EPROM Armageddon?

 

a) Any synth with EPROMs older than 20yrs is living on "borrowed time". You
are really screwed if you have an OTP (one time programmable) CPU, like a
TB-303. If you have external EPROMs, I suggest copying them, and
reprogramming. Simple, and you are good for probably 10 more years, or
another 20 or so if you use new EPROMs. The trouble is, a LOT of old synths
use 2716s or 2732s that are hard to get modern programming support. So you
have to go to eBay and get a Data IO 29B or a UniSite40 that can do all the
old stuff.

b) the MOTM-650 is *my* hardware design, and Synthcom's firmware design.

Paul S.

fondly recalls paying $14,000 for a UniSite 40





On Tue Mar 27 22:59 , Amos sent:

	Mr. Schrieber is apparently in touch with the folks at Synthcom
	Systems, makers of the incredibly wonderful Europa upgrade for the
	Jupiter-6... I wonder if Synthcom has any plans in the works for a
	Jupiter-8 upgrade?
	
	I don't know nearly as much about the architecture of the "8" to
know
	if there are significant obstacles to such an upgrade... but since
the
	JP8 uses scanned panel controls and patch memory, methinks a new CPU
	could be made to work. Not a task for lightweights, but Synthcom are
	no lightweights... :-)
	
	Speaking of; anyone on-list used Synthcom's MOTM-650 4-channel
MIDI-CV?
	
	On 3/28/07, Paul Perry <pfperry at melbpc.org.au
<javascript:top.opencompose('pfperry at melbpc.org.au','','','')> > wrote:
	> On the bright side, it gives aa whole wonderful
	> retro-synth career path for anyone who wants to
	> draw a line around the offending CPU and replace it
	> with a new micro, new improved operating system
	> etc etc.
	>
	> paul perry Melb AUstralia (won't be me though)
	> ----- Original Message -----
	> From: "keith sterling"
	> > day, during which he mentioned that my beloved Jupiter 8 was
destined
	> > for the landfill soon because it contains CPU embedded EPROMS,
and
	> > all EPROMS have an implied 20 year (or thereabouts) lifespan.
Since
	> > the Jupiter's ROM is inside the CPU chip it can't easily be read
and
	> > reprogrammed in a new chip, like one could do with a discrete
2716
	> > type EPROM. This news was shocking to me, since I dearly love
the
	> > Jupiter and a few other machines that I own from that era.
	>
	>
	>
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