Denial

Hello, all!

I have recently run across an IC surplus supplier in China that claims to stock the NTSC VIC chip (NOS). They told me that there were only 50 left at $2.80 each (US) and that the minimum order is 20 units. I only wanted 5 or 10, but had to order 20 of them.

Provided these are genuine and not fakes, as I have heard of some vendors doing with the SID chip, I will have several to spare and will gladly share them with my VIC-20 bretheren.

I will keep you all posted.

They had 50 in stock, and you only bought 20?

I guess Muzz didn't want to be greedy. Now you can order the rest!

I suggest you PM him for the details,
Robert Bernardo
Fresno Commodore User Group
http://videocam.net.au/fcug

I just would hate to see them fall into the wrong hands.

RJBowman wrote:...the wrong hands.

Oh, no, evil people with evil purposes!

Truly,
Robert Bernardo
Fresno Commodore User Group
http://videocam.net.au/fcug

What if an Apple II person bought them?

RJBowman wrote:What if an Apple II person bought them?

Oh, no, evil people with evil purposes!

Nah,
Robert Bernardo
Fresno Commodore User Group
http://videocam.net.au/fcug

Muzz73 wrote:I have recently run across an IC surplus supplier in China that claims to stock the NTSC VIC chip (NOS). They told me that there were only 50 left at $2.80 each (US) and that the minimum order is 20 units. I only wanted 5 or 10, but had to order 20 of them.

Provided these are genuine and not fakes, as I have heard of some vendors doing with the SID chip, I will have several to spare and will gladly share them with my VIC-20 bretheren.

Hi, I hope your transaction works out. I've bought chips from China before now and on the whole my experiences have been good. Be aware that it is common practice to make chips look NOS by relabeling the package and tinning the legs, even though they are *NOT* fakes. You can tell when you look at the markings because they will likely be laser etched instead of the printing which was used on MOS chips. This makes people naturally suspicious but it's whether the chip works that matters.

A generic chip supplier in China will not test them, despite what they may claim. Make sure you get the agreement that they'll refund you for any that are not working and test them all when you receieve them. Companies I've used in the past have been willing to accept my word for it.

Could you PM their details or ask them if they have PAL VIC chips (6561-101)?

cheers, Rob

What are the chances that a chip manufacturer would go to the trouble of making fake VIC chips?

RJBowman wrote:What are the chances that a chip manufacturer would go to the trouble of making fake VIC chips?

It's not manufacturers, it's brokers and resellers, and it's very little trouble at all as there is plenty of 40-pin DIL packages which could be relabeled as a 6560/6561's. Some of the 6581's that appeared a few years ago were not SID chips at all, just some other random 28-pin DIL labeled as a 6581.

Like I said though, my experiences have been largely positive with Chinese suppliers.

Rob

Thanks to all for the replies!

If the chips are good and not faked, I will gladly share the contact info. so that anyone else who would like to buy the last 30 that they have can do so before the Apple ][ people get wind of it! LOL

I only wanted 5 or 10 so that I could help out everyone in my User Group if need be, then I was going to tell everyone here about it before they were all gone.

I, too, have had good experiences with the Chinese suppliers that I have ordered from, but I have heard of some of them faking SID chips (as previously mentioned in this string), so I wanted to be sure that everything worked out alright before passing the contact info. on.

BTW, after the $56.00 order, plus $35.00 shipping from China and an $8.00 PayPal fee that they charge, it's coming out to $99.00 USD for 20 VIC chips. That makes them just under $5.00 USD each, delivered to my house from halfway around the world. Not bad at all!

crock wrote:

Muzz73 wrote:I have recently run across an IC surplus supplier in China that claims to stock the NTSC VIC chip (NOS). They told me that there were only 50 left at $2.80 each (US) and that the minimum order is 20 units. I only wanted 5 or 10, but had to order 20 of them.

Provided these are genuine and not fakes, as I have heard of some vendors doing with the SID chip, I will have several to spare and will gladly share them with my VIC-20 bretheren.

Hi, I hope your transaction works out. I've bought chips from China before now and on the whole my experiences have been good. Be aware that it is common practice to make chips look NOS by relabeling the package and tinning the legs, even though they are *NOT* fakes. You can tell when you look at the markings because they will likely be laser etched instead of the printing which was used on MOS chips. This makes people naturally suspicious but it's whether the chip works that matters.

A generic chip supplier in China will not test them, despite what they may claim. Make sure you get the agreement that they'll refund you for any that are not working and test them all when you receieve them. Companies I've used in the past have been willing to accept my word for it.

Could you PM their details or ask them if they have PAL VIC chips (6561-101)?

cheers, Rob

Iam in need of a PAL VIC too.

I just checked with the supplier that I have my order with and they no longer carry the 6561-101. I'm sorry!

I currently have A LOT of Chinese suppliers bombarding me with e-mail right now, so I will keep you all posted.