Popular Parts

Another new page by russ_hensel, not much more than a stub now. Feel free to join in with your recommendations.

Popular

So many parts, so many variations, which to pick. Why not try to see what is popular:

• The Big List These are the parts the EE Shop keeps in stock to sell to students. UNL likes them why not us?
• This section contains circuit examples from commercial products and datasheets of transistors which are studied in this course. If MIT studdies them, maybe they are worth looking at.
• Choosing an op amp: it's no longer a trying task The oldies in particular may be good, but not expensive parts.
• Starting with PICmicro controllers See the Selecting a PIC Section

Kits and Projects

If you are working from a kit or a published project consider getting extras of the parts. If you use them once you may use them again. Also the authors of these things tend to know and pick what is popular. Always think about; it there are parts that are exceptions that you would never use again.

If you are working with X then Y

Note that links may or may not be to the best source. Look around, add a link if you find a better one. Do not delete a link, unless product is gone for good.

X=PIC's

What	Comment	Specific Part
The PIC	Starting with PICmicro controllers See the Selecting a PIC Section. I like the 16F877, but this may be out of date.	16F877?
Proto Board	Some People hate them, but many find them a nice quick way to experiment. I have found a max clock speed of 4 megHz works well. Breadboard	see links
Crystals	I keep 4 megHz and 20 meg Hz on hand. Note that some PICs can do without crystals, but timing is not very accurate. Check your spec. sheet, some PICs may be able to go to 40 meg Hz. Note that a couple of capicators are needed as well. Ceramic resinoaters ( sp ) may be used instead. Crystal 20MHz	4 meg Hz 20 meg Hz
Pull Up Resistors	Can be used as pull down as well. I use 10k ohms, often useful for other stuff as well. Metal Film 1% 10 for 20 cents.	10K
Voltage Reg	Easy choice is LM7805. A couple of caps usually go with it. .1 and .01 bypass caps are generally useful.	7805 .1 uf .01 uf
Op Amp	Need to condition you inputs, a op amp may be just the thing, see section on op amps.
LED	How else can you say hello world? Pretty much anything will do. Do not forget to get a current limiting resistor 220 ohms or anything close. LED also come in arrays and as 7 segment displays for numerical read out.	220 ohms
Push Button	Need this for input. I get mine from salvage. Later I will find a source for you. Mini Push Button Switch TACT001 - Small Black Tactile Switch	see links
Low Side Switch, Driver Chip	When you need more power from an output port this is the way to get more than 10 times a much current, Not very expensive. One chip will drive 2 stepper motors. ULN2803 has 8 inputs and outputs.	ULN2803
High Side Switch Driver Chip	Like a low side switch, but on the high side. If you are driving "rows and columns" then you need some on the low side some on the high side. The UDN2981 has 8 inputs and outputs.	UDN2981
Sensors	There are so many, for light photo diodes and transistors, for temperature LM34 and similar see section on Sensors.	*whatever
Shift Registors	Often used to expand the number of ports, I need a bit more research here.	?
LCD Display	Put out full alpha numeric data, several characters. Seems like a better? solution than LED when many characters are required. Probably best used with a controller to keep use reasonably simple. Basic 16x2 Character LCD STN - Black on Green	*HD44780 parallel interface

X=Op Amps

What	Comment	Specific Part
Op Amps	Of Course, consider:	358 dual
Proto Board	Some People hate them, but many find them a nice quick way to experiment.	?
Resistors	For precise gain you need 1 percent resistors. I start with 10k and use multiples and sub multiples.	10k 20k 100K
trim pots	When you need a bit of adjustability.	10k
Power Transistors	An op amp might be good for 20 ma. Couple it to a darlington transistor and get an amp. You may want to go push pull with a pair of npn and pnp transistors. With this you can build power supplies, battery charges, motor drivers, and audio amplifiers.	TIPsomething
Sensors	Measure something. See Sensors.	Sensors

X=Digital Logic

What	Comment	Specific Part
Gates
Counters		?
Shift Registors		?
Voltage Regs	Power to the Chips	LM7805