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- Newsgroups: comp.sys.ibm.pc.hardware
- Path: sparky!uunet!spool.mu.edu!sol.ctr.columbia.edu!destroyer!ubc-cs!uw-beaver!uw-coco!nwnexus!osiris
- From: David Ruggiero <osiris@halcyon.com>
- Subject: [Guru question:] How to distinguish Cyrix 38D87 from Cyrix 387+?
- Message-ID: <1992Sep16.024839.13980@nwnexus.WA.COM>
- Originator: osiris@halcyon.com
- Keywords: math coprocessor FPU Cyrix 387
- Sender: sso@nwnexus.WA.COM (System Security Officer)
- Reply-To: David Ruggiero <osiris@halcyon.com>
- Organization: [none - why fight entropy?]
- Date: Wed, 16 Sep 1992 02:48:39 GMT
- Lines: 20
-
- Norbert Jaffa's encyclopedic disseration on math chips ("What you always
- wanted to know about math coprocessors") discusses Cyrix's replacement in
- August 1992 of its 38D87 chip with another (slower but more accurate) chip.
- This chip is marketed in Europe as the 387+, but here in the US is still
- called a 38D87. Since I bought my Cyrix 387 in August of this year, I have
- no idea which chip I really got, the old one or the new. Two questions:
-
- 1) Can I tell by inspection (markings) or operation (results of instructions)
- which chip I got?
-
- 2) Any speculations on the reason(s) for the switch? (Copyright violations or
- mask change to reduce manufacturing costs?)
-
- Any informed information will be appreciated. If email volume warrants, I
- will post a summary to this group. Thanks.
-
- David
-
- --
- David Ruggiero (osiris@halcyon.com) Seattle, WA
-