I'm not sure if this is the right board for this or if I can post this request, but I've been developing several custom boards with the ATmega328 TQFP and programming circuitry. I went to order some today and they are none available anywhere that I can find until something like May1/3. I am in desperate need of them before then to demonstrate these boards and cannot use other packages due to my own board design and most of these are student boards that cannot be changed easily. If anyone has an:
ATmega328 TQFP or
ATmega168 TQFP
they are willing to sell or knows where I can get them local to the MD/VA/DC area or otherwise (other than China-shipping takes too long) please let me know! Really trying to avoid desoldering another board as well. Any help appreciated!
You are probably SOL then, unless you can find a kind soul who has some available (and isn't hoarding them because of the same issue).
Have you tried contacting any of the asian suppliers (by phone) and purchasing what you need (a tray's worth would probably be the minimum if you get very lucky) and having them FedEx'd overnighted? Have you contacted Atmel directly (again, by phone) and asked for the same thing (although they probably want a huge order; but maybe you could get friendly and they could help you work something out with one of their manufacturers in China to do the FedEx thing)?
Unfortunately it seems like a lot of stuff right now in the uC marketplace (and peripheral stuff) is only available from China; I am not sure exactly why, though...
Good luck!
[edit]Researching on another topic, I think the reason why there are so few available on the market has to do more with the fact that Atmel has only a single fab line right now (in Colorado Springs), and what stock was available was (mostly?) bought up by suppliers in China...? Not sure...[/edit]
when I send stuff to either Indonesia or Korea (using international priority) it takes at least a week, and cost's about 40$ to send 3 legal documents and a check
Unfortunately it seems like a lot of stuff right now in the uC marketplace (and peripheral stuff) is only available from China; I am not sure exactly why, though
...
Well looking at the explosion of Asian Arduino clones on E-bay, it's not surprising to me that they are treating Atmel AVR chips as a raw resource and using their capital to buy up as many chips as they can.
Not a bad problem for Atmel, but maybe a problem for us hobbyist
