Zanussi 20ZA374GB TV repair
 

Following on from this thread https://www.vintage-radio.net/forum/...d.php?t=131102
the TV looked destined for the tip as the microprocessor was unavailable. The only possible source for the IC was on ebay from Italy at a cost of £30. As I was unsure if a replacement would come mask programmed it seemed too much of a gamble. Recently the IC became available from a UK supplier on ebay for £13 pounds so I bought one and it works!
I was wondering how the IC could suddenly become available. They had lots in stock. I guess it must be NOS but I would have thought the IC would have only been available direct from Zanussi being a custom part. Nice to have the set working again.

Re: Zanussi 20ZA374GB TV repair
 

Could it be that Zanussi [or their official repairers in the UK] have discontinued the set and so sold-off all their spares?

I've seen this happen quite a bit in the past - manufacturer/distributor deems a piece of kit end-of-support and clears out all their spares-stock for the model, which are snapped-up by a 'second line' support-company or small parts-distributor.

Re: Zanussi 20ZA374GB TV repair
 

Yes I think it probably was a repair centre selling off the spares. The set would have been discontinued a long time ago as it dates from 1986. I think the chassis was used up to about 1990 although newer versions had a different microprocessor with OSD. The IC appears to have a date code of 86 so I think its genuine old rather than a re-manufacture.

Re: Zanussi 20ZA374GB TV repair
 

Re-manufacture would indeed be extremely unlikely for custom ROM processors in consumer devices.

You could have ordered the part from Italy without a risk, the ZC... number is a custom part number so in this case always preprogrammed.