From the perspective of a designer, FTDI has just introduced considerable risk in using their product. That's all that matters to a designer. "I might get burned if I use this part - even if I specify genuine parts." Well - there are several alternatives without that risk - so that's what I'm going to use from now on. I just pulled an FTDI chip from a new design today in fact - I'm sure I'm not the only one.
Nathan Crum, that's exactly a 1000% right. You are not alone, I am currently in the process of replacing a FT230X with a CY7C65211 from Cypress.
The evaluation kit should come tomorrow.
I got the first call today from a customer having a problem with his meter connecting to USB.
He was asking, almost accusing if me, we could have used one of the counterfeit FTDI's.
I am 99.999% sure that's not the case since production only buys from FTDI listed suppliers.
Now some of our end customers start worrying if they might have gotten a counterfeit chip in their meters and whenever USB is not working those who got the news start asking/ thinking.
In the end FTDI is now damaging our reputation, I am even afraid that some customers might stay off our products BECAUSE we use FTDI.
This situation is inacceptable.
Until that call today I thought "We are fine... all genuine". I didn't even think that that could even bite me in that way.
You can understand that I am pretty pissed. FTDI DICKHEADS