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Pin Matrix for PPC ZIF modules?

trag

Well-known member
So I've wandered off and come back to the ZIF modules as a reproducible project over the years, but it always boils down to that pin matrix on the bottom of the module.

It looks like some kind of odd surface mount to PGA matrix and I haven't managed to turn it up anywhere. I had some evidence that MillMax made it at one time.

An electronics old-timer (been doing advanced design for 40 years) says it looks like a specialty item for/by IBM.

Anyone ever manage to source these?
 

Trash80toHP_Mini

NIGHT STALKER
Just layed 8x loupe upon the XLR8 G4 ZIFF module accelerator/carrier combo I'd bought in my long ago PEx experimantations. No maker's mark at all on that connector.

However, it strikes me that the CPU section of a standard header implementation of the PGA interface might have the CPU overhang the connector opposite the cache extension? Is there available cubic in BG3 for such a kluge? It should be possible to unify CPU overhang and cache on either side should cubic be available there?

In either case, you'd use a copper heat pipe between CPU and standard ZIF socket heat sink to make it work.

Did anything besides BG3 use the ZIF module CPU form factor?
 

macuserman

Well-known member
Just layed 8x loupe upon the XLR8 G4 ZIFF module accelerator/carrier combo I'd bought in my long ago PEx experimantations. No maker's mark at all on that connector.

However, it strikes me that the CPU section of a standard header implementation of the PGA interface might have the CPU overhang the connector opposite the cache extension? Is there available cubic in BG3 for such a kluge? It should be possible to unify CPU overhang and cache on either side should cubic be available there?

In either case, you'd use a copper heat pipe between CPU and standard ZIF socket heat sink to make it work.

Did anything besides BG3 use the ZIF module CPU form factor?
Yeah the B&W G3 as well as the yikes G4 all used it.
 

herd

Well-known member
I was poking around and saw these:

www.ebay.com/itm/233938049492

...and remembered this thread. Those are kinda beat up, but would work for a few prototypes. Are you thinking of sticking a 7447 onto a little custom ZIF board? I think the 7447 will do 60x bus mode.
 

herd

Well-known member
I read it as a set of 4 for that price. As long as the pins don't break off when straightened...

I think the G3 chips on those could be swapped to G4 if nothing else. At least they look almost the same as G4 ZIF modules.
 

macuserman

Well-known member
I read it as a set of 4 for that price. As long as the pins don't break off when straightened...

I think the G3 chips on those could be swapped to G4 if nothing else. At least they look almost the same as G4 ZIF modules.
Oh your right I just reread it, that's not bad if you can straighten the pins. Shoot, I'd be willing to buy those just for you to play with.
 

trag

Well-known member
I was poking around and saw these:

www.ebay.com/itm/233938049492

...and remembered this thread. Those are kinda beat up, but would work for a few prototypes. Are you thinking of sticking a 7447 onto a little custom ZIF board? I think the 7447 will do 60x bus mode.

Actually thinking about making new PPC750GX boards -- or in this case 750GL. I may end up producing a few by reusing the ZIF header from 233MHz G3 modules, but I'm not even sure that will work. Reusing the things may be fraught with difficulties.

How does one attach them (the pin header) to the board. It's not exactly a BGA chip that can be reballed.

Nevertheless, thank you for pointing those out. I bought a couple of lots. That will give me some headers to play with.

Depending on the dimensions you might be able to replace that with things like these SMD pin headers maybe…

If they had those in a 17 X 17 version, that would be perfect. I could nudge a bunch of them together, but I think getting a SM pin header properly soldered to a board is going to be challenging enough, without adding registration (every thing lined up properly?) issues to the project.
 

Trash80toHP_Mini

NIGHT STALKER
Registration could be accomplished adequately by installing a sample of your target chip in the sockets while soldering the pins, no? Shove them down individually onto the chip and then wiggle adjust the kluge until the pin side of the assembly slips nicely into the thruholes?
 

trag

Well-known member
Registration could be accomplished adequately by installing a sample of your target chip in the sockets while soldering the pins, no? Shove them down individually onto the chip and then wiggle adjust the kluge until the pin side of the assembly slips nicely into the thruholes?

Good point. That's what I used to do when soldering header strips to the pins of the 68000 for old upgrade installations on the pre-plus machines. Put the header strips in a 64 pin DIP socket before starting.

I completely forgot that bit of art.

When I get there, I'm still going to try to find a proper header matrix. PowerLogix was based in Austin. Maybe the head guy is still living here...
 

herd

Well-known member
I just saw a Joe Card ZIF on ebay. I've never heard of them before, but it looks like they used a different type of pin array than others. I don't know if this helps at all, but I thought it was interesting. Also, it took me a while to find this thread, so for reference here is the related thread:

68kmla.org/bb/index.php?threads/ppc750gx-vs-ppc750gl.39043/

joeCardZIF2.jpg

This link will probably be dead soon, but it's the ebay listing I found the picture at:

www.ebay.com/itm/255489143571
 
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