The Retro Chip Tester (RCT) was developed to test „old“ memory chips from the 1970s and 1980s, which are often no longer recognized by today’s programming devices. It is often recommended to use chips in the same device to test the functionality. It is forgotten that the rest of the hardware is also correspondingly old and frequent switching on and off can provoke further errors.
An ideal memory tester should of course recognise:
- Defective memory cells,,
- Timing errors due to material fatigue (e.g. with DRAMs) and
- Incorrect signal levels due to material fatigue.
Unfortunately, such a tester cannot be produced at an acceptable price, a real tester will always be a compromise between the detection rate of defective chips and the price. The Retro Chip Tester Professional is able to identify defective memory cells very reliably. A memory card can even be used to precisely determine the defective memory cells. In addition, the Retro Chip Tester has many other useful functions for repairing retro hardware.
The RCT can save the contents of ROMs, PROMs and EPROMs to a memory card. If the memory chip is known, the name is shown directly on the display. A database with 300,000 entries is available for this purpose.
The Retro Chip Tester has now become very extensive in its functions. The video from beginning of 2021 still talks about 400 supported logic ICs, currently there are over 1200 ICs supported. The number of supported DRAMs and SRAMs as well as ROMs has also multiplied.
Over time, the firmware has been significantly expanded. Among other things, the possibility of reading out protected PALs and GALs (under certain conditions) has been added. Even some exotic EPROMs can be programmed.
Examples for supported memory components (SRAMs and DRAMs)
The following (and a few more) and all pin-compatible SRAMs can be tested:
4×4: 74170, 74670
4×8: TC4036, TC4039
8×2: 74172
16×1: 7481, 7484, K155RU1, …
16×4: D3101, 7489, 74189, 74219, …
16×9: 74F211, 74F311, …
16×12: 74F213, 74F313, …
32×8: 74LS218, 74LS318, …
64×1: 4505
64×4: 74C910, 74LS216, 74LS316, …
64×9: 82S09, 93419, …
128×8: 6810, …
256×1: 8216, 2116, 8217, 2700, 2701, 3106, 3107, 93410, K155RU5, …
256×4: D2101A, D2111, D2112A, 74921, 6561, CY7C123, …
256×8: 81C50, 81C51, 81C52, 82S08, …
256×9: 82S10, 82S12, …
512×4: D2113, …
512×8: 81C54, …
1k x 1: 2102, 8102, 2115, 2511, …
1k x 4: 2114, 2148, 2149, 4045, 5114, 6514, C214, U224, …
1k x 4: 6550
1k x 8: 4118, 4801, 8185, …
2k x 8: 2016, 2416, 4016, 4802, 4812, 6116, 6512, 5516, …
4k x 1: 2147, MK4104, …
4k x 4: 7C168, 6168, 5416, P4C168, P4C169, …
8k x 8: 2064, 2464, 6264, 2465, …
8k x 9: P4C163, IMS1695, …
16k x 1: 8167, 6267, 6167, 2167, P4C167, …
16k x 4: P4C188, P4C198, …
32k x 8: 20256, 61256, 62256, 71256, …
32k x 9: CY7C188, …
64k x 1: P4C187, …
64k x 4: P4C1258, P4C1281, P4C1298, …
64k x 8: 61512, 24512, …
128k x 8: 621024, 431000, …
128k x 9: CY7C1088, …
256k x 1: P4C1257, …
256k x 4: P4C1026, …
256k x 8: AS5C2008, …
512k x 8: BS62LV4006, CYM1464, CYM1465, P4C1048, …
1024k x 1: CY7C107, …
The following (and a few more) and all pin-compatible DRAMs can be tested:
1k x 1; MK4006, MK4008
4k x 1: 2104A, 4015, 4027, 7027, 2107, …
8k x 1: 4108-x0, 4108-x1, 2108H, 2108L
8k x 4: 4408NLT/NLB
16k x 1: 4116, 2117, 6116, 8116, 416, 2116, 3716, U256, …
16k x 1: 2118, K565RU6, …
16k x 4: 4416, 2620
16k x 1 x 2: 4132, 4332
32k x 1: 3732H (4532-L4) und 3732L (4532-L3), 4532
64k x 1: 4164, 2600, K565RU5, 8264, 3764, …
64k x 1 x 2: 41128
64k x 4: 4464, 41464, 50464, …
256k x 1: 41256, 53256, 81256, MT1259, …
256k x 4: 44256, 514256, …
1024k x 1: 41024, 411000, …
256k x 8: SIMM 30 and SIPP 30
1024k x 8: SIMM 30 and SIPP 30
64k x 4: ZIP 20
256k x 1: ZIP 16
256k x 4: ZIP 20
1024k x 1: ZIP 20
1024k x 4: ZIP 20
These (and pin-compatible) FIFO RAMs (still in development):
16 x 4: 40105, 74LS222, 74LS224, 74LS227, 74LS228, 74LS232
16 x 5: 74S225, 74ALS229, 74ALS233
64 x 4: 74ALS234, 74ALS236, 74F413
64 x 5: 74HC7403 und 74ALS235
These (and pin-compatible) NOVRAMs:
64 x 4: X2210
256 x 4: X2212
512 x 8: X20C04, X20C05
2k x 8: X20C16, X20C17
Comparison lists with the supported memory chips can be downloaded from the supplier\'s site.
Please refer to our other items for adapter sets that will provide compatibility with different types of chips.
Box content
- main PCB - bare
- PCB for Standard DC/DC Board
- Micro USB socket (while stocks lasts)
- electronic access details to manuals / BOM / firmware (at supplier\'s site)