Re: sanding off chip markings?


Joerg wrote:
Hello Michael,


A couple of weeks ago, I bought an FM radio from the 99 cent store
(Made in China).

I then decided to take it apart, to see what neat stuff was inside.


One of those little key-chain things? I tried one. Horrible RF
performance, can't hold a tune in a bucket. I doubt it's worth taking
apart (I didn't). Don't even know where I put it, not that I wanted to
go looking for it.


The first thing I noticed was a chip (microcontroller?) that had
scratches on top. After a closer look, it looked like someone took a
Dremel-like tool to sand off the chip markings.


Probably just a single-chip receiver. On mine it must have been a rather
lousy one. The five-transistor FM radio I built as a kid was better.

--
Regards, Joerg


Yup, this one was pretty lousy. Has a "scan" button that gets confused
sometimes and then doesn't scan anymore... at least, until you turn it
off and back on...

But still, for 99 cents, I wasn't expecting an iPod... ;)

.