I remember when I posted on RGP, the day PDIP RAMTRON's came out (a 6264 NVRAM in a 28 pin DIP package):

https://groups.google.com/forum/#!searchin/rec.games.pinball/the$20new$20ramtron$20is$20here/rec.games.pinball/Df1iQNf0kNs/cpAT2T3JkTkJ

I was so happy...until about 20 minutes later, when Ed from GPE posted that Ramtron decided not to mass produce the PDIP version (FM1608B-PG was the PDIP version).

Turns out they made a few hundred, then discontinued them. They were <$4 each, and onlinecomponents had about 300 in stock--they sold out fast, like in a few weeks. I bought a few, and I see a few here and there (like on ace's page), but such a shame they didn't make a few thousand more for us pinball lovers.

That's a great post. The only thing I'd change--the square pin headers don't work very well for inserting in chip sockets. Millmax makes an interconnect, with round pins that works really nice for anything you want to insert in chip sockets.

http://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail/Mill-Max/350-10-164-00-006000/?qs=2fvWSw3gTH9Ls1b0TXtYDg%3d%3d

Ed/GPE sells these at a much better price than Mouser, but I don't know if he still stocks them.

Edit: I'd also recommend the soic version chip over the other smd types, as it's bigger.

Also, agree with Ace, about buying from an electronic place other than EBay--although I've had good luck with EBay--I know it's always risky.