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A little doubt about a CPC464

Started by angelcaio, 17:25, 19 September 18

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angelcaio

Hi. I do not know if someone can dispel this doubt, it's really just a curiosity.

I have my Amstrad CPC464 since June 1985.
But I never knew in what month it left the factory.
On the page of the cpcwiki he explains it very well:

http://www.cpcwiki.eu/forum/amstrad-cpc-hardware/cpc-serial-numbers-how-interprete-the-cpc-fabrication(i-need-french-member)/

The problem is that my CPC464 is not labeled with the serial number, although it can be seen where it was pasted.
 Actually I never had it in all the years that I have it. I suspect that they removed it off in the store when they filled out the warranty card that I still have. It shows the six-digit number, starting with two zeroes 007051 but no the other part where the factory is indicated and the year and month of manufacture.
In the GT65 monitor something similar happens, although there is a guarantee seal of red color at the base of it.

I attach  photographs of everything in case someone comes up with something, for example for the serial number, something low, if you can know the month. The year, I suppose it will be 1985 because it was bought in June of that year.

Thank you.



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Bryce

You can always check the dates on the ICs to get a better idea of when the PCB was manufactured.

Bryce.

MikeSDK

If you're feeling up to it you can also open the case and look at the serial number stamped on the motherboard.. it tells you revision number, location and month of manufacture as I recall.. This page: http://www.cpcwiki.eu/index.php/Mainboard_Versions should be able to tell you what you want to know :)

angelcaio

Quote from: Bryce on 07:25, 20 September 18
You can always check the dates on the ICs to get a better idea of when the PCB was manufactured.

Bryce.
Thank you. I did not know that. On my motherboard the dates range from 8423 (Z80) to 8504 (GI AY8912). Considering the most recent, I suppose you should have left the factory in February? from 1985



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gerald

Quote from: angelcaio on 14:50, 21 September 18
Thank you. I did not know that. On my motherboard the dates range from 8423 (Z80) to 8504 (GI AY8912). Considering the most recent, I suppose you should have left the factory in February? from 1985
The AY left its factory beg of February, but your CPC is likely to have left factory a couple of month later.
My 464 has been manufactured in July, and the latest date code on component is 84/19 ie May.

angelcaio

But I also have CPC464 with manufacturing date July 1987 and most recent IC 8725 (June 1987) and a CPC6128 with factory departure date March 1988 and the last date of IC 8809 (March 1988). Perhaps the difference in dates was reduced over time: closer in more recent manufacturing dates


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gerald

Quote from: angelcaio on 01:48, 22 September 18
But I also have CPC464 with manufacturing date July 1987 and most recent IC 8725 (June 1987) and a CPC6128 with factory departure date March 1988 and the last date of IC 8809 (March 1988). Perhaps the difference in dates was reduced over time: closer in more recent manufacturing dates


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In fact the only date you can count on is  the serial number of the CPC, which you don't have on this one.
The date code on the IC are only an indication of they own manufacturing date. The can be stocked for a long time before being used, and that for various reasons. Supply chain delay is a mix of offer and demand, as well as how much you buy at a time to get a reasonable price.
My statistics (CPC that passed on my hands) show a average of 4 week between the latest date code and the serial number, min is 0 (ie manufacturing month match IC date code month), max is 9 weeks

chinnyhill10

Chip date codes are useful but chips can sit around quite a while. As I recall in my UK assembled Amiga 1200 some of the components are months older than the custom chips which have date codes quite close to the PCB date code.


The only date you can rely on is the PCB date code, or failing that the latest date code you can find on any of the chips. Then add 2 weeks for the earliest possible date of assembly.
--
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chinnyhill10 - YouTube

angelcaio

I just saw that there is a number similar to the serial number in the tape drive. It's not exactly the same but they look alike a bit. The part of the date and factory is the same in my 464 of 1987. Maybe that's also the case in my old 464. Has anyone verified this in another 464?



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Bryce

#9
Quote from: gerald on 12:42, 22 September 18
In fact the only date you can count on is  the serial number of the CPC, which you don't have on this one.
The date code on the IC are only an indication of they own manufacturing date. The can be stocked for a long time before being used, and that for various reasons. Supply chain delay is a mix of offer and demand, as well as how much you buy at a time to get a reasonable price.
My statistics (CPC that passed on my hands) show a average of 4 week between the latest date code and the serial number, min is 0 (ie manufacturing month match IC date code month), max is 9 weeks
For commercial use, ICs are only good for around 12 months. So any decent manufacturer shouldn't have any stock with a date older than 1 year. After a year the wave soldering process will start producing bad boards and the manufacturer will have quality issues. That's good for the hobbiest of course, because much of the parts sold online are out of date parts that are sold on cheaply to reduce their wastage costs.

Bryce.

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