DVD player ICs -- surprising values

@ Thortek. I too am wondering what is the market for these ICs. I imagine there must be a market somewhere. I say that because I've been checking many different ICs from various low grade circuit boards derived from CRT TVs, CRT Monitors, DVD players, etc. I've found quite a range of prices for various chips -- ranging from $1.50/chip to $18/chip for the microcontrollers from an old CRT Monitor, to the $130/chip for the Panosonic DVD microcontroller listed above. Presumably, if there were no active market, prices would gradually drop until they equilibrated near scrap value. The range of prices suggests to me that there are either varying levels of demand or varying degrees of market supply cornering.

Here are some other examples mentioned in an earlier post from a CRT Monitor Breakdown....



The integrated circuit shown in this picture (see links below) is made by ST microelectronics and it sells for $18 from a spare parts supplier.
Here's the picture link: http://www.flickr.com/photos/4886509...57629249836754
Here's the parts supplier link: http://www.galco.com/buy/ST-Microelectronics/TDA9103
The chip is a deflection processor: http://www.datasheetdir.com/TDA9103+XUnsort

This other integrated circuit from the same low grade board (see link below) is made by National Semiconducter and it sells for $1.79 (+$22 for shipping) from a spare parts supplier:
Here's the picture link: http://www.flickr.com/photos/4886509...57629249836754
Here's the parts supplier link: http://www.aliexpress.com/fm-store/3...NEW-stock.html
The chip is a RGB (Red/Green/Blue) video amplifier -- further details: http://www.alldatasheet.com/datashee...C/LM1281N.html

Originally Posted by ElectricMetal

to the $130/chip for the Panosonic DVD microcontroller

For $130 I would just send them the whole board.