Not recommended for new designs?

[Michael]

Yesterday, I called digi key to get some pic's and gave them 3 or 4 different part numbers (of completely different chips), only to hear not recommended for new design.

The guy at DK thought it may be the fact that they will just do new part numbers when everything is ROHS ready.

I wanted a couple smaller package, fewer I/O chips to compliment my 16c65 that I use.

Ended up ordering the 12c509 and the 16c716, both of which had that "warning" on them.

Does anyone know, if these will be valid parts in the future and indeed, they are just saying that because of ROHS?

Thanks.

[Bruce]

Older parts are being replaced by newer parts all the time. Not recommended for new designs is just Microchips way of letting the designer know certain parts are being phased out. If you're designing a new product you'll want to steer clear of parts being phased out.

If you're just working on one-off hobby projects, use anything you can get your hands on, but just remember the parts you use now may not be available down the road a ways.

Rohs compliance is a big factor, but Microchip was doing this long before Rohs was even an issue. Direct replacements that are just better, and different manufacturing techniques that make direct replacements less expensive to manufacture are also reasons for phasing out older parts.

[Michael]

Yeah, I know what it means and I always stay clear but I every part number I gave yesterday had that message.

If anyone can confirm the ROHS theory, I'd appreciate it....the guy at DK said one manufacturer put that on every single part but the only change will be ROHS certified with a different part number......same part though.

Are the OTP parts going to bite the dust?

I use them because of this antique P16pro40 programmer I have.

I may just have to call microchip.

[Michael]

Answering my own question an FYI to all.

It's the OTP parts that have this not recommended message....at least the ones I inquired about.

So time for a new programmer and some 12F509 to play with.

Unless anyone knows if a P16pro40 can be made to work with a 12F509?

[PJALM]

It will support the 12F629 and 12F675 using the free version of the software from www.picallw.com.

[bbarney]

winpicprog at this site
http://www.winpicprog.co.uk/bbs/viewtopic.php?t=235
supports almost all flash pics with a 16pro40

[J. Mark Wolf]

Yesterday, I called digi key to get some pic's and gave them 3 or 4 different part numbers (of completely different chips), only to hear not recommended for new design.
Thanks.

Many times, just the suffix is changing, typically do to a new die fab. The 16F876 eventually popped up as "not recommended for new design" as I recall, in favor of the 16F876A, which simply offered additional features or fixed a bug, etc.

[Michael]

Thanks BBarney....that's great. Hate to give up my P16....have 2 of them, one on a pretty nice chassis I made for it.

Ended up getting a bunch of 12F509.

[bbarney]

if it doesn't work for them just ask Nigel about it,he's always upgrading the chips it handles