A tip for PIC newbies!!

[Shax]

Hi all newbie PIC programmers.... (and tight arsed experimenters like me!!)

If you need to get a PIC to play with, get some FREE samples!
I have about 150 pic samples in my bits box, and can usually find one to fit my requirements!
No point paying for chips that can be had for nowt!

Two companies that I use regularly for freebies are :

www.microchip.com
www.freescale.com

 

[Andy1845c]

I requested a few samples from Microchip.

The set them FEDEX to me at work from Thiland. Less then a week from the time I requested them, I had them in my hand, in a cool little Microchip box, lol.

I felt guilty!

 

[Shax]

I felt guilty!

I bet you didn't!!

I know I don't feel the slightest bit guilty in blagging freebies..

PAUL

 

[donniedj]

I have no guilt. I have been sampling like clockwork from Microchip for years. I am allowed 2 sample orders per 40 day period. An order consist of 4 parts. Some parts are limited to 3 and others to 5 quantities. Trust me, all those free parts add up.

I have been sampling from many other electronics companies, the big ones. Still, Microchip is the most benevolent of them all. The best part is the free boxes. I got a closet full of varying sized Microchip boxes which are just perfect to reuse for shipping. Closet full.

 

[justDIY]

all the folks sampling these chips for hobby use cause higher prices for those of us that buy them in quantity

nothing is free, somebody pays for it.

 

[bryan]

I suspect the freebies are seconds from the mfg process. Cosmetic defects, bent pins etc...

 

[gramo]

I suspect the freebies are seconds from the mfg process. Cosmetic defects, bent pins etc...

Why would they do that?

Microchip recently announced the sale of its 5 Billionth PIC micro. I don’t think 4 free hand outs every 40 days (that’s the sample limit) is going to impact their margins

 

[Peter_wadley]

Why would they do that?

Microchip recently announced the sale of its 5 Billionth PIC micro. I don’t think 4 free hand outs every 40 days (that’s the sample limit) is going to impact their margins

Yeah, but how many 4 peice hand outs are going out is the more important factor

I tried to sample from microchip.com but I dont have a work or school email account and they wont accept generic emails anymore

 

[picbits]

Just dont abuse the service.

I've had a lot of samples from Microchip before but I've also placed some rather large orders so I feel I balance my samples to purchase ratio out.

Its not that samples that cost Microchip but the shipping and handling.

Have you noticed the amount of PIC microcontrollers on Ebay being sold in batches of 3 ? Obviously samples which are being sold on and it makes my blood boil

I must have bought a few thousand PIC microcontrollers so far versus sampling maybe 20-30.

 

[Gayan Soyza]

I have about 150 pic samples in my bits box,

Hi Shax! whats the meaning of BITS BOX? Is it a Box? or a computer Package?

The first time I heard of that.

and for PIC learners here is a very good site which I learned many things from it.

 

[mvadu]

Even I asked for a sample 16F88 since I coould not get them in my city. Microchip was kind enough to send it in a plastic rail (3 PICs). But i didn't get any of those Microchip Boxes

 

[Optikon]

I suspect the freebies are seconds from the mfg process. Cosmetic defects, bent pins etc...

No they don't do that. You can rest assured that all samples are from production tested lots that have no quality defects.

It doesn't work like fast food joints where the leftover food goes home with the employees.

 

[Andy1845c]

I suspect the freebies are seconds from the mfg process. Cosmetic defects, bent pins etc...

That makes no sense. Samples should reflect the quality of the product. They should be of the highest quality.

 

[donniedj]

all the folks sampling these chips for hobby use cause higher prices for those of us that buy them in quantity
nothing is free, somebody pays for it.

Prove it. If John Doe in numbucktoo gets one sample, he indirectly made your price go higher since he is included in the list of all folks? A sampler does not mean a non-buyer. There are forces at work directly tied to sampling that people do not have the slightess clue about. Statements like "The rising of production price" is always the first sign of cluelessness.

Any other actually TIPS to be contributed?
If not shut the thread close or shut your typographical mouths.

 

[BeeBop]

A sampler does not mean a non-buyer. There are forces at work directly tied to sampling that people do not have the slightess clue about.

Yes, in fact they expect you to be delivering a product to the market, and expect a yearly sales.
Last time I was talking to the local Ramtron rep., he told me that it cost around a hundred dollars a pop to send out samples. It requires a lot of time and expense just to ship them. Think about it. Many of these sample arrive at your door quickly, and at times by courier.
Before he would send the samples, he asked what kind of yearly turnover this would bring to the company. He knew I was a small fry, because I told him. He suggested a low figure, and I said 'yes, and with any luck, more.'
Sampling is just good business practice, and it makes good sense. If someone who is very inventive comes up with 'a good one,' they will be after a large volume order of the same, or similar chip, which they sampled.
It also doesn't make sense to abuse this hospitality; there are companies who no longer sample freely.

 

[dipmicro]

Those eBay sellers selling sample chips are pathetic losers. Samples are not fit got production as they may not be same quality as distribution parts. The cost of parts to Microchip is negligible, the cost of shipping is high, so if you really have to abuse the service, order as many samples in as few shipments as possible.

I think this is part of their advertising campaign - give free samples to kids and they will keep ordering product when they become project leaders. This is one of things that has gotten Microchip the market share they have now.

 

[Nigel Goodwin]

Samples are not fit got production as they may not be same quality as distribution parts.

I would disagree, the samples are exactly the same as normal production samples, which in fact they are! - it would be completely pointless for a manufacturer to provide sub-standard parts as samples. The whole idea of the samples scheme is so you can evaluate the part, to encourage you to use it in projects - no point providing parts which might not work.

In the past I've had samples dispatched directly from the manufacturing plant in the far east, but more recently samples are provided from the local MicroChip distributor (who would only have production devices).

I've also never heard of anyone having a duff sample chip!.

 

[dipmicro]

I would disagree, the samples are exactly the same as normal production samples ...

They may be and they may not be. Find Microchip Samples Terms and Conditions and read section 6. Modification and Substitution and 7. Disclaimer of Warranty.

But you are right in one thing - the samples will very likely be up to their specification. They may just be older datecode (older revision), less successful silicon batch (which is still up the specification) and they may as well be just parts taken from the stock to be distributed.

For example, the Ethernet chip ENC28J60 had several revisions and in B4 they made significant fix. There is no way to tell unless you read a revision register. Distributor sells you higher revision, but if you request sample, Microchip might send you B4 until older revision is depleted. There is a workaround in ENC28J60 errata sheet which limits the chip uses.

But I suspect the big name customers with chance of volume order would get production quality samples, while your average student may get the older rev.

 

[Optikon]

Prove it. If John Doe in numbucktoo gets one sample, he indirectly made your price go higher since he is included in the list of all folks? A sampler does not mean a non-buyer. There are forces at work directly tied to sampling that people do not have the slightess clue about. Statements like "The rising of production price" is always the first sign of cluelessness.

Any other actually TIPS to be contributed?
If not shut the thread close or shut your typographical mouths.

Why so emotional? The point was that it does cost the company money to sample (of course!) and they do not do it because they want to be nice to somebody. They are banking on the fact that your will use their part in quantities. If nobody ever does then what do you think happens to the price?

 

[HudzonHawk]

Thanks for the idea.
I never realized that there are companies who give away free samples!