A tricky MC68030 question =)

[Zetr0]

Hello my fellow EAB'ers

Thanks for reading this post - I am currently struggling to find information on a specific variant of the MC68030FE - specifically the (E) variant ( MC68030FE25E ) - sadly no matter how hard I try, I cannot find this package variant in PDF data sheet I have managed to download.

I have data sheets for the B and C variants (MC68030FE25B and MC68030FE25C respectively) - sadly still no (E). While I have contacted NXP (Freescale) sadly they are taking an age in response it seems - so I thought I would ask the multitude of members here if they know anything about this particular variant.

So if you have an (E) variant running in your Amiga or know of the difference or full PDF specification sheet - please remember 'ol Zetr0's question and poke up a post

Now just clue those that found this title interesting (oh boy you could get bored here) but indeed there are some specific specifiers for the MC68030 range of CPU's

Here is how the convention of the Motorola 68k series family breaks down - MC68EC030FE25B

MC ( Fully Certified )
XC ( Engineering Sample and or Pilot Production)*
*this is sometimes refereed to as PC on other families of Motorola CPU's*

You then have the core which is 68 for 68000 / 68k


You then have die features :
(with the feature suffix omitted it is a full complete core of the CPU e.g. 030)

68' is a full core of features
68EC' (Embedded Controller) is without the MMU*
68LC' is found on 040 and 060 based CPU's these do not have an internal MMU or internal FPU

*but retains a 32bit address-bus (unlike the EC020 which is reduced to a 24 bit address-bus)

The next specifier is the CPU revision in this case the 030 which is the third iteration of the 68k series which is a minor update of the 020 core but includes an MMU


You then have the package of the IC :

RC - Ceramic PGA - Au/Pb finish (Mmmmm sooo pretty.... )
RP - Plastic PGA
FE - Quad Flat Package
FG - Thin Quad Flat Package (TQFP RE: EC020 on the A1200)

You then have the Frequency Rating (in MHz)

16 = 16MHz
25 = 25MHz
33 = 33MHz and so on.

Finally you then have the revision in alpha based letters :
(with the revision letter omitted it is an original revision 030)

B - First revision
C - Second revision
D - (Assumption) Third revision
E - (Assumption) Fourth revision

Sadly I can only seem to find information about the first B and C revisions, I have not seen a revision 'D' in the wild or on the net, however I have found revision 'E' - while these are the same number of pins (leads) I am unsure if it is 100% pin compatible, as such I am weary of this revision and if it would work as a replacement for a revision 'B' or 'C'.

So if anyone knows or has seen a revision 'E' variant working in any Amiga equipment or has a specification sheet about the particular revisions that they would share - I would be in your debt =)

[Pat the Cat]

Uh... AFAIK 020EC has a 32 bit data bus, but only 24 bit address bus.

I will have a rummage, I think that might be the version code for the die shrunk versions, although die reference is a better indicator.

Motorola US did not make all 68030s. It can help looking things up if you know which country the chip was made in. The base model numbers don't change, but the die codes can vary from manufacturer.

[Zetr0]

@Pat

Indeed, slight error there I meant 24bit Address - my bad on that one.


In regards to mask, sadly I cannot give you one (as I don't have one) but I do know that the CPU claims to be originally from Mexico.

[Pat the Cat]

Well... didn't find much. Rev C onwards uses the shrunk die, but that doesn't mean all C onwards overclock or pre Rev C ones don't overclock. It did mean better yield for Motorola making the chips.

So, I don't know and don't think it's important, but if I did want to know, I would ask Rochester Electronics, as they got the license to manufacture MC68 based chips from Freescale in 2015;-

http://electronicscomponentsworld.co...-mc68040-mpus/

You can get contact details (they have a UK office and others around the world too);-

https://www.rocelec.com/about/contact

They might offer the info somewhere on their website but I couldn't find it. I did find that some rev E 020s were RoHS compliant, and some were not, so I don't think it's as easy as that.

They even alledgedly offer a 50MHz plastic case PGA 030, which many people say are a myth? ... clearly a lot of confusion and misunderstanding somewhere about that. Maybe it's just me reading their brochures wrong.

Best I could do chap. Sorry it's not very good.

[amigasith]

This is getting interesting

As you know, grandmaster Zetro, I've been looking for an MC68030FE in 25 or 33 MHz for quite a while now. All I could find up to now is either super-expensive or Chinese fakes Therefore, if the E revision really turns out to be (a) genuine and (b) pin-compatible with the B and C revisions, I would be really really interested in your secret source

[Zetr0]

Originally Posted by amigasith

This is getting interesting

As you know, grandmaster Zetro, I've been looking for an MC68030FE in 25 or 33 MHz for quite a while now. All I could find up to now is either super-expensive or Chinese fakes Therefore, if the E revision really turns out to be (a) genuine and (b) pin-compatible with the B and C revisions, I would be really really interested in your secret source

Well my friend I have ordered some - should that they turn out functional (I have an 030 acellerator card it should just go-on to) then I will sort you out some on the very cheap =)

[amigasith]

Originally Posted by Zetr0

Well my friend I have ordered some - should that they turn out functional (I have an 030 acellerator card it should just go-on to) then I will sort you out some on the very cheap =)

Sweeeeeeeeet