I'm inclined to think the top one is a (possibly chinese made) fake as there has never existed an official chip called TA2020 without the -020 ending.
Here a link to the official specification for the chip. www.kafka.elektroda.eu/pdf/tripath/TA2020.pdf and as you can see, the name of the chip is offically TA2020-020, and that is what must be printed on the chip for it to be a real Tripath designed product.
Here a link to the official specification for the chip. www.kafka.elektroda.eu/pdf/tripath/TA2020.pdf and as you can see, the name of the chip is offically TA2020-020, and that is what must be printed on the chip for it to be a real Tripath designed product.
As you look closely at these photos you can see that the top one ise exact copy of the bottom one and the marking "TA2020" is done by image manipulation (Photoshop, MSPaint, etc.). The bottom image is original.
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It's not exact copies of eachother though. The second line, the batch number is different. So I doubt it's image manipulation. The top one is (very likely) a fake, though.
EDIT: To settle this once and for all, I checked all my TA2020s that I have accumulated over the years and all of them, except a non-functional chinese made fake reads: TA2020-020. The non-functioning chinese fake reads: TA2020 without the -020 ending. The chinese made fake still reads: Korea as origin, btw.
Please note the different font used on the batch numbers. It's hard to spot but it is, besides the missing -020 ending, what gives away the fake one.
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An externally hosted image should be here but it was not working when we last tested it.
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On closer inspection. The fake does have the -020 ending it's just that the entire print is very dim so it's hard to read. One more difference is that the legs are round and not flat, and they're not gold plated. It also have no widened PCB stop on the end legs.
I do know that some TA2020-020s are made in China but that it says so on those, and that they generally work fine, although also having the same legs as described above.
There isn't such thing as fake, or clones. like someone mentioned above, if someone has the capability to (re)produce the dies and package, why he would not come up with a new, fascinating IC ???
BUT.... what happens with old, useless electronics ? where do they end up ???
Saturnus noticed something when he said: "One more difference is that the legs are round and not flat, and they're not gold plated. It also have no widened PCB stop on the end legs."
BUT.... what happens with old, useless electronics ? where do they end up ???
Saturnus noticed something when he said: "One more difference is that the legs are round and not flat, and they're not gold plated. It also have no widened PCB stop on the end legs."
I personally would steer clear of this seller.
You say "if someone had the capability...." etc.
I say - if someone resorts to image manipulation, presumably in order to prove that he has different serial numbers in stock, then something smells fishy.
Also, this seller is known to sell fake/non-working semiconductors, just read the negative feedback he's received over the last couple of months.
I would also not buy any Tripath chips with white paint (probably silkscreen) markings. These must be fake, as the original ones were always engraved.
Regards
Stan
You say "if someone had the capability...." etc.
I say - if someone resorts to image manipulation, presumably in order to prove that he has different serial numbers in stock, then something smells fishy.
Also, this seller is known to sell fake/non-working semiconductors, just read the negative feedback he's received over the last couple of months.
I would also not buy any Tripath chips with white paint (probably silkscreen) markings. These must be fake, as the original ones were always engraved.
Regards
Stan
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