Best Place to buy Electronics?

[PhillyNJ]

Hi All,

As my addition to the Pi grows, I am very quickly out growing Radio Shack to buy my electronic parts. Where is a good reputable website to buy Transistors, usb micro connectors etc.. I have bought from SparkFun and Adafruit but they a geared toward the DYI crowd (which is great), but I would like to purchase components NOT on a break-out-board .

Thanks for the help.

[simplesi]

In UK CPC/Farnell or RS are the big component suppliers but there are lots of smaller suppliers and of course there is ebay items from china for small modules that are very good value but take a while to arrive

Simon

[malakai]

For the states

Code: Select all

http://www.mouser.com

is very popular

Code: Select all

http://www.taydaelectronics.com

not a lot but very cheap

[PhillyNJ]

Awesome - Thx

[pjc123]

I only use Radio "Shaft", as it is known in electronic circles, as a last resort, although for small quantities it is cheaper than paying the online shipping charges. I mostly use Digikey and Mouser, and sometimes Newark. Does anyone remember Poly Pacs electronics with their famous grab bag of electronic components, or Lafayette Electronics, known affectionately as “Laugh-a-Lot”, or Heathkit?

But I digress, when I was searching for parts for circuitry to interface with my pi, I came across these fantastic part search sites, where you enter the part you want and it finds the best prices as well as the quantity available at all of the main parts suppliers. As a result of using these, I switched my supplier to onlinecomponents.com for many of my parts and it saved me a lot of money.

http://octopart.com/

http://www.findchips.com/

By the way PhillyNJ, I am also located near Philly, in Southern NJ.

[phennigor]

I have used the following sites....

Electronic Goldmine http://www.goldmine-elec.com/
All Electronics http://www.allelectronics.com/
Marlin P. Jones http://www.mpja.com/
Jameco http://www.jameco.com/webapp/wcs/stores ... &langId=-1
Digikey http://www.digikey.com/
Newark http://www.newark.com/
Futurlec http://www.futurlec.com/ (This place seems cheap to manufacture printed circuit boards)

[HappyPiUser]

Fun to read this thread..."Radio Shaft".....

Back in the "good old days" (20+ years back), they had some decent (not great) component parts in stock at a fairly reasonable (not great) price. Even 10 years ago, they had a decent (not great) web-based, mail-order option available. Prices were high, but at least you had more selection available.

Now....I think their main value is - If you are on a really "hot" project....in a huge "meltdown" mode... and you need it NOW....you might be just lucky enough to find a rare store with a part that they are supposed to carry in stock. Otherwise, you're probably better off ordering from the web (Mouser, Digikey, maybe Jameco)....and paying for fast shipping.

That said, the local "Shack" occasionally has a "store clearance" and dumps stuff at a really low price. I got a brand new Jabra bluetooth headset for a good price that way. Of course it's helpful to know what you're going to need well in advance, which is mainly based on luck and serendipity.

It sometimes amazes me that Radio Shack continues to stay in business, but somebody must be buying things from them!

[HappyPiUser]

In UK CPC/Farnell or RS are the big component suppliers but there are lots of smaller suppliers and of course there is ebay items from china for small modules that are very good value but take a while to arrive

Simon

Unfortunately, my experience with Chinese suppliers selling via eBay is very mixed.

I know there are some good Chinese vendors that are reliable and provide quality products. But I think they are in the minority...at least in the past it's been that way for me.

My experience is...if I order some cheap electonic/computer part from there..I assume that it could be bad, and there is no way to get a refund, or I don't order in the first place. I think a lot of people feel that way too, which is partly why the sellers have to keep their prices so low.

If I order a part from a Chinese vendor on eBay, and it arrives within a reasonable time, and it works as advertised, I am usually surprised!

Of course, you could have trouble with ANY vendor on eBay, it's not just the Chinese. But when I see the shipping origin is "mainland China", it's usually a "red flag" for me (pun not intended).
Doesn't meant I won't order, but I do factor it into my decision-making.

Maybe I am being too skeptical, but I've had a pile of "cheap things" I've bought which were either very low quality, did not work as advertised, or were missing important things (like intelligible documentation).

