The PIC 16C57C-04/P is now available.  This chip is a replacement for the
PIC 16C57-XT/P. These are selling for $3.28 / 1  $2.04 /25 and $1.74/100
from Digikey compared to the prices Steve listed below for his parts.  If
you call another distributor, they may move the columns over, so conceivably
you could get as little as 25 for $1.74 each. In any case, the price for
anything over 25 is a little over half of what the original version costs.

Nothing against Steve, but there is an inherent risk in buying surplus
parts, those risks being related to non-tracebility.  If I buy a part from a
distributor, I can safely assume that they came from the factory and that
they were handled and stored under controlled circumstances. In order to
justify buying surplus parts, the cost would have to be well below the cost
of a comparable distributor part, in order to offset the risks.

Of course these risks are reduced considerably if the parts are going to be
used for hobby or otherwise non-commercial purposes, where the costs are not
critical. So, if you are a hobbyist, I see nothing wrong with supporting
Steve and buying the chips from him.

On the other hand,.if you are using them as part of a prototype or for a new
product, I would highly recommend against using anything but new, traceable
parts, at least for the more critical components (many of which can be
sampled from the manufacturer in low quantities).  There are enough problems
that come up in new designs without having to wonder whether any of them are
due to parts from a questionable supply line.

The risks are also somewhat smaller if the parts are going to be used in
mature products, where any problems that come up could be immediately
attributable to the surplus parts.

Steve, we use quite allot of these in some of our more mature products.  How
many do you have and what's your best price for the lot of them?  (reply off
the list please)

Steve Miller wrote:

> For Sale:   PIC 16C57-XT/P  and PIC 16C57-XT/SP
> ( If you have no interest in these,  hit DELETE now!)
>
> I have a large quantity of both of these ICs for sale.  They are 94 date
> code and have been sitting in inventory at a local manufacturer for
> several years.  I have recently acquired these parts and am looking to
> resell some of them. (I have more than my buddies and I can possibly
> use.)   I have programmed several samples and found that all work
> perfectly.   I am willing to sell to PICLISTERs at 1/2 of Digikey's
> prices, including their quantity discounts.  ( Digikey sells these for
> $5.63 in small quantities,  $3.69 each for 25 or more, etc.)
>
> Want to take them all?  Let's make a deal!  As a fellow electronic
> experimenter, I am not looking to get rich on these, only recoup my
> investment and have a little left to further my hobby.   For large
> quantities, I will send samples before closing the deal.
>
> If you are interested email me at :  banjo@io.com.   Do not reply to the
> List!  I only read the Digest and then only skim it on my busier days.
> Again, e-mail me privately, do not reply to the List.
>
> Thanks.
>
> ----- Steve Miller