Gate array decapped!

[||C|-|E||]

That is certainly a good point as well, a second hand GX4000 is quite cheap, the problem is that you feel bad for it unless you know that it is already broken but with the ASIC still fine 

[dragon]

Ohh,i found another mystery.

In the 464 service manual the ferranti ic 125 is called "40008" ¿?¿?¿?
In the 6128 with the two gate array options the thosiba chip  in ic 125 is called "40008/A" But it not have the same function logic of the ferranti ic.

An then i found this  strage book about 80 computers called" "Electronic Dreams: How 1980s Britain Learned to Love the Computer"

it speak about amstrad a few pages, and it offers a different point of view about amstrad ferranti history.

Normally in the books it say. The problem with the ferranti are the pads are not connected to the ic, book this book tell in perry words. The amstrad team visited ferranti factory.The put the chip, and they discover it not work. And the problems was the onboard crystall oscilator won't oscillate, so it search and found a second source in italy instead of wait the fix from ferranti (the sgs aa37 italy)?

Maybe the 40008 have the fix from ferranti ?.

[gerald]

Ohh,i found another mystery.

In the 464 service manual the ferranti ic 125 is called "40008" ¿?¿?¿?
In the 6128 with the two gate array options the thosiba chip  in ic 125 is called "40008/A" But it not have the same function logic of the ferranti ic.

These are just Amstrad part number that repair services have to use to get part from Amstrad.
Amstrad put these number on they own designed part, but the the 40008 is just a 'standard' 4xNAND ic.

[dragon]

Well i can fail, jeje the history around gate array in the history books don't is very clear.

One question robcfg. Can be a posbility of decapped a 40010 aa37?.

[robcfg]

Sure, we'll be sending another 40007 and a 40008 to Sean for decapping, so if you have have a 40010 AA37 we can send them together.

[TotO]

Sure, we'll be sending another 40007 and a 40008 to Sean for decapping, so if you have have a 40010 AA37 we can send them together.

I have some differents 40010... May be the AA37 too.

[dragon]

Sure, we'll be sending another 40007 and a 40008 to Sean for decapping, so if you have have a 40010 AA37 we can send them together.

Oh i not have it. My 6128  is a pre-asic, 1 464 have 40010 36aa (the board is in the the wiki), and the other have one with heatshink so probably is a 40007.

I search it in the web to buy one but all appears be 36aa .

[TotO]

Don't search to buy... I should have one. (or buy it to me!  )

[dragon]

Mmm, is a rare chip, this is my offer:





Anyway can you mount it and try the grimware test first? is the last voluntair of the ic in her testament after we sacrafice it to the vulcan.

[Higgy]

Hi guys,

I have a 40010 18509 37AA 'Made in Italy' which is dead. Is it of any use for this?  (this was in a 6128)

I would get the 'white screen & black borders' and the screen would continuously scroll/flicker upwards (or was it downwards).
Anyway I tried swapping CPU, PAL and then swapped the 40010 to a known working 36AA and then it worked     Just waiting for a replacement now. 174193

[dragon]

Yes, is the teorically hsg3170 gate array. aa37 always are made in italy, and the part number begins with 18.aa36(the decapped) not have italy mark(as if it is made in other site) and part number begins with more far upper number.

What motherboard version you have in the 6128 the first release?.For stadistics.

[robcfg]

Hi @Higgy !


Even if it's broken it may serve its purpose of being decapped and pictured. So it would be nice if you could send it to me to be included in the next batch.


Please, send me a PM so we can work the details.


Cheers,
Rob

[Higgy]

@dragon - hopefully this pic works.

Part no. Z70210

[attach=2]

[dragon]

Sounds like its the first motherboard MC0009A  so at the momet only this board and cpc 664 mount these gate array type.

[Higgy]

From my picture the letter is hidden but looks like an A. When I open her up again for the 40010 replacement I will check.

The other motherboard is a MC0020C

[MacDeath]

Mmm, is a rare chip, this is my offer:





Anyway can you mount it and try the grimware test first? is the last voluntair of the ic in her testament after we sacrafice it to the vulcan.

this was just your three cents...

[dragon]

Really  is not in circulation from varius years ago is a colecionist billete because are the most bigger number expedited in the world.

So it cost used around the price of the ebay  40008 and uncirculated can cost the doble. . It have a curius history.

I never view one phisically. But is the bigger number in the world, tecnically you can say you are multimillonary a very low cost. Alan sugar style.

[seanb]

I bought a gold version of that note of ebay for a friend as a joke once.

[robcfg]

Hi guys!


I just uploaded a new picture to the Gate Array page. It's the 40010 GA with the metal layer removed.


Sean also sent me a 16000x16000 picture of the 40010 metal layer, but it's way too big for the wiki... 


If anyone is interested (maybe @gerald ) send me a PM for the link.


Cheers,
Rob

[dragon]

I understand now why the s(from sgs) are lost in the musseum  picture, it lost when metal layer are removed.

If picture is bigger too the wiki, simply upload it to mega, and put the link in the wiki.More easy.

[||C|-|E||]

I was checking the high res pictures now and they are really a beauty  They look like a huge carpet 

[TFM]

A good picture is better than thousand words :
Here is a inverter, implemented in the gate array. This is the 1st one on the 16MHz input clock path
[attach=2]
The metal on the left of the output is the input going somewhere else.

So this is where Tron lives?

[robcfg]

Heh...


I remember as kid watching the movie and then typing "TRON" on my CPC. I got quite shocked that it worked, hehe 

[TotO]

I have only one 40010 37AA (Made in Italy) chip. 

[Higgy]

I will be posting a 37AA to Rob  108