At 12:14 AM 5/20/2005, you wrote:
>On May 19, 2005, at 10:35 AM, KY1K wrote:
>
>>it's clear they just don't give a damm.
>That is exactly and precisely correct.  A company that makes piezo 
>transformers
>is set up explicitly to supply them to another company that makes 
>inverters for
>LCD display, in consumer-style quantities (100000+); they have no reason 
>to have
>an interest in some random creative application that might consume 
>1000/year...

Thanks Bill W.

Yes, when one looks at the overall picture, it's actually quite clear.

They charge big 'service charges' to ship samples.

The charge 3 times the cost for the sample.

They don't advertise specs on the english versions of their websites.

None of them have distributors in the US.

Still, I can't forget reading in Supply Chain Magazine that the industries 
long term survival depended on finding other applications for these 
devices, which is exactly what I've developed.

I also mentioned JRC as a previous source of small components (they used to 
supply the MK484 single chip am radio to me). I looked a their website 
after I wrote the original message in this thread, and saw only information 
about complete consumer electronics devices. When I asked about electronic 
components, they replied promptly that they didn't make components any 
more! End of story. In fact, I suspect they do make electronic components, 
but only supply them to Asian buyers.

The vendor I mentioned initially has failed to respond to my latest email 
after I pointed out the cost for shipping a 3 ounce padded envelope 
internationally should be just over 3 dollars. I then asked what they were 
going to charge me for shipping. No answer......wonder why?

I should probably scrap the project, it ain't worth the hassle. It's hard 
to base a product on a part that might not be there tomorrow, especially 
when a substitution requires new FCC certification-an expensive proposition.

Thanks all.

Art 


-- 
http://www.piclist.com PIC/SX FAQ & list archive
View/change your membership options at
http://mailman.mit.edu/mailman/listinfo/piclist