Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!rutgers!mcdchg!michael
From: michael@mcdchg.chg.mcd.mot.com (Michael Bodine)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.m68k
Subject: Re: Question on pre-production 68030's.
Message-ID: <32555@mcdchg.chg.mcd.mot.com>
Date: 2 Mar 90 21:27:26 GMT
References: <9613@unix.SRI.COM> <9904@cbmvax.commodore.com>
Reply-To: michael@mcdchg.chi.il.us (Michael Bodine)
Organization: Motorola Microcomputer, Schaumburg, IL
Lines: 32

Dave Haynie (daveh@cbmvax.cbm.commodore.com) writes:
> In article <9613@unix.SRI.COM> henry@ginger.sri.com (Henry A. Pasternack) writes:
> >I noticed that the part number is XC68030RC25A, not "MC",
> >which, I would guess, makes it a pre-production chip.  
> XC certainly indicates that the part's design may not have been
> validated when the part was actually made, but it doesn't necessarily
> say anything bad about it either.  I don't recall the official 
> Motorola line on what it means, but I've never found it a big
Well, i guess i can't really speak for Semiconductor any longer since i stopped
working for them a couple years back, but i'm sure i'll be corrected in a 
hurry if i flop.  Dave is essentially correct.  Motorola SPS designates
silicon as XC parts until the part is fully qualified, ie. all the significant
timing specs, temp specs, etc. specs are all known and documented.  This
includes bug-free parts, and (in reverse chronological order) all the beta or
pre-release parts all the way back to alpha.  At some point, earlier parts are
usually designated with either SC numbers or no marking.  To discover whether
or not your part actually has an associated bug-list, contact your nearest
SPS sales office and give them the lot number off the chip.  The lot number
includes the data code (week and year) as well as the mask number.  The
mask number is the key used to decide whether your particular part has a
bug list or not.  Usually, XC parts are VERY close to being 100% functional
even if there IS an errata sheet.  Of course, if you happen to want to do the
one or two things that don't work quite right, you might as well have a part
with the wrong number of pins.

BTW, whomever you bought your XC part from should have received copies of the
errata, if there is one, and should have given you a copy at the time of the
sale!

-- 
[ Michael Bodine, michael@chg.mcd.mot.com, Dial: (708) 576-7840, FAX: x8875   ]
[ Motorola MCD; 1100 Woodfield; Suite 334;  Schaumburg, Il  60173             ]