Some of my ewaste finds (Pics included)

Originally Posted by Longhairboy

So what is the difference between that and an IC chip? They look the same to me?

Eproms are ceramic and if you remove the sticker you will be able to see the chip inside through a small window. If you will look on page 3 of this thread I have a pic of some eproms with the stickers removed.

I got something new today. They came out of a tensator which is something that is installed at the cash registers in dept stores. They look like the mother board from a thin client. Each one had a 256 memory board in it. Each one is about 8"x8" and I was given a box with 41 of these in it.



Heat sinks removed.

Originally Posted by Longhairboy

So what is the difference between that and an IC chip? They look the same to me?

Any chip thats made in short runs, gets used intentsively, is military, or keeps people alive or such, weather forcasting, number cruncher, deep pocketed buyer, corporate, NASA or security, programable, is made to a higher standard.
That normally translates as 'More Gold' in them.

Now those EPROMs are programable. They have a little window above the chip. When they want to blank the imformation on the chip, they expose the chip to a bright UV light for a while. Somehow that blanks the chip. (now I have to find out exactly how..)

By looking thru the window you can see if it has Gold or Silver wires going to the chip itself, from the legs.
The Gold wires makes it worth more. But even Silver wire is worth more than in normal chips.
Also, under the chips they paint little splash of Gold or Silver paint before they mount the chip. This acts as a heatsink for the chip and makes it worth more too.

So divide up your EPROMS into these 4 catagorys, Buyers definations can be different from others too. So it pays to be thorough anyway.

If you find any odd ceramic chips, like a 'double stacked' chip (a smaller chip plugged into the top of the larger chip) its woth good money to a collector of chips (hobbyists)
Same goes with finding a board covered in these purple or white chips. More$$$$