[TenTec] Dragonball Super VZ

[Ten-Tec Inc. Amateur Radio Sales]

At 12:40 PM 7/21/05, you wrote:

>I know little about microprocessors but know there are many on this
>list who do.  In looking over the Freescale site, it appears that the
>Super VZ was introduced in 2001 and when you review some of the pages
>describing it, Freescale states that they recommend that you do not
>base new designs on it.  There is a later MX 1 chip.  So, would I be
>too far wrong in surmising that the Super VZ may be headed for the
>EOL scrap heap too?  But, perhaps I should be especially happy if it
>allows the Orion 1 and Orion 2 to use the same firmware!!  I suppose
>that as long as it does the job and continues to be available for
>production, that is all that is necessary.
>
>Gary W7TEA

Yes - I was waiting for this question to appear.  I was already discussing 
this by email with VE6IV before this came onto the reflector.  If you read 
the Freescale website, it does read exactly that.  We noticed this some 
time ago and brought this to Freescale's attention.  The reason we were 
given by Freescale that it's listed as "do not base new designs" is because 
a lead-free solder use replacement part is going to be issued.  Instead of 
merely stating that as the reason on the website, it's listed as "do not 
base new designs" without a description of why this would be the case.  A 
recent phone call to Freescale from a Ten-Tec employee provided the 
explanation that they hadn't gotten around to making the appropriate 
changes to their website.

The European Union has mandated by mid-2006 that lead-free solder be used 
exclusively on all equipment sold in the EU.  This has meant very large 
changes in the electronics industry over the past couple of years for 
parts, equipment, you name it, for companies (like us) that sell 
electronics equipment in Europe.  Many parts used with leaded solder are 
being modified, changed, replaced in the run up to meeting this requirement.

Scott Robbins W4PA
Amateur Radio Product Manager, Ten-Tec, Inc.


-----------------------------------------------------------------
Ten-Tec, Inc., 1185 Dolly Parton Pkwy, Sevierville, TN 37862 USA
   Contact Mon-Fri Eastern: Office/Tech (865) 453-7172 9 am-5 pm.
   Repair (865) 428-0364 8-4.  Sales (800) 833-7373 9 am-5:30 pm.
   Fax (865) 428-4483 24 hrs.  Visit us at <http://www.tentec.com>
   Email:  New product sales/product info         sales at tentec.com
              Service department                         service at tentec.com
   While we make every effort to answer email in an expedient manner,
   the telephone is a much more efficient tool for getting a quicker and
   more complete answer to your inquiries.  Thanks!
   


-- 
No virus found in this outgoing message.
Checked by AVG Anti-Virus.
Version: 7.0.323 / Virus Database: 267.9.2/54 - Release Date: 7/21/05