Could You Still Build an Arduino Duemilanove Today?
Could You Still Build an Arduino Duemilanove Today?
Every active part on the Arduino Duemilanove (2009) is still findable in July 2026, but two are end-of-life, and one of those, the FTDI FT232RL, carries most of the risk. We audited its public parts list against live availability.
Hover or tap any part. The eight audited chips carry a status box, green = in production, red = end-of-life; everything unmarked is a commodity part, labeled so you can learn the board.
Green box = in production, red = end-of-life (two of eight; the FT232RL carries both USB and the 3.3V rail). Layout traced from a real board photo (Wikimedia Commons, "Arduino Duemilanove 0509"); availability checked 2026-07-24 from public sources.
The two numbers
The number that matters is how many parts are still in production: an out-of-production part eventually forces a requalification or a redesign, however easy it is to buy today.
BOM ledger · 8 active parts
| # | Ref | Component | Function | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | IC1 | ATmega328P-PU | 8-bit microcontroller | Active |
| 2 | IC5 | LM358 (family) | Power-select op-amp | Active |
| 3 | T1 | NDT2955 | P-channel MOSFET | Active |
| 4 | D1 | 1N4007-class SMA | Reverse-polarity rectifier | Active |
| 5 | Q2 | 16 MHz crystal | Microcontroller clock | Active |
| 6 | LEDs | Indicator LEDs | L / PWR / RX / TX status | Active |
| 7 | IC2 | FT232RL | USB-to-serial bridge + 3.3V rail | EOL− |
| FindingFTDI R-series notice, last-time-buy 1 Jun 2024 passed, no longer in production. Also sources the board's 3.3V rail (3V3OUT, pin 17), so any swap has to hold that rail. Authorized sourcing only. | ||||
| 8 | IC4 | MC33269D-5.0 | 5V regulator | Obsolete− |
| Findingonsemi lists it obsolete, no new production. A fixed 5V regulator; the successor has to be qualified into the board. | ||||
Tap either end-of-life row to open its finding; use the filter to isolate what is still in production. Commodity passives, connectors and the PCB are multi-sourced and counted as a bucket. The rectifier's part number is inferred from the board marking, its function confirmed.
Suggested replacements
Replacement: FTDI FT232RN (FT232RNL), the same SSOP-28 footprint, pin-to-pin, keeping 3V3OUT on pin 17, so it fits the layout and the 3.3V rail. Validate the driver and your board revision, not a drop-in.
Replacement: onsemi NCP1117-5.0, current production, a different package and pinout from the obsolete MC33269D-5.0, so a small layout change to qualify, not a drop-in.
Buildable, not sustainable
The Duemilanove is buildable today but not sustainable: two of its eight actives are out of production, and remaining stock is finite.
Frequently asked
What does "end-of-life" mean here?
The manufacturer has stopped making the part. You can often still buy one from leftover distributor or broker stock, but none are being produced, so that supply only shrinks.
Can I still use my Arduino Duemilanove?
Yes. End-of-life is about buying parts to build or repair the board, not about running one you already own. A working Duemilanove keeps working.
Is the Duemilanove still sold new?
No. Arduino has retired it; it sits on Arduino's official retired-boards page. This audit asks whether the design could still be built from parts, not whether you can buy a finished board.
Why is the FT232RL risky if I can still find one?
FTDI's last-time-buy date passed on 1 June 2024, so it is no longer in production. The authorized US channel shows no stock: DigiKey lists it obsolete and Mouser shows it unavailable. Remaining supply is FTDI's own residual stock plus independent broker and overseas sellers, where counterfeit FT232 chips are well documented. Buy direct or from an authorized source, and verify the provenance of anything bought elsewhere.
What would replace the FT232RL?
FTDI names the FT232RN (FT232RNL) as the pin-to-pin successor to evaluate. Because the FT232RL also supplies the board's 3.3V rail, any swap has to be validated on the board, the rail included, a candidate to qualify, not a drop-in.
What would replace the MC33269D-5.0 regulator?
onsemi's own NCP1117-5.0 is a current-production 5V candidate. It uses a different package and pinout, so it has to be qualified into the board rather than dropped in.
Method & sources
- Scope
- Electronic active parts only; commodity passives, connectors and the PCB are multi-sourced and counted as a single bucket.
- Checked
- 2026-07-24 against DigiKey, Mouser, Octopart and manufacturer notices.
- BOM source
- Traced from the public Arduino Duemilanove schematic.
- Inferred · 1
- Protection diode exact part number: function confirmed, number read from the board marking.
- Inferred · 2
- MCU: the schematic symbol reads ATMEGA8; boards shipped the 168 then the 328P, all pin-compatible, the 328P in production.
Sources · public, primary
- Arduino Duemilanove schematic (reference design)
- Arduino Duemilanove retired-board page + EAGLE files
- FTDI R-series End-of-Life notice (PDF)
- FT232RL live distributor stock (authorized US channels at zero), Findchips
- FTDI drivers and counterfeit chips, SparkFun
- Anti-counterfeit products (buy from FTDI or authorized distributors), FTDI
- FT232R datasheet (pin 17, 3V3OUT LDO)
- FT232RN datasheet (successor keeps pin 17 as 3V3OUT)
- MC33269 product status, onsemi
- MC33269D-5.0 product status, onsemi via DigiKey
- NCP1117-5.0 product status, onsemi via DigiKey
Editorially independent and from public sources only; lifecycle, package and availability data is vendor- and distributor-reported, not independently audited. Confirm every detail with the manufacturer before committing.
About the author
Editorially independent and from public sources only; lifecycle, pin and rating data is vendor-reported, not independently audited. Alternates are candidates to validate in your own design. Confirm every detail with the manufacturer before committing.