Vintage CPUs

[Simon123]

I have intel C8080B.
I want to know, how much its worth, and how rare it is-on ebay i have found that only 5 of these are known for existance. It has little bit of ceramic chipped on 1 pin, but its not damaged in any other way.
I saw other photos with chipped ceramic, so why is that?
C8080B
ES 1274
K1984

Porably 1984 isnt datecode, beacuse of its package?

[dannyf]

I want to know, how much its worth

I am happy to take it off your hands, if you pay me $125.32 + free shipping.

Hope that has settled it for you.

[grumpydoc]

I saw other photos with chipped ceramic, so why is that?

Probably because it's brittle and it's been kicking around in someone's junk parts drawer for the last 20 years.

As to value - dunno, come back in 100 years and you might have something

[Simon123]

I bought it so it proably wasnt kicked around, it was just sitting.
What about date code?

[Tepe]

I bought it so it proably wasnt kicked around, it was just sitting.

You bought it, so you know an amount that you were willing to pay. Would you be willing to pay more than you did?

I wouldn't pay a penny for it for the simple reason that I have no use for it.

[amyk]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=321121872934
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=270820579117

[Tepe]

What about date code?

Week 12, 1974?

[Simon123]

Ok tnx for datecode, i paid 5€.

[c4757p]

What about date code?

Week 12, 1974?

8080 was released in April 1974...

[BravoV]

Probably the ES = Engineering Sample ?

Usually it was released before the official version.

[c4757p]

That's a good point, in which case this may be worth a bit more than a useless old chip.

[fluxcapacitor]

For CPU collectors the date code makes a lot of difference, the earlier the better .Its worth more than 5 euros

[grumpydoc]

Looking (i.e google is your friend) around the 1274 is probably a batch number rather than a date code and the 8080B was very short lived so despite my cynicsm you might have something worthwhile

[Simon123]

I have found 8080 timeline on this iste http://www.cpu-world.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=19272
but you need to register(i did).
It says that it is 1974, 28 week. And 1274 is batch number.

Thanks!

[geraldjhg]

an intel 8080 without its clock generator 8224 i think is practically useless
the 2 clock signals where NOT ttl
then you would need ram and eprom (for prg storage)
and an input output cchip like an 8255
far too complicated
ive got a 4004 and its not good looking either

[Simon123]

I could proably just build 2 phase clock generator from logic gates.
http://www.nostalcomp.cz/cvicny8080.php
Also the power supply is tricky beacuse of the powering up voltage sequence.

[TerraHertz]

Butterfly collectors don't contemplate trying to get the butterflies to work. If this CPU really is an early engineering sample of the 8080 it's probably quite valuable to some. But thinking of improvising to 'get it going' would be silly due to the high chance of destroying it. Wrong power rails sequencing, out of tolerance clock signals, over/under voltage ringing spikes, etc.

Far better to find some genuine 8080 system with the CPU in a socket, and try it that way. If you really must see if it works.

I think I have a 4040 somewhere, but it's worthless since the markings had become illegible. I never did find a 4004.

[Simon123]

IF ill try to get it goin i will use A version if i can get it.

[Whuffo]

Let me know if these old things ever become valuable. I've got a brand new one sitting in antistatic foam that I'd love to sell to a wealthy collector.

[dfmischler]

Let me know if these old things ever become valuable. I've got a brand new one sitting in antistatic foam that I'd love to sell to a wealthy collector.

For it to become valuable the supply will have to dwindle and the demand will have to rise a lot.  So if most of the devices containing these chips were recycled, and then a cultural fad overvaluing early microprocessor technology emerged, then they could be very valuable for a while.  But don't hold your breath waiting for it to happen.

[codeboy2k]

an intel 8080 without its clock generator 8224 i think is practically useless

I sold a lone 8080 before, it was plastic.. nothing special.  I still have an 8224.  I have an 8255.  I have some 2716 and 2732 EPROMS... I just sold off  4k bytes of 2102 SRAM.

I have Microsoft 4k Basic on paper tape for the Altair 8080B.  I still have a complete Altair 8080B. I should put a web server on it

[Whuffo]

Let me know if these old things ever become valuable. I've got a brand new one sitting in antistatic foam that I'd love to sell to a wealthy collector.

For it to become valuable the supply will have to dwindle and the demand will have to rise a lot.  So if most of the devices containing these chips were recycled, and then a cultural fad overvaluing early microprocessor technology emerged, then they could be very valuable for a while.  But don't hold your breath waiting for it to happen.

I'm not holding my breath; I know it's worth just about nothing. I've got a 4004, too. I don't know why I keep them; little mementos of my past, I suppose. They look kind of cool, anyway - white ceramic packages with gold pins and cap.

