Potential New Design

Rick C <gnuarm.deletethisbit@gmail.com> wrote:
> On Monday, August 24, 2020 at 11:52:26 AM UTC-4, Theo wrote:
> > HT-Lab <hans64@htminuslab.com> wrote:
> > > As mentioned a few times in the past I would recommend you look at the 
> > > many FPGA modules available. These are small daughter boards with modern 
> > > FPGA's, oscillators, supply chips and sometimes memory on a small PCB 
> > > friendly board. Using one of these modules can not only simplify your 
> > > PCB but perhaps more importantly you don't have to compromise on the 
> > > FPGA or the development tools! I can't overstress the importance of 
> > > having access to good development tools, in most cases building the PCB 
> > > is just minor step in the whole development process.
> > 
> > Are those things actually available in volume?  When I used one vendor, it
> > appeared they were essentially building them on demand.  You buy the last
> > one in stock and suddenly the lead time goes up to 12 weeks (which slipped
> > to 16 weeks).  And once they've built them they don't have many before they
> > go out of stock again.
> > 
> > I can't imagine how it would go if I had an urgent need for 10,000.
> 
> No one builds FPGAs to order.

We are talking about modules, not FPGA chips.  All the modules cited are
made by companies I've never heard of.  (with the exception of Digilent).

> More likely is they have volume customers who order parts on a schedule in
> 1000's.  If they don't, they won't be in business long.  The distributor
> carries inventory they think they can sell to you and I.  When they run out
> they have to wait for the next run and their order is tacked on.

Some of such modules are stocked at Digikey and friends, but many are sold
direct.  Often the stock at Digikey isn't more than a few dozen.

If you think your product is going to massively scale in demand in future,
you better get on the phone to the module vendor to get their production
going, because they won't be keeping 10,000 in stock.

Theo

On Monday, August 24, 2020 at 7:16:55 PM UTC-4, Theo wrote:
> Rick C <gnuarm.deletethisbit@gmail.com> wrote:
> > On Monday, August 24, 2020 at 11:52:26 AM UTC-4, Theo wrote:
> > > HT-Lab <hans64@htminuslab.com> wrote:
> > > > As mentioned a few times in the past I would recommend you look at =
the=20
> > > > many FPGA modules available. These are small daughter boards with m=
odern=20
> > > > FPGA's, oscillators, supply chips and sometimes memory on a small P=
CB=20
> > > > friendly board. Using one of these modules can not only simplify yo=
ur=20
> > > > PCB but perhaps more importantly you don't have to compromise on th=
e=20
> > > > FPGA or the development tools! I can't overstress the importance of=
=20
> > > > having access to good development tools, in most cases building the=
 PCB=20
> > > > is just minor step in the whole development process.
> > >=20
> > > Are those things actually available in volume?  When I used one vendo=
r, it
> > > appeared they were essentially building them on demand.  You buy the =
last
> > > one in stock and suddenly the lead time goes up to 12 weeks (which sl=
ipped
> > > to 16 weeks).  And once they've built them they don't have many befor=
e they
> > > go out of stock again.
> > >=20
> > > I can't imagine how it would go if I had an urgent need for 10,000.
> >=20
> > No one builds FPGAs to order.
>=20
> We are talking about modules, not FPGA chips.  All the modules cited are
> made by companies I've never heard of.  (with the exception of Digilent).

Yeah, no, zero interest in modules.  I would like to consider one of the Ch=
inese FPGA companies, but the uncertain supply is an issue, also the unknow=
n tools.  Don't recall which one, but the tool is actually in Chinese.  Som=
eone managed to figure it out though and get a design working.=20

I think for $2 to $5, 1k to 4k LUTs I can use an iCE40 part.  This circuit =
may need to be very low power in idle state, so the iCE40 part may be ideal=
.  With 39 I/Os in a QFN48 I think it will be good.=20


> > More likely is they have volume customers who order parts on a schedule=
 in
> > 1000's.  If they don't, they won't be in business long.  The distributo=
r
> > carries inventory they think they can sell to you and I.  When they run=
 out
> > they have to wait for the next run and their order is tacked on.
>=20
> Some of such modules are stocked at Digikey and friends, but many are sol=
d
> direct.  Often the stock at Digikey isn't more than a few dozen.
>=20
> If you think your product is going to massively scale in demand in future=
,
> you better get on the phone to the module vendor to get their production
> going, because they won't be keeping 10,000 in stock.

Another reason why I'm not looking at modules.=20

--=20

  Rick C.

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