The Chippocolypse is coming! - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / projects

author: ScribblesOnNapkins
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: October 12, 2015, 03:59:18 pm
content: TI is declaring END OF LIFE on everything that was made in GFAB6 which I assume was previously owned by National Semiconductor.I found out about it in a very round about way on a TI forum.https://e2e.ti.com/support/amplifiers/audio_amplifiers/f/6/t/457875One member got a copy of this and was nice enough to post it.http://www.proaudiodesignforum.com/images/pdf/ti_20150901004_09292015_eol.pdfA lot of this is stuff I could care less about because it is jelly bean stuff like LMC567 but there are nicer things on this list. My fear is what happens next? Are they going to close more fabs? How the heck can they continue to fab LME49720 but not the single LME49710?TI, they failed to manage BurrBrown correctly and now they are doing the same to National.

author: Marco
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 12, 2015, 04:56:41 pm
content: Weird, LMC6001/662 are not on that PDF. Seems doubtful they could just transplant those design to their own processes.

author: bson
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: October 12, 2015, 06:43:33 pm
content: Yep, just getting the EOL notifications from digikey and mouser. The 49710 is axed, as is the quad 49740, and the LM4562 in DIP (!). The 49710 has been my go-to DIP audio band op amp for a while, and it's a really nice little device so I think I'll stock up...

author: German_EE
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 12, 2015, 06:53:45 pm
content: No more LM3916 Dot/Bar Display Driver, that one will be missed by quite a few audio constructors.

author: SeanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 12, 2015, 07:23:00 pm
content: Quote from: German_EE on October 12, 2015, 06:53:45 pmthat will probably be cloned soon enough though..... They are pretty expensive in any case for the actual circuit inside.

author: JoeB83
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: October 12, 2015, 08:58:39 pm
content: Crap. Thanks for the heads up, I've used LME49600, LM4562, LM49990, LM3875, and many more in my audio designs. Time to stock up.

author: JoeB83
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: October 12, 2015, 09:12:20 pm
content: Quote from: blueskull on October 12, 2015, 08:27:30 pmI love the LME49600-I've used it a lot-but BUF634 is pretty close to the LME49600. Plus it comes in SO-8 & TO-220-5, and DIP-8 in addition to DDPAK.http://www.ti.com/lit/ds/symlink/buf634.pdf

author: dmills
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 13, 2015, 08:24:15 am
content: Quote from: blueskull on October 12, 2015, 08:50:24 pmNot usually unless the part was safety related (Fuse, Opto across an isolation barrier, transformer, stuff like that) or you are in a regulated industry (Medical, safety critical applications, avionics...).I would note that many of those parts seem to have very close equivalents, there are only a few really unique parts being discontinued (Those high current buffers being the boring ones, but there are near equivalent parts there, at the cost of a minor board respin).This is why you try to NEVER design in a single source component unless you really have no choice in the matter, and for line evel audio at lowish impedance there is little wrong with the 5532/34 which is second sourced by **EVERYONE**.Regards, Dan.

author: John Coloccia
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 13, 2015, 06:03:21 pm
content: I'm a huge fan of the LM833 for a lot of the work I do. Fortunately it looks like they're just killing off the DIP package but the surface mount ones are still available.Oh well...I've been meaning to get a hot air station and dispenser anyway. I've already had to change some JFets over to surface mount. It really doesn't seem like a big deal except for a couple of chips that really have no good equivalent right now.Incidentally, the J201 (that I had to switch over to surface mount because of sourcing issues in through hole) is even being cloned now in a throughole package if anyone really wants it. I'm sure the clones will show up soon enough.edit:Now that I think of it, I think I'm already using the ON Semi LM833, so no worries.

author: ScribblesOnNapkins
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: October 13, 2015, 07:21:37 pm
content: Quote from: blueskull on October 12, 2015, 08:27:30 pmFor the LME49710 which I use at work we are considering the Maxim (ya i know) MAX9632http://datasheets.maximintegrated.com/en/ds/MAX9632.pdf

author: ScribblesOnNapkins
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: October 13, 2015, 07:25:41 pm
content: Quote from: Marco on October 12, 2015, 04:56:41 pmMarco are you sure those are made on GFAB6? I would think they would share the same node as the LMP series which is also extremely low bias current field effect.(are they using teflon in the gate of the mosfets on those chips?)

author: calexanian
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 13, 2015, 07:58:05 pm
content: I am really surprised to see a few on there that they are not migrating to other fabs, that we know of anyways. Analog must just be disappearing at a crazy rate from new designs.

author: ScribblesOnNapkins
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: October 14, 2015, 02:13:16 am
content: Digital stuff is easier to migrate between fabs. The analog stuff is a very different process.Digital chips require a small feature size. Analog requires as fine control on things like transistor characteristics as possible.The idea that digital is replacing analog is a myth. It was really only true in that one wave of change that replaced analog computers with digital ones.

author: JoeB83
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: October 14, 2015, 03:30:36 am
content: Just a warning to my fellow EEVblog readers:I just stocked up on all my soon-to-be-disco favorites on Mouser. A couple are ALREADY out of stock-if you want to stock up, do it soon. I haven't checked Digikey or Newark, (long story, I only shop @ Mouser) but I wouldn't be surprised if the same happens there.

