UTC Taiwan are selling 2050, some say they are legal, and some say it is a modified version, but they were allowed to do so by ST.
More clearly, they made 2050 with the knowledge of ST, and do sell them in Europe.
But some people, - Nirupam Bhowmick is a member here - think the changes made to it are not having a good result. He prefers the old ST ones.
The time limit on US patents being live is 17 years and copyright is 75 years, some chip makers like Intel use copyright to protect their intellectual property.
If the patent has expired, anybody can make their version, and calling it fake would itself be wrong.
More clearly, they made 2050 with the knowledge of ST, and do sell them in Europe.
But some people, - Nirupam Bhowmick is a member here - think the changes made to it are not having a good result. He prefers the old ST ones.
The time limit on US patents being live is 17 years and copyright is 75 years, some chip makers like Intel use copyright to protect their intellectual property.
If the patent has expired, anybody can make their version, and calling it fake would itself be wrong.
The patent expires indeed after a certain period of time , then other companies will try to clone that product , those are NOT original product, those are clones .
Since most of these companies will print the original company Logo on the cloned chips , that's a red flag, I call those chips 100% fakes .
About UTC chips, I have some of them , never tried them , I cannot say much.
The chip on the left is fake , next is UTC2050 chip and on the right 2 100% authentic ST chips.
Since most of these companies will print the original company Logo on the cloned chips , that's a red flag, I call those chips 100% fakes .
About UTC chips, I have some of them , never tried them , I cannot say much.
The chip on the left is fake , next is UTC2050 chip and on the right 2 100% authentic ST chips.
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whoever said the chip shortage is diminishing obviously hasn't had to buy anything lately. I'm sat at work on Rev.4 of designs which have never once made it to PCB layout - by the time I get the component created in the PCB CAD system, they've gone out of stock, not to return until 2023. To make matters worse, manufacturers are now using this opportunity to obsolete chips which are based on older fab process technology (like a lot of the old National/Burr Brown audio stuff).
One of the more helpful semiconductor reps explained the problem to me: first there was the automotive wobble, which made the car oems panic buy, now theres the mass production of datacentres: which are sucking up anything and everything 'at any cost'. New fabs are coming online, but they're not even meeting current demand, let alone replenishment.
TI's new fab in the US should come online 2023 - this will make a difference, hopefully.
One of the more helpful semiconductor reps explained the problem to me: first there was the automotive wobble, which made the car oems panic buy, now theres the mass production of datacentres: which are sucking up anything and everything 'at any cost'. New fabs are coming online, but they're not even meeting current demand, let alone replenishment.
TI's new fab in the US should come online 2023 - this will make a difference, hopefully.
I don't think anyone said that, but the article I referenced is here https://www.theregister.com/2022/05/26/sharp_chip_inventory_correction_looms/
Note, I don't necessarily beleive what they are saying either....
This is funny. To make an exact copy you need to have the same process running in the fab. Now give you 3 guesses what the most closely guarded secrets in the semiconductor industry are?
Unless the 3rd party buys the fab as well, or it's a fabless company who use someone else to make it the best you'll get is something a bit similar in the same package.
OK I understand some sectors (like the cheap guitar amps) would want to sweat the asset before they pay someone to come and design a next gen product I had assumed that TVs and monitors would have all redesigned for class D years ago to save money/power. I may have assumed wrongly...
My KRK Rockit’s have 3886’s in them. One for the woofer one for the tweeter. But they are 10+ years old. So we’re the dead TVs that I pulled 3886’s out of.
Chip amps are for pressing the “easy” button. Class D is cheap, small, and efficient but not necessarily punching the “easy” button if you have to worry about EMI (like inside a TV).
Chip amps are for pressing the “easy” button. Class D is cheap, small, and efficient but not necessarily punching the “easy” button if you have to worry about EMI (like inside a TV).
There are threads here about STK clones using SMD discretes.
Functionally equivalent to the originals, drop in replacements.
That is what matters, I think.
Maybe I should have called the clones / copies functional equivalents, a less confusing term.
Given that those are not seen in large volumes for the 3886, you can wait for TI, or move on.
And wg_ski tells us above that analog amps are still in use, in production volumes, you can find out the details and try and use those for new builds.
Functionally equivalent to the originals, drop in replacements.
That is what matters, I think.
Maybe I should have called the clones / copies functional equivalents, a less confusing term.
Given that those are not seen in large volumes for the 3886, you can wait for TI, or move on.
And wg_ski tells us above that analog amps are still in use, in production volumes, you can find out the details and try and use those for new builds.
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'Unless the 3rd party buys the fab as well, or it's a fabless company who use someone else to make it the best you'll get is something a bit similar in the same package.'
Indeed, what happens to old fab equipment that has been made obsolete by say finer spacing, or high labor costs, or zoning regulations? Etc....
Even though it is still in good working condition, and has a decent residual life.
Maybe some ends up in places where it is useful.
Indeed, what happens to old fab equipment that has been made obsolete by say finer spacing, or high labor costs, or zoning regulations? Etc....
Even though it is still in good working condition, and has a decent residual life.
Maybe some ends up in places where it is useful.
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@asuslover:
The UTC chips says TDA2050, same as ST, so it seems an authorized copy.
The Chinese ones use other letters, but same numbers, like D2050 or CD2050, and their own logos, they can be termed functionally equivalent versions.
The UTC chips says TDA2050, same as ST, so it seems an authorized copy.
The Chinese ones use other letters, but same numbers, like D2050 or CD2050, and their own logos, they can be termed functionally equivalent versions.
I wouldn´t use it either.
That said, as a manufacturer, I couldn´t care less (and that is an understatement) about brand, name or colour, I always think functionally or as a black box: as long as the part fits, works/measures same or better, is durable, price is reasonable, it is fine for me.
The keyword here is usability.
Absolutely no need to clone original circuit to a T , again, as long as it stands datasheet voltages, puts out same current, dissipates same, etc. , into a PCB and then an amp it goes.
Why is that? Because they show a similar datasheet?
Donovas , dont buy fakes! Buy the authentic! where are u located?
Prices in Asia have been substantially lower than through Western disties for decades. I believe this is official policy of the manufacturers though you'll scarcely see it mentioned. Jason at Schiit Audio talked a bit about it on his blog a few years back.
"I have been buying fakes!"
"were way cheaper than digikey prices."
"behaved the same and you couldnt really tell the sound apart"
Why am I trying to convince people not to buy the fakes , when they enjoy saving money and they think the fakes behave/sound the same as the authentic ones?
Peace out!
"were way cheaper than digikey prices."
"behaved the same and you couldnt really tell the sound apart"
Why am I trying to convince people not to buy the fakes , when they enjoy saving money and they think the fakes behave/sound the same as the authentic ones?
Peace out!
