[Coco] 6809EP - Worth it?

[Mike Pepe]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: coco-bounces at maltedmedia.com [mailto:coco-
> bounces at maltedmedia.com] On Behalf Of J.P. Samson
> Sent: Monday, January 18, 2010 5:08 PM
> To: CoCoList for Color Computer Enthusiasts
> Subject: Re: [Coco] 6809EP - Worth it?
> 
> On Jan. 18, 2010, at 5:51 PM, Andrew wrote:
> > I was browsing around a favorite local electronics surplus haunt of
> > mine, and found that they had a cache of MC6809EP processors, in
> > tubes of 5 or 6. The condition of the parts looked NOS; but other
> > than that, unknown.
> 
> I believe the CoCo used a 68B09E.  That 'B' indicates that it can
> operate at speeds up to 2 MHz.  A 68A09 runs at 1.5 MHz.  A plain 6809
> maxes out at 1 MHz.  I think the 'EP' refers to requiring an
> 'e'xternal clock and that it uses a 'p'lastic package.  So my concern
> is that these chips you have found could not operate in the CoCo at
> the speed required.
> 
> -- JP
> 

They will likely work fine at 2MHz, but 68B09E chips are neither rare nor hard to find; Jameco has them for $8 a piece. $6 sounds like a reasonable price per unit for a 6809E.