Could the chip shortage be a blessing in disguise?

a reply to: charlyv

Some years ago there was a large batch of capacitors built in China that used a cheaper electrolyte and failed in a short time. Many computers of good brands, although they built their own boards, used those capacitors, so they had many failures.
The only thing that was needed was to replace the capacitors to have the equipment work again.

On a large scale, it's cheaper to replace the board, but on a personal situation, if we know how to do it, it's still cheaper to do it ourselves.

a reply to: robsmith

Yes, but it's the chips in things that don't have planned obsolescence that I'm more worried about, I'm trying to get hold of a specific kind of microcontroller board, and they're telling me that it won't be available until September, and it's a board that I'd expect to still be using in 10 years time.

Chips in autos are also being hit in my country, and we tend to keep out vehicles for a long time over here. We're pretty much having vehicles being shipped with chips that are 5 years out of date as they can't get the new ones, and these chips are integrated so they'll be in things like engine management systems for 10-15 years.

Same with farming equipment, a harvester could go through 3-4 owners and last upwards of 30 years. Then maybe get sold to Africa and keep going for another 10-15.

Over-engineering:
•Coffee makers that connect to the Internet.
•Appliances with a dozen modes you don't use.
•Vehicles with giant iPad wannabes in the dash.

Clever engineering:

a reply to: havok

Thanks. Learned a lot from your post.

A huge global EMP would be a blessing.

Who knows, maybe people start to look around again.

a reply to: robsmith

So, if I read tjis right, the cost of the white goods in our homes depends on computer chips.

So why did we just stop developing electromechanical controls?

Sounds like an opening in the market for someone who makes an em version of chip controlled kit. Even if it only performed 90% as well.

You know for sad folks who might like to dpend a bit more but want to look at the cost over 10 or 20 years.

Or maybe were worried about having no spares, and didn't like the idea of built in obselesence?

Im no expert though.

originally posted by: Vibekilla
Stack up on electronics and sell after China invades Taiwan.

That's the angle most are not seeing , Tiawan never closed down its chip factories during all this COVID lockdown so where did all the chips go ,!

There is probably thousands of acres of new cars parked waiting for them world wide and that could be a February 29th date .

And knowing the way the world works there will be a Hugh rush in fake parts that will break in five minutes and take days to problem solve ,just like those 18650 batteries not everything that is stamped Samsung is made by Samsung and have it's build quality .


Maybe the west is under a secret embargo and those chips are headed for war factories but that's just my opinion

a reply to: stonerwilliam

you make a point i have mentioned to others for the whole "parts shortage/supply chain problems" claims

we hear this yet we then also hear there are HUNDREDS of ships waiting to be off loaded (both IN PORT AND WAITING OFF SHORE).

Has me asking is there REALLY a "shortage" or is someone CREATING a shortage by not letting those ships get off loaded?

which then causes people to ask alot of "unwanted" questions and look for who is benefitting from it.

like (as has been pointed out on other posts) the DOCK UNIONS to get more money than normally would

hmmmmm

scrounger

i wish. i just had a problem with my refrigerator that could not be fixed because of discontinued parts. Then all the fridges were on back order except the huge $4000 fridge. Which i had to get because that is all they had in stock. Now my car is on its last leg and i went to subaru to by a new impreza. The dealer said production is halted because of the chip problem. Looked at their used cars and they want more than a new one . This chip problem is going to cause chaos in so many products we use every day.

originally posted by: robsmith
a reply to: infolurker

Agreed, I prefer old school tech, it’s simpler don’t need to get diagnostic gear to identify what broke and fix it.

This makes me think about how many sensors are on a modern combustion automotive engine.

When I tuned engine management years ago on one of my cars I did with a TPS-driven, Alpha N unit and all I could really play with was fuel maps. But, done right, the system worked very well and was very reliable - and is prehistoric simple by today’s standards.

Todays cars (and appliances) got way, way over-engineered.

Good luck when your massive touch screens go out… that won’t be a DIY project and that part will cost you an organ at least.

Appliances aren’t any different… and we shouldn’t require the space shuttle launch computer to figure out what’s wrong with them - particularly basic appliances.

a reply to: gb540
I find this whole connectivity thing awkward.

