A little bit off. If you are interested:
The link you have there includes several different ways of ordering the same part but packaged differently: Cut Tape, Reels, Tubes, Trays etc. Some of those have will different sizes of packaging (eg tray of 50 vs tray of 200). I'd divide that 3000 by 3-5.
Other filters will be same part but different temperature range; same MCU but different footprint (which would require a board re-spin but not normally the end of the world).
You'll also get SKUs where different peripherals and flash is available which is generally the same die, but not everything worked when tested at the fab so it will get binned appropriately.
There's other filters but I guess I am saying the total number of SKUs of die that are getting made is not anywhere near 3000.
You are right with the 730 day lead time. Actually anything beyond a year you can interpret that way.
Even when there is stock, the parts will be on allocation anyway. Normally the biggest existing customers get first dibs and everyone outside of that circle is given an absurd lead time. Sometimes you can push your way in if your order is big enough.
I feel for the PlayDate team. It's not a fun time when this happens. Even my usual rule of "make sure there are at least two alternatives if possible" is failing in this shortage.
We've even resorted to ordering dev kits and scavenging parts from there which is good fun :)
There has been a number of submission on HN discussing the chip shortage - and I’ve yet to see anyone discussing using second hand chips, scavenging from used electronics. Obviously as described in the post: redesign is always going to be expensive and cause delays if even possible. But I’m still curious as to why this would not be possible or at least create a much bigger immediate market for old chips?
Salvage is very expensive and risky: There's nothing like the high-speed and reliable PCB assembly process for dissasembling PCBs, only manual processes, and even with skilled workers there's some risk of damaging the chips, if they aren't already damaged when you got them. And there's definitely no economic way to test the chips to ensure they meet spec. You can do it in a pinch for very high value low volume products; for a thousand or more consumer devices, no chance.
Reliability and in general it not beimg able to scale salvaging 5 chips to salvaging 50 000 chips.
Your margins well be gone if there are any significant failures in the field.
Salvage is ok for R&D or high cost assemblies with big FPGA's.
Other filters will be same part but different temperature range; same MCU but different footprint (which would require a board re-spin but not normally the end of the world).
You'll also get SKUs where different peripherals and flash is available which is generally the same die, but not everything worked when tested at the fab so it will get binned appropriately.
There's other filters but I guess I am saying the total number of SKUs of die that are getting made is not anywhere near 3000.
You are right with the 730 day lead time. Actually anything beyond a year you can interpret that way.
Even when there is stock, the parts will be on allocation anyway. Normally the biggest existing customers get first dibs and everyone outside of that circle is given an absurd lead time. Sometimes you can push your way in if your order is big enough.
I feel for the PlayDate team. It's not a fun time when this happens. Even my usual rule of "make sure there are at least two alternatives if possible" is failing in this shortage.
We've even resorted to ordering dev kits and scavenging parts from there which is good fun :)