Atmel parts are being renamed? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: technix
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 07, 2017, 06:04:54 am
content: Just like the title suggests,are Atmel parts being renamed now?Also just for the LOLz, predict the new names for popular Atmel parts under new Microchip naming.

author: technix
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 07, 2017, 06:10:26 am
content: My wild guesses:* PIC11F = ATtiny. Example PIC11F85 = ATtiny85* PIC19F = ATmega. Example PIC19F32U4 = ATmega32U4* PIC32C = ATSAM. Example PIC32C3X8E = ATSAM3X8E

author: andersm
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 07, 2017, 09:32:15 am
content: Renaming existing parts would cause massive confusion for existing customers to no real advantage, and so far there's nothing to suggest that will happen. New parts may be rebranded, but I would also say that the AVR name is much better known and valuable than SAM.

author: forrestc
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: August 07, 2017, 09:56:08 am
content: I'm guessing that "21001 PNP1" (and other similar sessions) is going to be a rather interesting class this year:http://techtrain.microchip.com/usmasters/classes.aspxI have a feeling that some of us will have more information a week from now... I'll try to remember to post details if there's anything interesting mentioned. I'm pretty sure that it will since the PIC32CX and PIC32CZ in particular are starting to show up in official releases.

author: Mr. Scram
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 07, 2017, 12:09:21 pm
content: It would be fairly ridiculous to rename processor families to something they are not. ATmegas are what they are. Calling them PIC or any other name does not change what is under the hood.Considering how many people know the ATmega name, thanks to the ubiquitous Arduino variants, it would be silly to throw all that name recognition away and create a pile of confusion instead. They would be throwing money away.

author: free_electron
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 07, 2017, 02:23:49 pm
content: my prediction :they will add a prefix. sometinhg along the lines ofBwahaha_you_are_microchip_now_anyway_attiny11

author: Mr. Scram
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 07, 2017, 02:31:52 pm
content: Quote from: free_electron on August 07, 2017, 02:23:49 pmCalling it a Microchip ATmega or even Microchip AVR ATmega makes sense. The branding is the least interesting part of the deal.

author: westfw
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 07, 2017, 09:15:58 pm
content: Well, last week they announced some new CM4F chips: the SAMD5x and SAMD6x...Horrible names, but not because they're "un-Atmel." (I've been shocked by several of Atmel's chip name choices in the last decade or so. Not that it's easy :-( )

author: KL27x
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 08, 2017, 04:49:44 am
content: QuoteIf they're so bad at making money, why did they buy Atmel and not the other way around?

author: Mr. Scram
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 08, 2017, 06:34:32 pm
content: Quote from: KL27x on August 08, 2017, 04:49:44 amAccording to that logic, no decision they make would or could be a bad decision.

author: sporadic
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: August 09, 2017, 01:02:22 am
content: AVR4LIFEbysmerrick, on Flickr

author: amyk
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 09, 2017, 02:16:03 am
content: Quote from: technix on August 07, 2017, 06:10:26 amOr they might normalise on "AVR" and "PIC" prefixes, because they're both the same length. (At least, that's what I'd do if asked to rename them.)

author: forrestc
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: August 09, 2017, 08:33:15 am
content: Here's my wild guess:The AVR parts aren't going to be renamed/renumbered. Or if I'm wrong and they are being renumbered, it isn't going to be as drastic as renaming them into the PIC family. (amyk's suggestion of a AVR prefix makes sense - maybe something like AVR32U4).Existing ARM parts will likely not be renumbered. New parts will be added as something like PIC32CX (CX=cortex).I'm not aware of an instance where microchip has ever renumbered a product after acquisition - at least not with any of their recent acquisitions. I'm guessing there might have been cases that I'm not aware of, but at least for those parts I'm aware of, parts have not been renumbered. In many cases, followon products have also followed the pre-acquisition numbering scheme for that family. I.E. there are new "Roving Networks" modules - microchip seems to be using the RN prefix for roving-style modules, even if they are a new design.