Re: Amiga, Mac, Atari

[david@uow.edu.au (David Wilson)]

"Pete" <my.name@wintermute.org.uk> writes:

>Hi,

>  >> My gut feeling is that the 6507 was a cheaper chip (well it
>  >>SHOULD have been) but does anyone know for sure?

>  > It wouldn't matter because all it would have done was change
>  >the price maybe a dollar.

>OK, I'll admit I was being a tad vage....the 6507 *SHOULD* have been a
>cheaper device than the full 6502 since it was being aimed at the embedded
>controller/small system market.

>That said, since AFAIK both processors used exactly the same die just how
>much cheaper was the 6507 in quantity?

Smaller package (28 pins instead of 40) = cheaper package.
Smaller package = more chips per tube = cheaper shipping.
Less holes and smaller footprint = cheaper PCB.

>However, even if it was only a dollar cheaper that would make a hell of a
>difference when you're buying them in quantity....companies like Atari would
>be buying tens of thousands at a time!

Yes - that is the reason.
--
David Wilson  School of IT & CS, Uni of Wollongong, Australia