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The global chip shortage is starting to have consequences

cnbc.com

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Re: The global chip shortage is starting to have consequences

#191

Post by jandrese »

oblak wrote: post #181

So, even though Intel has been incredibly profitable for many years, they Gelsinger is asking for US and EU government support because... uh, uncertain times? That it? How much did they ask Isreal for this 600 million investment? [0] [0] https://www.israel21c.org/intel-announces-600-million-boost-... The EU should invest in AMD and build fabs without Intel if we are to be "independent"

It’s not hard to see Intel struggling in the future as AMD has produced a better architecture and Apple is starting to compete in the space.

Re: The global chip shortage is starting to have consequences

#192

Post by istjohn »

epistasis wrote: post #183
seltzered_ wrote: post #170

Regarding cars: "Some carmakers are now leaving out high-end features as a result of the chip shortage, according to a Bloomberg report on Thursday. Nissan is reportedly leaving navigation systems out of cars that would normally have them, while Ram Trucks has stopped equipping its 1500 pickups with a standard “intelligent” rearview mirror that monitors for blind spots" I have an unpopular opinion, especially when we…

Yeah, the size of these trucks has completely put me off ever wanting one. I miss the small ones from a few decades ago... great for surfing, hauling the ver occasional bit of stuff, just as useful as the ugly beasts of today but far cheaper and more maneuverable and safer. I think we need to start requiring commercial drivers licenses on some of these beasts. They are intentionally designed to be difficult to see ou…

I don't disagree, but there would be a political shitstorm if you tried to take away their trucks.

Re: The global chip shortage is starting to have consequences

#193

Post by neltnerb »

smiley1437 wrote: post #58

Interestingly, there is an embedded video in that article that explains the issue specific to the automotive shortage - it's because the automotive industry cancelled a lot of chip orders in anticipation of low vehicle demand and that caused chip makers to reduce their production for the kinds of chips that go into cars, and now it takes time to ramp back up: https://www.cnbc.com/video/2021/03/02/how-the-global-compu…

I get that this is a potential big problem, but I had to stop reading when the dog washing company blamed needing to respin a new board on a chip being out of stock due to this.

I'm sorry, but if you aren't buying enough chips to build all the boards you want to build of a revision, this is just what happens, chip shortage or no. Stuff gets obsoleted all the time, it doesn't take a chip shortage.

Blaming a black swan shortage instead of your own poor planning for something as commonplace as needing to respin one board to make more new products is embarrassing.

Re: The global chip shortage is starting to have consequences

#194

Post by NegativeLatency »

nradov wrote: post #185
seltzered_ wrote: post #170

Regarding cars: "Some carmakers are now leaving out high-end features as a result of the chip shortage, according to a Bloomberg report on Thursday. Nissan is reportedly leaving navigation systems out of cars that would normally have them, while Ram Trucks has stopped equipping its 1500 pickups with a standard “intelligent” rearview mirror that monitors for blind spots" I have an unpopular opinion, especially when we…

Smaller trucks are available for those who want them. Most buyers prefer larger trucks.

The Toyota Tacoma is now the size of older F150s, there aren’t many or really any good options for buying a small truck currently.

Re: The global chip shortage is starting to have consequences

#195

Post by xadhominemx »

ajross wrote: post #62
ferros wrote: post #3

> Production of low-margin processors, such as those used to weigh clothes in a washing machine or toast bread in a smart toaster, has also been hit. While most retailers are still able to get their hands on these products at the moment, they may face issues in the months ahead. I understand why the new advanced chips could face shortages, but why are there shortages for these basic chips. Can’t they be made anywhere…

> why are there shortages for these basic chips? Can’t they be made anywhere, and more easily? Not really. Semiconductor fabs are built around "tools" from manufacturers like AMAT and Nikon. Those tool vendors make most of their money from selling new tools for fancy new processes, not supporting 20-year-old stuff. Eventually stuff breaks, and fabs have to offline these older processes. The way this works in the tech…

> Eventually stuff breaks, and fabs have to offline these older processes.

Absolutely not. You just made this up.

