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 .
