Technical Question about Atari Pokey chips...

Madaracs

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I've seen some POKEY chips (40 pin package) for sale that say they've been refurbished.

If one of these guys goes south (say on on a Tempest when the sound flakes out and drops and the spinner won't move) I just ended up replacing it with one I had on hand.

Can this chip be reprogrammed somehow? It doesn't have a window on it...

Anyway--I just wondered what refurbished POKEY meant. Or maybe the seller means re-purposed?
 
All of the Pokey's are the same.....no custom code for different games. Once one goes bad, it's bad.

Refurbushed??? I'd guess...used working pull.

Edward
 
I know that some of the pokeys that came from Ram Controls had re-tinned pins. I know of 1 reseller that listed them for sale as refurbished because they were unsure if they were new. I've also received a few tubes from Ram for money owed and they all were brand new.

There is also a seller on ebay that has a few tubes of them. They are located in Huntington Beach, Ca. The same location as Ram Controls. So beware.
 
Uh oh. I just bought a tube of 9 (I made an offer and it was accepted.)

I guess I'll be popping them into my tempest one at a time to make sure they all work...

I so need something to test the code and/or logic on chips like this. Can I check them with my logic probe?

I know that some of the pokeys that came from Ram Controls had re-tinned pins. I know of 1 reseller that listed them for sale as refurbished because they were unsure if they were new. I've also received a few tubes from Ram for money owed and they all were brand new.

There is also a seller on ebay that has a few tubes of them. They are located in Huntington Beach, Ca. The same location as Ram Controls. So beware.
 
Uh oh. I just bought a tube of 9 (I made an offer and it was accepted.)

I guess I'll be popping them into my tempest one at a time to make sure they all work...

I so need something to test the code and/or logic on chips like this. Can I check them with my logic probe?

I doubt there is any problem with the IC's. I would just me careful of the seller. I seen them when they first were listed @ 99 cents starting bid and the seller ended the auction and relisted @$45 BIN. I'm just saying there is a very good chance these are/were connected to RAM. Errol was selling RAM stuff on ebay and his account is now suspended also.
 
Just got the confirmation and it says:

Seller
RC Tech
[email protected] Note to seller
You haven't included a note.
Shipping address - confirmed

I'd guess RC is Ram Controls...

I doubt there is any problem with the IC's. I would just me careful of the seller. I seen them when they first were listed @ 99 cents starting bid and the seller ended the auction and relisted @$45 BIN. I'm just saying there is a very good chance these are/were connected to RAM. Errol was selling RAM stuff on ebay and his account is now suspended also.
 
FYI: I received the chips at lightning speed and they all appear to be NOS. All the same brand legs are nice and straight and clean and bright. If they were re-tinned I wouldn't know! :) I'm going to test them out anyway.
 
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