Sunday 11 August 2019

Calling all Sony BVM 14F1 & 20F1 owners: Your CRT could be at risk of software death


The three chips pictured below found in the BC slot1 board contain key software at risk of preservation unless we act today.


IC3 is a 2mbit flash and contains the cpu code, according to the manufacturer datasheet it has a data retention guarantee of 10 years. IC107/108 are 256kbit eproms containing key system signals, their data inside will last 30-40 years depending on conditions.

If you would like to help preserve these please dump/read these chips and provide me a copy along with your CRT monitor model and year, BC board revision code, and software revision (menu->status). If you don't have a chip reader you can buy the inexpensive TL866II Plus from Ebay, IC3 will dump as AM28F020, and IC107/108 as any 27C256 eprom variant.

My monitor is a 20F1E from 2002, BC board rev A-1135-825-B, software rev 1.40. I have uploaded a copy of the content of my chips here: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1RcOjDqqe6G82cl521OmtAqBghIEh3i2x

UPDATE 8/13: Now moved to Github: https://github.com/ArcadeHacker/Dumps/tree/main/Monitors

Thanks for collaborating in preserving such fantastic monitors.