I considered that but my sources tell me it's not the case: Philips simply isn't making this part at all at this time for anyone; their fabs are producing just parts they can sell in big quantities.
>Don't forget that the bigger the chip die size the lower the initial yield. >Possibly they have found that they can't produce enough good chips to meet >their contract requirements for both Contax and Pentax so Pentax may have >bowed out because they could not get guaranteed enough chips to have the >required number of cameras for sale at introduction. >Lots of possible scenarios. Maybe a low yield on the contract allows them >to >charge more per chip and Pentax didn't want the camera to get even more >expensive while maybe Contax didn't care because their target consumer tends >to be more affluent than Pentax's. >Kent Gittings > >-----Original Message----- >From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]On Behalf Of Mark Roberts >Sent: Thursday, October 25, 2001 9:07 PM >To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >Subject: Re: Pentax digital info > > >From what little more I've been able to dig up I'm pretty sure the reason >Philips is not making the CCD is for financial reasons rather than >technical: >The semiconductor business was in a big slump *before* the Sept 11 terrorist >attacks and is doing even more poorly now. They just aren't in a position >to >produce anything that isn't going to sell in big numbers (and a 6 megapixel >CCD >falls squarely into that category). > >I suspect they're hoping to produce this part when the economy picks up at >a >later date (they insist it's an active part in their catalog even though >they >won't give me pricing or availability). This would explain why Pentax was >so >diplomatic in their announcement, not saying "Philips has bailed out and >left us >holding the bag". They want to be on friendly terms so they can use this >part >when it finally does become available. (A little company like Pentax is in >no >position to upset a multinational behemoth like Philips even slightly.) > > >"lbparis" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: >>Mark, >> >>I'm personally pretty sure you are right. I expect to see a >>Pentax digital SLR body in the 5MP range for no more than >>$2KUS (maybe less). In which case, I'll be right in line with >>an order. >> >>Len >>--- >> >>----- Original Message ----- >>From: "Mark Roberts" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >>To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >>Sent: Thursday, October 25, 2001 1:40 PM >>Subject: Pentax digital info >> >> >>> Philips is almost certainly having some *major* problems with >>the production >>> of the 6 megapixel CCD. >>> >>> Since I'm the Components Engineer responsible for >>semiconductors (mostly >>> discretes but including all optoelectronic devices) at my >>company I've been >>> doing some investigating. I've been going back and forth with >>their North >>> American distributors for over a week and they still won't >>cough up pricing >>> *or* availability information. The latest voice mail I got >>from the local >>> rep tried to steer me toward looking for alternative devices. >>It seems that >>> no one at, or associated with, Philips even wants to *talk* >>about this device. >>> >>> Considering that they've just lost one significant customer >>for this part >>> with the cancellation of the Pentax 6MP digital SLR, >>unavailibility of this >>> part is more than suspicious, IMO, and indicates they're >>having major problems >>> of some kind. Perhaps yield issues, perhaps the soft >>semiconductor market >>> has forced them to cut back in general and this part was one >>that got the >>> axe. Who knows. >>> >>> Don't know if this the same CCD that was to be used in the >>Contax digital >>> SLR. The Philips press release only mentioned Pentax >>(http://www.semiconductors.philips.com/publications/content/file >>_735.html) >>> >>> I'll post more information when/if I get it but I think I'm >>getting about >>> as much as I'm going to find out without a personal spy inside >>Philips! >>> We'll see. >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> -- >>> Mark Roberts >>> www.robertstech.com >>> - >>> This message is from the Pentax-Discuss Mail List. To >>unsubscribe, >>> go to http://www.pdml.net and follow the directions. Don't >>forget to >>> visit the Pentax Users' Gallery at http://pug.komkon.org . >>- >>This message is from the Pentax-Discuss Mail List. To unsubscribe, >>go to http://www.pdml.net and follow the directions. Don't forget to >>visit the Pentax Users' Gallery at http://pug.komkon.org . > >-- >Mark Roberts >www.robertstech.com >- >This message is from the Pentax-Discuss Mail List. To unsubscribe, >go to http://www.pdml.net and follow the directions. Don't forget to >visit the Pentax Users' Gallery at http://pug.komkon.org . > > > >********************************************************************** >This email and any files transmitted with it are confidential and >intended solely for the use of the individual or entity to whom they >are addressed. If you have received this email in error please notify >the system manager. > >This footnote also confirms that this email message has been swept by >MIMEsweeper for the presence of computer viruses. > >www.mimesweeper.com >********************************************************************** >- >This message is from the Pentax-Discuss Mail List. To unsubscribe, >go to http://www.pdml.net and follow the directions. Don't forget to >visit the Pentax Users' Gallery at http://pug.komkon.org . > > -- Mark Roberts www.robertstech.com - This message is from the Pentax-Discuss Mail List. To unsubscribe, go to http://www.pdml.net and follow the directions. Don't forget to visit the Pentax Users' Gallery at http://pug.komkon.org .