author: fivefish
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: October 14, 2015, 04:12:01 am
content: This just pisses me off.

author: coppice
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 14, 2015, 04:26:39 am
content: Quote from: JoeB83 on October 14, 2015, 03:30:36 amThis is just scare mongering. TI are accepting orders until 28 Sep 2016. That's almost another year. People who need these parts are encouraged to work out their product lifetime needs and buy accordingly.

author: JoeB83
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: October 14, 2015, 04:31:16 am
content: Quote from: coppice on October 14, 2015, 04:26:39 amIf I was associated with TI, probably so. You're also probably right, I'm sure more orders will come in. Just trying to be helpful!

author: jwm_
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: October 14, 2015, 05:37:43 am
content: Step 1. Buy up stock of soon to be discontinued chipStep 2. Write an article for audiophile magazine extolling the benefits of the chip.Step 3. Profit

author: JoeB83
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: October 14, 2015, 06:10:52 am
content: Quote from: jwm_ on October 14, 2015, 05:37:43 am

author: bson
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: October 14, 2015, 07:41:36 am
content: Seems like maybe the LME49710HA isn't EOLed. This is the TO-99 metal can version.

author: coppice
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 14, 2015, 07:54:43 am
content: Quote from: jwm_ on October 14, 2015, 05:37:43 amIt doesn't have to be a gouging exercise like that. There are some companies who specialise in stocking end of life parts from major semiconductors makers, and keeping them in good condition for years. Rochester Electronics is the most famous of these. They certainly charge for what they do, but the capital tied up in stocking stuff for years must be considerable. I assume their customers find overall value for money in what they do.

author: ScribblesOnNapkins
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: October 14, 2015, 05:30:24 pm
content: Quote from: coppice on October 14, 2015, 04:26:39 amNo if you are designing something right now and it is meant to have a lifecycle longer than this it will be an issue. I was working on something that has to be available for at least 4 or 5 years.

author: ScribblesOnNapkins
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: October 14, 2015, 05:35:35 pm
content: Quote from: bson on October 14, 2015, 07:41:36 amThat is weird. I hope you are right but I can not understand how that could be true given that the process node is being shuttered.

author: mikerj
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 14, 2015, 05:40:59 pm
content: LM380 and LM386! I've lost count of the number of projects I've used them in over the years, though not for a while to be fair.

author: zapta
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 14, 2015, 05:51:31 pm
content: Quote from: blueskull on October 12, 2015, 08:27:30 pmIn a recent Amp Hour, a TI representative that works on audio IC bragged that TI is very aggressive on keeping old ICs available.

author: calexanian
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 14, 2015, 07:51:44 pm
content: Quote from: zapta on October 14, 2015, 05:51:31 pmYou have to be careful there. They are actually ending a process/fab. Not just discontinuing parts. It just may not be worth it to them to re tape out parts in a new process.

author: John Coloccia
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 14, 2015, 08:02:17 pm
content: Quote from: calexanian on October 14, 2015, 07:51:44 pmBut it looks like they ARE just discontinuing a lot of parts, and that's what makes it confusing. For example, the LM833 that I mentioned before. It looks like it's just the DIP version that's going away. Surely, they're all made in the same fab, probably with the same die, right? But if you look on that bulletin that was linked to, the surface mount parts are listed as a replacement part and seem to still be available.I think the only truth in what they're doing is contained on that list, and that everything else is marketing or speculation.

author: LaserSteve
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 14, 2015, 10:52:58 pm
content: Speculation on my part, Looks like 6" wafer parts go, 8 inch wafer parts stay.. Gfab6 and Gfab8 supposedly share a building according to one form on the Digikey web site..What happens now is all the exotic chip resellers cut deals for every prime part available, as an "investment" where they resell the parts at 9 to 99x new cost in a few years... Once they see a EOL notice, they start buying...Ebay and China puts a dent in some of that...Steve

author: coppice
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 15, 2015, 01:41:41 am
content: Quote from: John Coloccia on October 14, 2015, 08:02:17 pmYou should never assume that the die in an SMD part is the same as the die in the through hole versions of the same part. Digital devices get reworked for newer and cheaper processes all the time. The commonest limiting factor there is when the geometry gets so fine you can't use the original voltages. For analogue devices, and to some extent mixed signal devices, manufacturers are very reluctant to rework a device for a new process, or even a new fab that is supposed to be equivalent. Subtle things change, and you can easily end up with a lot of unhappy customers. However, when you introduce a new package, it is clearly going into new products, which will need to be tested and qualified. Here you can rework the die with no risk. If the new part has a really small SMD package, and the die was fairly big, you might actually be forced to rework the part just to fit it in.

author: jwm_
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: October 15, 2015, 02:10:38 am
content: Quote from: coppice on October 15, 2015, 01:41:41 amWould be interesting to grab a couple of each and de-cap them.

author: John Coloccia
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 15, 2015, 03:01:10 am
content: Quote from: coppice on October 15, 2015, 01:41:41 amThat's an excellent point I hadn't considered.