Why ST does not provide a support?

[EShaw.1]

Look at this forum!

Almost no one is getting answers for their questions from ST!

I have received one answer from ST only. I guess I am lucky. Thank you. I asked 3 more questions - no luck.

I have opened the case with online support, It was "escalated". Still no answer.

What is the point of the product if you are not providing some minimal level of support?

Did anyone even successfully tested the STEVAL-SPIN3202?

Or I just wasting time following ST "manuals"?

[TDK · Accepted solution]

At one point, this forum stated that it was a user-based forum where one could ask specific technical questions. That wording has been removed for unknown reasons, perhaps because the forum software that ST uses is awful. In any case, you shouldn't expect to get an ST response here, that's always what direct support tickets are for.

STEVAL-SPIN3202 is not terribly popular which I'm sure contributes to the lack of answers.

[EShaw.1]

HI TDK,

Thank you for the response and advice.

I have submitted official ticket 3 days ago. Waiting.

I just was mislead by ST marketing and took a bait of integrated MCU+Driver for FOC. Made custom board and ordered the Evaluation board to save time.

Just to see that I even unable to run an example. And no help from ST. Yet.

Thanks again,

Regards,

Edward.

[Tesla DeLorean]

Plus the Motor Forum has very low user participation, mostly people with problems, and not with solutions. It's a long term thing, and I've got some thoughts on why.

[EShaw.1]

I don't have great deal of experience with support forums.

I used Texas Instruments forum for development of the similar application. I can't say that experience was brilliant, at least TI was answering ALL posts, even just providing a link to a relevant forum thread etc.

ST just left everything to users. Its counterproductive! It will mislead those who ask or will left them frustrated without answer not about the forum or community. They will be frustrated about ST.

May be its about chip shortage? May be this allows ST care less about designers?

ST must be honest about this.

I still have not heard anything from ST as an answer on official support ticket.

[LLr.1]

Hi, I have an offcial ticket pending for several weeks, thus good waiting...

Regards

[Tesla DeLorean]

In the decade plus I've worked the ST forums, they have always had low staff participation, so I don't think it's related to COVID or supply chain issues. It's an issue that's been pushed/flagged on numerous occasions. Different divisions have different levels of commitment, and most of the support engineers have direct interactions with customers assigned to them. To get engineering time/resources allocated you have to be doing a sustaining level of business. Suggest you work via your sales rep, and the FAEs.

Unfortunately support isn't seen as valuable, no one seems to want to pay for it at cost at least, and good support is expensive.