Re: The global chip shortage is starting to have consequences

#196

Post by Der_Einzige »

ineedasername wrote: post #138

My wife just needed to get a new car, and the salesman was complaining that just as demand was starting to increase the chip shortage means they're barely getting any new ones in stock. And of course the popular models are the ones that are selling out the fastest, meaning people are holding off on purchases because they can't get what they want. My wife's was one of maybe 8 in the entire state that had the features…

Car sales have been through the roof this entire pandemic. Car sales people haven't had to listen to customers "negotiate" in over a year (because the answer is always to take the higher than MSRP offer or pound sand since 20 others will) . I couldn't get a single salesperson to budge even 500$ across no less than 10 Lexus dealerships on anything at all.

Car sales people are doing the best they have ever done during the pandemic. They don't need your sympathy.

Re: The global chip shortage is starting to have consequences

#197

Post by mhh__ »

dieortin wrote: post #156
katbyte wrote: post #50

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I couldn’t imagine not having smart lights, they are one of the few iot devices that make my life a lot more comfortable- def not a novelty

What do you use them for that is really helpful? I’m considering getting some Hue lightbulbs, but it seems like a bit of a waste.

YMMV but having the light turn on when my alarm goes off genuinely wakes me up.

Re: The global chip shortage is starting to have consequences

#198

Post by syshum »

neltnerb wrote: post #193
smiley1437 wrote: post #58

Interestingly, there is an embedded video in that article that explains the issue specific to the automotive shortage - it's because the automotive industry cancelled a lot of chip orders in anticipation of low vehicle demand and that caused chip makers to reduce their production for the kinds of chips that go into cars, and now it takes time to ramp back up: https://www.cnbc.com/video/2021/03/02/how-the-global-compu…

I get that this is a potential big problem, but I had to stop reading when the dog washing company blamed needing to respin a new board on a chip being out of stock due to this. I'm sorry, but if you aren't buying enough chips to build all the boards you want to build of a revision, this is just what happens, chip shortage or no. Stuff gets obsoleted all the time, it doesn't take a chip shortage. Blaming a black swan…

Never let a crisis go to waste

Companies always piggy back on the current crisis to make changes or blame issues on that crisis that have nothing at all to do with the actual crisis...

come to think about it, governments also do this.

Re: The global chip shortage is starting to have consequences

#199

Post by baybal2 »

AlexC04 wrote: post #20
simias wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't know but maybe one of the factors is that given how cheap microntrollers have become it's not uncommon to use an "overpowered" integrated chip just for ease of development. Suppose that you have to drive some LEDs on a washing machine, do you bother developing some optimized bespoke circuitry with discrete components or do you just slap a ~2$ 100+MHz 32bit Cortex controller that will let you implement all the…

It makes me wonder if it would be possible to build a chip-manufacturing plant for any reasonable amount of money to produce these chips that don't need to be 7nm GPU powerhouses, but like the old clunker chips that can't get attention from the big guys. Almost like starting a "generics" business in pharma medication but for older chipsets. I'm sure there's a great trade to be had in producing the lower end stuff.

> It makes me wonder if it would be possible to build a chip-manufacturing plant for any reasonable amount of money to produce these chips that don't need to be 7nm GPU powerhouses, but like the old clunker chips that can't get attention from the big guys.

> Almost like starting a "generics" business in pharma medication but for older chipsets.

There is actually a great interest in this business, but mainly from Chinese. World's biggest 200mm fab is in Shanghai. A decision to build a brand new 200mm fab would've never flew in the West.

Chinese 3rd-4th-n-th tier fabs been vacuuming the market for old equipment for last 5 years.

> I'm sure there's a great trade to be had in producing the lower end stuff.

At this very moment, production on 150mm-200mm wafers is actually few times more profitable than on the latest process because everybody is now ready to pay absolutely ridiculous premiums.

Re: The global chip shortage is starting to have consequences

#200

Post by dahfizz »

nradov wrote: post #185
seltzered_ wrote: post #170

Regarding cars: "Some carmakers are now leaving out high-end features as a result of the chip shortage, according to a Bloomberg report on Thursday. Nissan is reportedly leaving navigation systems out of cars that would normally have them, while Ram Trucks has stopped equipping its 1500 pickups with a standard “intelligent” rearview mirror that monitors for blind spots" I have an unpopular opinion, especially when we…

Smaller trucks are available for those who want them. Most buyers prefer larger trucks.

Can you give an example? Modern "compact" pickups like the Tacoma are significantly larger than something from 20 years ago like an S10.
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