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[Reply #15 on:]

If some of those are old tube manuals, they tend to be pretty collectable and can sell well. Maybe check out E-bay for prices?

I've no doubt there's some collector value there. Not that I have a huge collection, but I'm a book hoarder. Also, when I look at collectibles, I wish I had my school lunch boxes from the 60's. (And comic books, and ...)

[Reply #16 on:]

you guys taking about these?

reminds me of those russian nixie tubes

 
i was just about to get a pair when i saw how much voltage you have to work with and eh i still dont feel im quite there to be working with anything that high.
but one day, if i can find them

[Reply #17 on:]

Ok, i'm trying to decide on about a dozen very useful/popular Ics (mostly analog / Interface) that i can source from China at low cost. Probably sell a kit of all part numbers also??

Lefty, you have the Eagle spec. eye..  what's the best low-cost single supply, rail-to-rail opamp, 8-pin or 16 pin DIP??  There must be some recent goodies.

I'm also looking at the obvious:
LM339 / LM393 comparators
NE5532 opamp for low noise, audio, general purpose
LM324 for historical circuits??
ULN2003 / 2803 power drivers
L293 power driver / H bridge
LM386 Little Audio Amp
555 Of course

Some optocouplers:
4N35 oldie, cheap
6N139  ( VERY sensitive)

OK, more to come..

Everyone, what are your favorites or ones you'd like easily available??

[Reply #18 on:]

Here is what I keep handy...

General Use:
LM335, TIL431, LM78(L)05, LM317, 74147, 74148, 7400, 7404, 7405, 7414,7472, 7474,74192,74595,CD4040, LF351, LM833, LM311, LM339, LM555

Special Use:
LM35DZ, AD592, TIL311(well out of production), TLC272 (Single Supply Op amp that works at 5V)

[Reply #19 on:]

Lefty, you have the Eagle spec. eye..  what's the best low-cost single supply, rail-to-rail opamp, 8-pin or 16 pin DIP??  There must be some recent goodies.

So many to choose from, I couldn't recommend anything specific, just go with price and avaliblity. My real fear is anything in the 'recent goodies' catagory will not be avalible in DIP package.

I like you list so far.

[Reply #20 on:]

So many to choose from, I couldn't recommend anything specific, just go with price and avaliblity. My real fear is anything in the 'recent goodies' catagory will not be avalible in DIP package

Lefty, right about 'recent recent'  . I will do reverse I guess and look at what my low-cost IC guy has and look at the specs..

Pwillard, thanks and I'm checking the ones I don't know well.   Yes, voltage regulators 7805-6-9-12 anyway. And LM317 of course.

There are many other cool chips out there but I am trying to figure a basic low-cost collection that I can sell cheap for anyone who wants to "have most of what I need to breadboard stuff this weekend" in hand. I already have good discrete collections like these:

http://arduino-direct.com/sunshop/index.php?l=product_detail&p=144  and
http://arduino-direct.com/sunshop/index.php?l=product_detail&p=145

...and Yeah, I have to write a page with their basic specs to make it easy...

and then there's the cheap power transistor collection...

DISCLAIMER: Mentioned stuff from my own shop...

[Reply #21 on:]

WS2801
You mentioned the TLC5940 so I"ll toss in the WS2801.  This chip has what I consider the best number of fade step levels - 256 - matching the byte and has a smooth fade.

MSGEQ7 (and related shields)
http://www.sparkfun.com/products/10468
Outside the atmegaxxx - this chip is my favorite as it provides fantastic music reading capabilities at a very low price point.  

[Reply #22 on:]

Marklar, that IS cool!!

Arduino code could use the WS2801 and other algorithms and stored patterns to make very high-function LED displays..

Gotta get some...

Thanks!

[Reply #23 on:]

Hi, OK I did some digging and looking at a LOT of spec sheets. Weirdly enough, I enjoy that 

Here's my pass at "Popular ICs: Analog, Interface, Opto, Digital". This collection I can sell for $10 and still make a little. Next will be a Power FET collection.

---------------------( COPY )--------------------------
Popular IC Assortment for $10            
quantity Part#   Description            Package
4   LM339   4x comparator      dip-14
2   LM393   2x comparator      dip-8
4   NE5532   2x low-noise opamp      dip-8
4   LM324   4x opamp singlesupply      dip-14
2   LM386   Audio amp low-voltage      dip-8
4   NE555   Timer-General purpose      dip-8
            
2   6N139   Opto-Isolator CTR2000      dip-6
8   PC817   Opto-Isolator CTR500      dip-4
4   4N25-35   Opto-Isolator CTR100      dip-6
2   MOC3061   Opto-TRIAC 0-crossing      dip-6
            
4   MAX485   RS485 Transceiver      dip-8
            
4   74HC14   6x Inverter-ST              dip-14
8   74HC595   8xSerialIn-ParallelOut      dip-16
-----------------( END COPY )----------------------

I would put this list on my Wiki with links to all the data sheets...

Comments, suggestions, don't-ever-need-it's etc. welcome!!

[Reply #24 on:]

Thought you were going to put some voltage regulators in there?

[Reply #25 on:]

nice, i would go for that, i'd have to learn how to implement op amps and comparators , i am only begining to understand the theory side through some videos from MIT , but i would def go for that send me a pm when available

[Reply #26 on:]

Hi,

My favourite IC is the I2C 4-channel true colour Avago ADJD-S371 / ADJD-S311 sensor.



Each channel, red green blue clear, is 10-bit long, so final measure is 40-bit long!

The I2C protocol makes it very easy to use.

For more, take a look at my implementation.

[Reply #27 on:]

Thought you were going to put some voltage regulators in there?

There are so many possibilities and applications that I seems like that's a category of it's own...  I'll be detailing that soon...

Not sure if "one of everything" is good, or "enough to really build something" is better??

What do you think?

[Reply #28 on:]

My favourite IC is the I2C 4-channel true colour Avago ADJD-S371 / ADJD-S311 sensor.

That's a very interesting chip. Where can we get it? Price?? Nice work on your article!

How does it compare with this board??  http://item.taobao.com/item.htm?id=10665501753  (I have one of these and I will test it soon..., maybe sell)

[Reply #29 on:]

i'd have to learn how to implement op amps and comparators

Good point. I am writing a page on comparators now..  And the Good Old 555 is basically two comparators set up to "watch" a capacitor charge up and discharge to make a "timer". I plan to relate that stuff. 

I may 'steal' some good Opamp material, but I hope to write a simple introduction.  I consider an OpAmp as a "Easy to control Amplifier".

I feel that the combination of Arduino with these basic Electronics components creates very powerful abilities to Make Stuff that works...