Where to look for datasheets?

Google is the best first step of course, then I usually add "pdf" to the end of the search which often helps, or even ".pdf". In this case no luck though.

Next step for me would be to drop the trailing letters, so SN102977 in this case, but again, no luck.

Metacrawler.com and live.com didn't help either.

I use this site occasionally too

Good luck.

Dave.

For non-obsolete parts, newark, mouser, or digi-key all have links to data sheets.

If you can identify a manufacturer (and sometimes even if you cannot) going to (in this case) the texas instruments (TI) website might be a good place to start. However, they return no results for that number, parts of that number (remove suffix - remove prefix - remove both), or that number (or parts of it) from other manufacturers in their cross-reference search. See below.

For parts in consumer goods, it's not unusual for the part to have a "customer number" rather than a real number, precisely to keep you from being able to look it up. When you order 100,000 chips to put in your microwave ovens, it's pretty simple to specify that they will be part number "whatever you want printed on them" and it will happen. On the other hand, sometimes it's hard to tell a date code from a part number.

Google (and other search engines) is too polluted by the "data sheet spam sites" to be any good at all.

SN102977AN. I

sites

datasheet.

nice to know

With a number like that, it's most likely the custom mask-programmed microcontroller.

What are you trying to accomplish?

Thanks, Rich

I second what Rich said. It's a custom programmed microcontroller. You can only get data for the basic CPU type if you can guess what it is by looking at various TI CPU's and the location of their power and I/O pins.

But you can't get an exact replacement anyway, or use it anywhere else. If it's in an old ceramic case you can crack it in half to expose the die and make a desk decoration out of it. If you have a microscope, use it to show kids what chips looked like with only 3-layer metal.

Actually I thought it was a support chip. Looks like another chip is the custom uP.

I'm just mining a few parts out of wrecked boards. I'm trying to get back into playing with electronics and was wondering what that chip was.

Might as well start another post.

Wes

I once made a tie-tac out of a dead 8751 chip. ;-)

Cheers! Rich