Mc68060fe133 ?

[alexh]

Hmmm, Freescale don't list any FE parts on their website. Even in the obsolete section.

Except the XC68LC060FE50 and we know they made others... so not a good resource of information

Seems very strange to me that there would be Motorola branded parts dated 2008 when they had spun off their chip division as Freescale many years earlier and all chip lines had been re-branded Freescale.

The picture of the NatAmi chip has the mask G59Y which is a special low cost mask just for EC/LC cpu (i.e. it physically has no FPU) and is not the latest Rev6 mask set so it has at least one bug.

http://www.freescale.com/files/shared/doc/pcn/PCN2378.html?fpsp=1&WT_TYPE=Product%20Change%20Notices&WT_VENDOR=FREESCALE&WT_FILE_FORMAT=html&WT_ASSET=Documentation

[Iggy]

It's all very curious. In less than 24 hours I have received over a dozen offers to sell me this component.
They all quote a apparent Motorola part number (not Freescale), often ROHS certified, usually with a 2008 date.
None of these (in combination) make sense.
And I'm pretty sure there are no 133Mhz 68060 processors.

I'd almost be tempted to ask for a single processor to check it out, but I have no way to test an SMD 68K.

[Iggy]

Freescale support...

"I can confirm that MC68060FE133 is not a valid Freescale part number.  I  cannot speculate about what the devices you were offered might actually  be."

[Iggy]

If these processors are re-marked MC68EC060FE75 processor then they may still be of some use. The highest price quote I've received is $16.50. Compared to the $50 I'd have to spend on a 68060 RC60 ($50) this is quite low. They would lack MMU and FPU functions, but conversely they would operate at a fairly high speed.
I could see using these in a low cost Amiga accelerator.

[alexh]

They would lack MMU and FPU functions, but conversely they would operate at a fairly high speed. I could see using these in a low cost Amiga accelerator.

For me, an EC060 would be of no use to me for a classic Amiga accelerator. The 060 code I want to run expects an FPU. Few 060 AGA demos would run. I guess if you didn't care and just wanted a faster 680x0 base unit then maybe.

The lack of an embedded MMU and FPU is not AFAIK a sign they would operate at higher speed?

[Iggy]

Isn't it SMD unit used by one of Natami 68060 CPU card?

http://www.natami.net/gfx/NAe60F/NAe60F_1.jpg

Yes, a surface mount 68060 is used on one Natami processor card. If these are EC or LC processors then they lack MMU and FPU, but 75 Mhz is pretty fast and they're cheap.
At $34 cheaper then the cheapest 68060 RC60 these still look attractive.

[amigadave]

Freescale support...

"I can confirm that MC68060FE133 is not a valid Freescale part number.  I  cannot speculate about what the devices you were offered might actually  be."

The key part of your quote from Freescale above is "not a valid Freescale part number".  It could be a valid "Motorola" part number that was produced before Motorola was taken over by Freescale, couldn't it?

I am still not convinced that this part is not a legit 133MHz part from Motorola and would like to see more proof before being convinced that it is a re-badged 75MHz part.

[alexh]

It could be a valid "Motorola" part number that was produced before Motorola was taken over by Freescale, couldn't it?

With a manufacture code of 2008? The answer is no.

I am still not convinced that this part is not a legit 133MHz part from Motorola

The product code "MC68060FExxx" isn't enough to pursuade you? With a G59Y mask it has to be either an MC68EC060FExx or MC68LC060FExx.

I've never heard of Freescale or Motorola ever get this wrong.

[Iggy]

The key part of your quote from Freescale above is "not a valid Freescale part number".  It could be a valid "Motorola" part number that was produced before Motorola was taken over by Freescale, couldn't it?

I am still not convinced that this part is not a legit 133MHz part from Motorola and would like to see more proof before being convinced that it is a re-badged 75MHz part.

No Freescale is a spinoff of Motorola's semiconductor division. They have all the information that pertains to previous products.

And of course it not a 133Mhz part as I just received notice from Freescale that the 68K topped out at 75Mhz (not including overclocked processor).

As this may not be a 75Mhz part. It got the packaging of a series that went up to 75 Mhz, but there were slower derivatives.

The simplest thing to do would be to assume its a MC68EC060FE75 ans install it in a board that could handle that chip. Then you could start at about 50Mhz and then progressively raise to speed til it fails.

[amigadave]

Very strange, who would waste their time changing the designation on these chips from what ever they were when they were first produced?

[Bundi]

I've seen a number of "these chips don't exist, Freescale told me so" threads and felt like chipping in.

First off, I don't know a damned thing.

Secondly, consider the implications of this document:

http://www.seshaonline.org/regions/ssatexashillc/presentations/Fielding_9-21-06_Approved_Final.pdf

To my mind it goes some way to suggest that Freescale / Motorolla may have had contractual obligations to supply 68060s to some government agency or department potentially long after they stopped marketing the product to the general public. It seems possible that these parts were never a secret so that they were never recorded as controlled items but they were produced after Moto / Freescale had stopped actively marketing / selling the 68k tech, hence they wound up in China being recycled.

Maybe they were secret and that's why they still deny they exist even though some have shown up in the wild.

Maybe the chinese mafia have got a fancy new chip relabeling machine and we'll soon be seeing 200mhz 68060s with missing pins and chips in the casings.

Maybe I should go back to watching the complete X-Files DVD collection and wearing my AFDB :hat:

B.

I also spotted these 50 shiney new cost reduced (but still expensive) 060's on eBay.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/MC68060RC50-MOTOROLA-BRAND-NEW-PARTS-LOT-25-/260950777581?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3cc1e0deed#ht_1556wt_1110

B.

[Bundi]

Freescale as subcontractor to NASA

http://media.freescale.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=196520&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=1163784

"FREESCALE SEMICONDUCTOR (CHINA) LIMITED
PROCUREMENT TERMS AND CONDITIONS"

including;
3.   CONFIDENTIAL PROPRIETARY INFORMATION.
13.   GOVERNMENT SUBCONTRACT.  

http://www.freescale.com/collateral/SPSTCCHINA.doc

So I'd say it's safe to assume that Freescale do confidential business with governments and that Freescale have operations in china.

From http://media.freescale.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=196520&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=1067286&highlight=

"Tianjin Final Manufacturing
Also experiencing significant growth is the Tianjin Final Manufacturing operation, Freescale's back-end manufacturing facility in Tianjin, China. The Tianjin factory supplies more than 9 million microcontroller, mixed-signal and radio frequency devices per week. It is one of two Freescale facilities offering complete testing and packaging capabilities. The 400,000-square-foot factory has been in production since 2001. The Tianjin operation, which has more than 2,500 employees, was recently awarded the 2006 Best Employer and Best Female Employer Awards organized by the Central China TV station."

From the Freescale PowerISA spec sheet;

"Notice to U.S. Government Users—Documentation
Related to Restricted Rights—Use, duplication or disclosure is subject to restrictions set fourth in GSA ADP
Schedule Contract with IBM Corporation"

I'm not saying they're genuine parts, but it seems possible.

B.