Discussion parts avaliability

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Hello all,

I'm researching chips and other components to buy but I'm noticing pretty much every single listing online shows literally over a year of wait time to MAYBE get stock. but I see a tonne of people here still building custom pcbs, is there a secret place I don't know about where you guys are getting these components, or have you literally been waiting 6 months to a year to get anything in?

I get why 4-layer has had some PCBs on "coming soon" for months now if this is what it's been like, but I just assumed it was because he orders in the hundreds, is there any way for me to grab one or two of said chips or components?
 

MP3

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There's a massive global chip shortage right now, so stuff is unavailable everywhere. You can use Octopart to see if any other distributors have the stuff you're looking for, but other than that all you can really do is wait out the lead times or find another suitable part. It's affecting everyone.
 
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There's a massive global chip shortage right now, so stuff is unavailable everywhere. You can use Octopart to see if any other distributors have the stuff you're looking for, but other than that all you can really do is wait out the lead times or find another suitable part. It's affecting everyone.
Sweet man thank you so much! working on a few original custom pcbs and a few open source ones but I can't seem to find the parts listed. I'll give octopart a look, and look into alternative chips if I can find any!
 

Gman

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You need to design for availability. I go straight to digikey/mouser, sort by in-stock and pick the component with the most stock that fits the application and hope it doesn't sell out by the time the prototype is done. Sometimes you need to buy chips before you even finish the design. This is a terrible time to be an electrical designer.
 
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You need to design for availability. I go straight to digikey/mouser, sort by in-stock and pick the component with the most stock that fits the application and hope it doesn't sell out by the time the prototype is done. Sometimes you need to buy chips before you even finish the design. This is a terrible time to be an electrical designer.
Jesus, I really wish I had hopped on board back in 2018 when I first had an interest in all this. I'll do what you suggested in that case. I don't have the first idea of how to design PCBs but I'll start cracking the documentation on the chips and see if I can figure it out for random chips. Will there be any issues when trying to program them in the case of the ps2+ for an example? I can't find the pic16lf18876 anywhere with 44 pins, only the 40 pin variations
 

MJMT

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I'm using alternate regulators like pth12000. I made a PCB to put them on. IMG_20220416_171821234.jpg
 
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I'm using alternate regulators like pth12000. I made a PCB to put them on. View attachment 22084
Jesus that's clean and simple as heck, the ones I'm looking at are the TPS566242DRLR for switching (which seems to be fine for my purposes) and I'm still looking for a linear switch for the 1.75, have you found any solutions to deliver the 5v for USB without stepping things down from 7.4? I was thinking of boosting 3.7 to 5 for USB, so that I can boost the capacity of the batteries instead by running them in parallel and only having 2 in the portable.
 

MJMT

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There are plenty of modules for that on Amazon but they will be a bit on the large side. I have 1 that can tune voltage right to the dot.IMG_20220423_200522413.jpgIMG_20220423_200534935.jpg
 
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There are plenty of modules for that on Amazon but they will be a bit on the large side. I have 1 that can tune voltage right to the dot.View attachment 22092View attachment 22093
Have you tested at all to see if the power delivered is clean enough for usb to run with no issues? Also be on the lookout because I believe it was shanks back in the day warned against amazon regs overheating and melting in portable applications which is why the community insisted on building their own with TI components. But certainly for testing purposes if this works then i might just have a crack at a voltage booster in my PMS for the USB and run in parallel for the sake of double MAH.
 

MJMT

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I have not. I
Have you tested at all to see if the power delivered is clean enough for usb to run with no issues? Also be on the lookout because I believe it was shanks back in the day warned against amazon regs overheating and melting in portable applications which is why the community insisted on building their own with TI components. But certainly for testing purposes if this works then i might just have a crack at a voltage booster in my PMS for the USB and run in parallel for the sake of double MAH.
I have not tested it with USB.
 
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I have not. I


I have not tested it with USB.
I saw ben heck boost 7.4 to 12v for an n64, Honestly I think it might, I'm planning on doing a few tests to see if it works, I also noticed that Gman has done a single battery ps2, which probably means that he had to boost it to 5v somewhere for usb
 

MJMT

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I'm putting together a bom for using LM2832YSD/NOPB. I'd need to attach them with a heat gun but it seems fine. There are 3 others I'm looking at.
 
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