PS: when the 8088 was new, it sold for $395 each.

[amyk]

4004s in CERDIP are worth a lot more than the plastic ones:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Collectible-Vintage-White-Ceramic-Intel-C4004-CPU-Produced-before-mid-1972-/221275012405

[SeanB]

I have some 8080, 8086, 8288, 8284, 8237, 8255A, WD8250 all pulled from old boards, along with a lot of EPROM's in a box

[alm]

4004s in CERDIP are worth a lot more than the plastic ones:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Collectible-Vintage-White-Ceramic-Intel-C4004-CPU-Produced-before-mid-1972-/221275012405

Don't confuse value with asking price. That listing has gotten three (refused) offers since August, so the value to the potential buyers seems to be significantly lower than $1500.

[grumpydoc]

4004s in CERDIP are worth a lot more than the plastic ones:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Collectible-Vintage-White-Ceramic-Intel-C4004-CPU-Produced-before-mid-1972-/221275012405

Don't confuse value with asking price. That listing has gotten three (refused) offers since August, so the value to the potential buyers seems to be significantly lower than $1500.

Generally good advice, do some research and use the "completed listings" option to see what items actually sold for.

One did go for over $700 though! http://www.ebay.com/itm/Intel-C4004-White-Ceramic-with-Gold-Cap-and-Pins-MINT-/190918374585?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2c739f34b9

The same vendor had this one and these went for even higher amounts. Things are worth what people will pay, I suppose.

[fluxcapacitor]

4004s in CERDIP are worth a lot more than the plastic ones:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Collectible-Vintage-White-Ceramic-Intel-C4004-CPU-Produced-before-mid-1972-/221275012405

Shipping: $41.01  Import charges: $345.25  .I don`t know why the import charge is so high ?

[grumpydoc]

Shipping: $41.01  Import charges: $345.25  .I don`t know why the import charge is so high ?

VAT at 20% plus import duty.

[van-c]

I have a ceramic M68000 engineering sample I received from a rep back in the early 1980s.  It's still in the little plastic case Motorola used for those samples.  The chip has never been installed in anything or even tested and its appearance is like new.  Unfortunately, however, the layer of conductive foam has started to crumble and is sticking to the pins in places.  The package itself has little clear plastic tabs on each end.  Interestingly, the chip doesn't have any visible markings on it either top or bottom, but the case has a sticker marked in pencil "M68000 12MHz  25 C" with my name and extension number written on the Motorola label on the lid of the case. 

Collector's item?  Maybe it will have more value for my grandchildren .

--Van

[free_electron]

collectors items ? its a pile of refined sand for crying out loud !

[Simon123]

Nice 68k. Congradulations for taking good care for it.

Btw i just changed title.

[JoeO]

... and a diamond is nothing more than a piece of carbon.

[nctnico]

I have some 8080, 8086, 8288, 8284, 8237, 8255A, WD8250 all pulled from old boards, along with a lot of EPROM's in a box

Same here. I'd better check them out. Look what crazy prices people pay:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Intel-C4004-w-gray-traces-/190918867918

[Stonent]

collectors items ? its a pile of refined sand for crying out loud !

Diamonds?! They're just lumps of refined coal for crying out loud! 

[Stonent]

... and a diamond is nothing more than a piece of carbon.

Darn you beat me to the joke. 

[van-c]

I think free_electron was pointing out the absurdity of collecting obsolete semiconductors-- worthless hunks of silicon.  OTOH, the value of most collectables is far beyond their practical worth.  For me, the value of that old 68K is purely sentimental, which is why I kept it for so long instead of tossing it.  I pestered that poor Motorola rep shamelessly for weeks for that sample CPU, which I had intended to put to work in an experimental prototype.  Instead, it ended up spending its entire career in a plastic box.  I wish I'd paid more attention to it, though, maybe checking it for foam-rot once every five years or so.

[codeboy2k]

I wish I'd paid more attention to it, though, maybe checking it for foam-rot once every five years or so.

LOL @ foam-rot... I've got a few old chips that I left alone for 25 years or more in their foam carriers... what a mess.  Nothing special.. mostly CMOS 4000 series in 14 and 16 pin ceramic packaging...

[van-c]

I've had quite a few old ICs damaged by that foam deterioration. Once it starts crumbling, it adheres to the pins and seems to have a corrosive effect over time; I've seen some pins partially eaten away.  I'm trying to find a way to remove the old foam residue without causing electrostatic damage to the chips, possibly with a mild solvent and ground strapping.  Some of my chips are still useful as experimenter parts; but, left alone, they will eventually be ruined.

BTW, the more recent types of conductive foam don't degrade this way.  For smaller ICs, they're best kept in their plastic tubes, if available, and avoid using any foam altogether.