17 Nov
2006
17 Nov
'06
6:12 a.m.
On 11/17/06, Tony Duell <ard at p850ug1.demon.co.uk> wrote:
Or have a use for the chip, but value the board as well (especially in
the case of being able to restore it to full functionality later).
On 16 Nov 2006
at 14:34, Chris M wrote:
You might, if you needed to remove the chip for testing (either to test
the chip, or to be able to force signals that it drove on the board so as
to test other bits of the machine). Or if you wanted to read out the
program from said chip (maybe it's a PAL or a microcontroller, or something). Possibly both. What if both were important?
Then you wouldn't be trying to separate them, would you? :) Yes, you can separate ICs and PCBs without damaging
either. I do it all
the time.
Me, too. The most recent example I can think of is removing an
INS6120 12-bit CPU from a DECmate III board and sticking the chip into
an SBC6120. I needed the chip right away, but I wanted to replace the
soldered 40-pin DIP CPU with a machined-pin socket for the day when I
wanted/needed to run that board in a DECmate chassis.
The entire board cost me $50, what a bare CPU would have cost, but I
wanted to retain two working parts, not just one. For those keeping
score at home, the board is a 4-layer board with internal power/gnd
pins that do _not_ want to let go of a DIP CPU. 38 pins were easy...
the power and ground pins were not. In the end, I managed to end up
with an intact CPU *and* an intact board, but unless you have
pro-grade tools, you'll find it difficult to replicate this effort.
-ethan