I was recently looking for a new home amplifier, issue was it was incompatible with my laserdisc player and turntable.

I bough an older pioneer amp made in Japan it’s over 20 years old, still decodes dts and Dolby I’m happy with it. Plus it the amp probably was destined for scrap. Upcycle.

Even finding a 4K DVD player with analogue audio outputs is hard to find every amp and device now only has HDMI.

It’s ok if you are getting into Hi-Fi now, though some amps don’t have any analogue inputs.

I get it’s for restricting copying of movies and music.

a reply to: ArMaP

The big joke is that if you have modern washing powder, and a bath, if you soak the washing in the bath for twenty four hours, then drain and rinse a couple of times, it comes out as clean as any washing machine and the clothes last a lot longer. Instead of a spin cycle just pull the plug out the bath and let it drain for an hour.

I agree and second everything said in the posts so far.
Many people over a certain age shop thrift stores, garage sales, Ebay, anywhere to buy older appliances and electronics as much as possible, even if they need some tinkering. Some items go for really high prices. Best choice, 1960s, then on down with the quality descending by decade until about the mid-1990s, at which point it's designed to break throw away buy a new one repeat. Europe's exploring laws going along the "right to repair" lines designed to allow people to fix things again. I hope it's a trend, and if all this disruption has the effect of slowing down technology, I wouldn't mind. It's a great thing, but it needs a damn road bump. a reply to: robsmith

a reply to: scrounger

And with all the lockdowns going on in China at port cities the time for getting the popcorn out is soon me thinks

a reply to: robsmith

Interesting


I was wondering how older Philips stuff on eBay was going for stupid Money for 10+ years old hi-fi gear ,they did have excellent sound quality but got outsourced to China and turned to crap .

In the area in which I live, a lot of the old school generalized mechanics and shops went out of business during the lockdowns, and they'd been struggling for years even before. I don't know much about cars or technology, but reading through these posts about the problems with car and parts and chips, it seems to me that if some old school mechanics could find some old school ways to fix the big new school problems coming up, they could make a lot of money whilst providing a much needed service. Again, not my specialty, but also could work in areas other than automotive, of course.

a reply to: RedKaliBlack

I was thinking the other day on how to modify a modern car if the electronics go out. I had an old kombi van that was one of the first to have fuel injection, the only problem in that circuit was a temperature sensor, so it would only start if the temp was avove 20c... In the end i disconected the electrics to the fuel injectors, and stuck a 2000cc carb from a Cortina on a custom made hole on the airbox, installed a normal electric fuel pump, and hey presto it was reliable again. Oh and another rip off is the timing belts, if they go on some cars they wreck the engine, but with the chains at least you had some noise warnings. The old british landrover would be a good SHTF vehicle they just make the parts for them in Pakistan .They would easily adapt to run on wood gas.

Yes, that's the kind of thing I'm thinking about. I would love to see a backfire effect wereby within this economic chaos and the of course even more global corporate outcome, the small businesses and skilled people could make a nice profit and set up the people who wanted it with much needed services. In the auto biz, especially if it favored gas power. Could last long enough to service the people who want to stick with old way autos--and I suspect there are A LOT, and not just in the U.S.--while some go with the new ways. We'll probably see this kind of specialization anyway. Hopefully we'll still have a choice until things phase over more naturally through time, but compromise isn't looking good these days. That's my take, anyway. a reply to: anonentity

a reply to: scrounger

It’s probably two fold, manufacturers know if supply is high and demand is moderate market prices dictate this.

Though say car manufacturers are controlling the supply artificially to enable dealers not be able to offer discount prices, and you end up paying full price for that car.

I am still waiting for a new car and went to 3 different dealers no discounts or free floor mats nada. It does stink.

a reply to: stonerwilliam

It’s shocking, old hi fi is going up. I looked for 2 years for a pair of marantz ma6100 power amps. No one sells the, I was so lucky to get a pair for 500 dollars.

Though look at mid 70’s to late 80’s Japanese made Hi-Fi. It’s gaoning in price.

I have looked her in sis for a pioneer a400 amp, cannot find one of these legends.