*getting off soapbox now*

[PhillyNJ]

It sometimes amazes me that Radio Shack continues to stay in business, but somebody must be buying things from them!

I agree. Do you notice that the Electronics section is so small now. All they really sell is cell (mobile) phones and low end RC cars. It is pitiful.

[tufty]

Another vote for Tayda here. They're based in China, which means shipping might take a while, but their stuff comes well packaged, neatly bagged up and labeled. The main problem is usually hitting the minimum order price ($5). A common issue with chinese suppliers is getting fake or out of spec ICs, but so far the stuff I've had from Tayda has been top notch.

[DirkS]

Another vote for Tayda here. They're based in China,

You sure? I thought they were in Thailand.

Gr.
Dirk.

[tufty]

Another vote for Tayda here. They're based in China,

You sure? I thought they were in Thailand.

Gr.
Dirk.

Ah, yes, you're right. Bangkok. Still, it's still $FAR-AWAY-PLACE unless you happen to live there :)

[aunspach]

Fun to read this thread..."Radio Shaft".....

Back in the "good old days" (20+ years back), they had some decent (not great) component parts in stock at a fairly reasonable (not great) price. Even 10 years ago, they had a decent (not great) web-based, mail-order option available. Prices were high, but at least you had more selection available.
...
It sometimes amazes me that Radio Shack continues to stay in business, but somebody must be buying things from them!

I totally agree with the reference to Mouser and Digikey, I've used both for low-cost, really high quality components to repair devices worth several thousands of dollars. Usually exact matches of the original parts!

About "The Shack", I remember you could pick up their super deluxe, phone book thick catalog each year and order really hard to find parts and pick them up in the store of your choosing to save on postage. It was awesome!

I think they try to keep up with what Joe Consumer wants from an electronics store. Their focus changed, because the landscape changed. I still do find some good stuff from time to time. It's funny, I still go there for the same kinds of stuff I always have, meaning project parts, while many others are just discovering Radio Shack as a place to shop for all the consumer electronics stuff like cell phones, but wouldn't be caught dead looking to build an electronic rain gauge from cheapie components - just for fun.

We are probably a rare breed, but that's okay, because folks like us support each other and find sources like those mentioned here; sources the average guy doesn't even know exist.

[Offcenter]

Here in northern NJ, the place to buy from USED to be Lashen Electronics in Denville.
In the 80s, they had EVERYTHING! And the place was always busy. They had six or
seven employees taking care of everyone. Went there recently and all they have are
racks of stuff like home theater cables and such. Only two employees. They said
the internet killed the business.
We still have Wayne Electronics in Butler NJ. They have a lot of stuff, but not
nearly as much as Lashen had years ago.
Most Radio Schlocks have become Cellphone Schlocks....except the one in
Sparta NJ. They still have a decent supply of parts and a couple of knowledgeable
employees who know where everything is.
Sure isn't like it was years ago out there.

[pjc123]

Here in northern NJ, the place to buy from USED to be Lashen Electronics in Denville.

When I was working up in Northern NJ (Whippany, NJ), I also used to go to Lashen Electronics. But where I was living, in Central New Jersey, there were great electronics stores in the Green Brook area, but I think they are all long gone as well (Federated Electronics, Route Electronics, etc.), and the only one left is Green Brook Electronics. Actually I went to Green Brook Electronics a couple months ago to buy a couple of things for a circuit board I was building for the pi, but it was so unbelievably expensive, that I would have been better off just sticking with Mouser and Digi-key, even with the shipping charges; however sometimes it is nice to peruse the aisles of a real store to get some ideas on how you are going to fabricate something, so it was worth the trip. Here in Southern NJ there is absolutely nothing but Radio Shaft.

[jbeale]

If you absolutely, positively have to have an Arduino board today, Radio Shack does carry them.
http://www.radioshack.com/search/index. ... duino&sr=1

Otherwise, I agree the larger mail-order places are a better deal for just about anything. In the USA: DigiKey, Mouser, Newark if you know exactly what you want. If you just want to browse hobbyist electronics stuff, try Adafruit and Sparkfun. Recently MCM Electronics has added a "Raspberry Pi" section. All Electronics has a fun assortment of stuff. Pololu is good for robotics. If you like somewhat more advanced projects, check out Dangerous Prototypes.