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Zilog stops manufacturing Z80 CPUs around June 2024

Started by cpcitor, 09:05, 20 April 24

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cpcitor

The state so far

Some of you know that Z80 chips in the same form factor have been manufactured continuously by Zilog since, well, they designed it.

What's the benefit? Well, replacing the CPU in your beloved Amstrad CPC if it no longer works. Or making your own Z80-based computer, see e.g. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Build_Your_Own_Z80_Computer and the links there.

Ok, what else?

The sad news

Well, 5 days ago,  :o Zilog announced that they would stop manufacturing Z80s :'(  : https://www.mouser.com/PCN/Littelfuse_PCN_Z84C00.pdf

You can still order some for around 8€ each. After that, no official Z80 from Zilog.

The 6MHz-rated version @8,89€
The 10MHz-rated version @8,71€ slightly cheaper
The 20MHz-rated version @15,68€

Sure, these days the exact chip doesn't matter that much in a world where you can (well, if you have know-how and time):
* make your own Z80 or variant of it using a FPGA that costs a few € like the https://www.latticesemi.com/iCE40
* and run one of the Z80 implementations you can find on https://opencores.org/projects?expanded=Processor
* then a whole CPC6128 on it (e.g. https://www.cpcwiki.eu/index.php/FPGAmstrad ).
* Or even use the FPGA-implemented Z80 as a drop-in replacement in the real CPC via voltage adaptation, 40-pin soldering and a lot of belief.

Anyway, possessing one of the last official Z80 chips might be a geek's gift after all.
Had a CPC since 1985, currently software dev professional, including embedded systems.

I made in 2013 the first CPC cross-dev environment that auto-installs C compiler and tools: cpc-dev-tool-chain: a portable toolchain for C/ASM development targetting CPC, later forked into CPCTelera.

chinnyhill10

It's not a huge problem. Stocks won't be running low any time soon. So many have been made in fact I doubt we'll see a shortage in our lifetimes.

They'll be large caches of 'new old stock' chips for years to come. Like when I needed to buy an NEC V30. Found a supplier in The Netherlands who sold me an unused chip date coded 1988!
--
ChinnyVision - Reviews Of Classic Games Using Original Hardware
chinnyhill10 - YouTube

cpcitor

Quote from: chinnyhill10 on 15:11, 20 April 24It's not a huge problem. Stocks won't be running low any time soon. So many have been made in fact I doubt we'll see a shortage in our lifetimes.

I agree. This is not a practical problem. I would be tempted to compare this to (like: a smaller case of) having a machine that behaves exactly like a CPC for all practical purposes, but doesn't have the same appearance. It would not be the real thing. "Oh you mean like a Schneider CPC." Oh. Well... never mind.

Moreover, the Z80 in the real CPCs weren't made by Zilog anyway, right.  ;)
Had a CPC since 1985, currently software dev professional, including embedded systems.

I made in 2013 the first CPC cross-dev environment that auto-installs C compiler and tools: cpc-dev-tool-chain: a portable toolchain for C/ASM development targetting CPC, later forked into CPCTelera.

McArti0

CPC 6128, Whole 6128 and Only 6128, with .....
NewPAL v3 for use all 128kB RAM by CRTC as VRAM
TYPICAL :) TV Funai 22FL532/10 with VGA-RGB-in.

scruss


VincentGR


GUNHED

http://futureos.de --> Get the revolutionary FutureOS (Update: 2023.11.30)
http://futureos.cpc-live.com/files/LambdaSpeak_RSX_by_TFM.zip --> Get the RSX-ROM for LambdaSpeak :-) (Updated: 2021.12.26)

SRS

Quote from: cpcitor on 23:56, 20 April 24
Quote from: chinnyhill10 on 15:11, 20 April 24It's not a huge problem. Stocks won't be running low any time soon. So many have been made in fact I doubt we'll see a shortage in our lifetimes.

I agree. This is not a practical problem. I would be tempted to compare this to (like: a smaller case of) having a machine that behaves exactly like a CPC for all practical purposes, but doesn't have the same appearance. It would not be the real thing. "Oh you mean like a Schneider CPC." Oh. Well... never mind.

Moreover, the Z80 in the real CPCs weren't made by Zilog anyway, right.  ;)
Absolutely, no practical problem. Like having a machine that behaves exactly like a CPC for all practical purposes, but doesn't have the same appearance. It would not be the real thing. "Oh you mean like a AZERTY CPC" Oh. Well... never mind.

dodogildo

In maybe ten years, everything will go fpga. So no worries. Even now, a custom chip wonder gizmo such as C64's the most sought-after incarnation is the Ultimate 64... A computer made of over the shelf components such as CPC will always be available in some form. 
M'enfin!

GUNHED

Well, time to get some spares for the future cpc next then. Especially the 20 MHz versions.  ;)
http://futureos.de --> Get the revolutionary FutureOS (Update: 2023.11.30)
http://futureos.cpc-live.com/files/LambdaSpeak_RSX_by_TFM.zip --> Get the RSX-ROM for LambdaSpeak :-) (Updated: 2021.12.26)

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