We are redoing an 87C51FB design with the 87C51MC2, which is readilly available from DigiKey. The problem is, the -MC2 is an OTP part, and we have a lot of code development to do yet. This is going to kill off a lot of parts before the coding is finished. So, we identified a FLASH part for this, the AT89C51RE2SLSUM, a PLCC44 part, which should do the job nicely.
BUT, after a week of fruitless search, the -RE2 is proving nearly impossible to find. Even Atmel won't supply samples, they refer us to DigiKey. DKey doesn't have any, and they require a minimum order of hundreds, as does everyone else who doesn't have them in stock. We found one distributor who would sell us just two for a premium price, but they're stock is in Hong Kong, so charge $200 shipping! Another distributor will supply two or three, but they won't have any until mid-July!
So I come here in the hopes someone can either suggest a known source with stock in the US or who can sell us a couple out of their stock, right here, right now. We will pay a premium, of course, within reason.
Thanks for your attention, kenjj
An update: I called Matt at Arrow at the beginning of July about those incoming parts. He said they had been delayed until mid-September.
I had called various Atmel reps and distributors since posting this thread. One, Centaur, finally came through this week. We received two of these blighters in a puffy-bag. Yeah! I had no real assurances from them when I talked to them originally, so this was a distinct, but pleasant, surprise. Now the fun starts: our POS programmer doesn't burn these. EETools hasn't written a definition for these yet, but says they will do so cheerfully once we drop a grand on their latest programmer. Sure. Right. Uh huh. And here's your single-digit salute, guys...
Not a problem. I will bring in my Xeltek 3000U and we'll get on with it.
This little exercise suggests to me that Atmel's 8051-flavored chips are walking with the dinosaurs.
'Luck to you in your projects! kenjj
That was Centaur North Inc. of Sunnyvale, CA (plug, plug, plug...8>) kenjj
EETools hasn't written a definition for these yet, but says they will do so cheerfully once we drop a grand on their latest programmer had the exact same situation with Xeltek
I recoomend BP micro, they gave 2 youars notice on "update cessation" for programmers we have had for 10 years.
Erik