This article says that Rochester Electronics will start production of the 68020 and some other old CPUs, including the 6809 - the latter is of interest to me, I recently (over on 6502.org IIRC) noticed that the 6502 and Z80 are both still in production with faster versions than in the "old" times, while the 6809 isn't and if you want to use it you're stuck with old 2MHz or so chips. According to Wikipedia we should be able to buy brand new MC6809 CPUs in half a year's time. I wonder if those will be DIPs, or something slightly more difficult to breadboard. Oh wait, Wikipedia says 'drop-in replacement' and 'copy of the original device', which would mean DIP but possibly also original speed (but we'll have to wait and see I guess).

An interesting development! I suppose they'd need yet another different agreement to do the 6309 (improved 6809 by Hitachi.) Although I see they do already have Renesas as a partner/supplier/licensor, so perhaps it will happen.

Looks like the speed will be unchanged. "According to Paul Gerrish, President at Rochester Electronics, the company has acquired all of both companies remaining finished devices and wafer/die as well as intellectual property in order to manufacture the exact same device and provide a reliable continuing source of the devices for systems that continue to use them." From the same link I notice the article is dated 2014. But the Wikipedia info is more current: "At the end of 2015, Rochester's MC6809 was into fabrication with expected production starting in July 2016."

Some fresh 6309's would be nice! But you'd wonder if there's enough demand, especially with the 6809 being re-introduced.

That's very, very interesting. I'm curious to know where the demand is? I've bought some 6809s off ebay which appear to be "repacked" parts, with new plastic and leads. Though it's really exciting, I'm just trying to figure out the why part.

@Aslak3:
The demand appears to be in the industrial sector still running legacy equipment where lots of those old processors were used. The 68020, for example, was used in countless 'intelligent' I/O boards. (Just mentioning a sector where I have personal experience. There's much out there I don't know about)

Edit: After reading here and there it looks like getting these ICs from Rochester may be way out of range for hobbyists, price-wise..

68020 The re-manufactured
Posted by natamix the January 27, 2016

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