Like everyone here, I sometimes need datasheets that I can't seem to easily find on manufacturer's websites. Google shows lots of third party sites that collect and distribute these datasheets, but many of them charge money, require memberships, or just vaguely feel like potential spam sources.

I trust the membership here far more than Google or the general public, so I'd like to know where you go for datasheets.

Thanks!

 

Most distributors have datasheets for much of what they sell. I've downloaded datasheets from Jameco, Digikey, and Mouser. In addition, I've downloaded from manufacturer websites and some on the other on-line sources; all free.

 

If you go to the Manuf website you can usually find it there unless it is a really old legacy item, or the manuf has been taken over and old items are dropped..
Maxim, IR, Littlefuse (Teccor), TI, Freescale (Motorola) Linear Tech. just for a few.
At one time before the popularity of the WWW, it was customary for manuf to issue data books, together with app note manuals. I still have a large library that often comes in handy.
Max.

 

Hello,

You have a look at the links of this page of the EDUCYPEDIA:
http://educypedia.karadimov.info/electronics/componentsearch.htm

There is also a page with a lot of tables over there:
http://educypedia.karadimov.info/electronics/databank.htm

Bertus

 

Most distributors have datasheets for much of what they sell. I've downloaded datasheets from Jameco, Digikey, and Mouser. In addition, I've downloaded from manufacturer websites and some on the other on-line sources; all free.

If you go to the Manuf website you can usually find it there unless it is a really old legacy item, or the manuf has been taken over and old items are dropped..

Typically my first attempt is the manufacturer's website and my second is a distributor like DigiKey. The problem comes up when there's a mysterious part number on an unidentified part on a board. If Google doesn't find me a manufacturer or a distributor, then I'm left with a slew of websites with names like alldatasheets or datasheetarchive. It's those last-resort sites I'm wondering about. Are any of them reliable? Are they spammers?

 

Another problem that always has been an issues is when the OEM orders standard parts but has the supplier stamp In House part Numbers on the component to prevent reverse-engineering.
Max.

 

If you dont find it right away, the part likely has a "in-house" number that you aren't going to get any info on. Common problem with parts used in automobiles, for example...

 

Besides the manufacturers I go straight to to Datasheet Catalog. The less complicated from all I know.

 

Some of the originals on this site find stuff at:

http://www.datasheetarchive.com/

atferrari named my favorite:

http://www.datasheetcatalog.com/

 

The problem comes up when there's a mysterious part number on an unidentified part on a board.

Some manufacturers like to use internal part numbers for standard parts. HP, for example, has published cross references from their internal part numbers to manufacturer numbers; but, since HP sometimes did incoming testing to select parts for certain characteristics, using a cross referenced part number might not work... Some manufacturers have custom parts (e.g. Tektronix, HP).

If Google doesn't find me a manufacturer or a distributor, then I'm left with a slew of websites with names like alldatasheets or datasheetarchive. It's those last-resort sites I'm wondering about. Are any of them reliable? Are they spammers?

I have used datasheetarchive and haven't had problems. I've also downloaded from enthusiast websites; though, if I have any doubts about the source, I always scan PDFs for known payloads before opening.

Somewhere on this site is a list of old databooks that member(s) have offered to scan (for hard-to-find parts).

 

Some manufacturers like to use internal part numbers for standard parts. .

Post #6 & #7.
Max.

 

Post #6 & #7.
Max.

Post #10. Some manufacturers cherry pick standard parts and use house numbers to avoid confusion. Some house numbers are custom parts. Manufacturers that publish part number cross references aren't worried much about reverse engineering.

 

Some of the originals on this site find stuff at:

http://www.datasheetarchive.com/

atferrari named my favorite:

http://www.datasheetcatalog.com/

Sweet, that's exactly what I was looking for. I had found lots of similar sites, but a few had seemed pretty sketchy and made me paranoid about the rest. Now I know where to start. Thanks!

 

OEM orders standard parts but has the supplier stamp In House part Numbers on the component to prevent reverse-engineering.

the part likely has a "in-house" number that you aren't going to get any info on

HP, for example, has published cross references from their internal part numbers to manufacturer numbers; but, since HP sometimes did incoming testing to select parts for certain characteristics, using a cross referenced part number might not work...

Thanks everyone. This helps explain some of impossible to find numbers I've come across. I wasn't aware of the oem cross references. Sounds like it would be of limited use for finding parts to repair things (if my new replacement part didn't meet their extra tight specs) but might still help when trying to harvest/salvage parts.

For example, I've got a Dell laser printer that died, which I've already harvested some great stuff from. I've still got several boards chock full of what look like useful power transistors and such, but none of their numbers match anything I've found so far. Maybe I can find a Dell cross reference, or maybe find these numbers on the websites listed above. If not, maybe it's the oem in house number issue and I'll at least know when to quit!

 

Scott, I see you moved this thread to a better place. Thanks. Sorry, I had forgotten this forum existed.

Also, looks like there are some more great resources already listed in these forums that might help me identify parts in the future:
http://forum.allaboutcircuits.com/threads/useful-websites-for-electronics-ver-2.9538/
Thanks for steering me in the right direction!

 

The online datasheet world is still not yet perfect. Here's something I encountered today:

Hirose TM5RJ1-4848(50)

I challenge anyone to find the datasheet. I couldn't.

 

First search.
http://www.digikey.ca/product-search/en?keywords=hirose TM5RJ1-4848
http://www.hirose.co.jp/cataloge_hp/e22202709.pdf
Max.

 

First search.
http://www.digikey.ca/product-search/en?keywords=hirose TM5RJ1-4848
http://www.hirose.co.jp/cataloge_hp/e22202709.pdf
Max.

Nope. It's not in there.

 

What do you need to know?
Max.

 

Hello,

It is mentioned in this PDF:
http://cn.mouser.com/catalog/English/103/APAC/1390.pdf
And here is the mouser product page:
http://nl.mouser.com/ProductDetail/Hirose-Electric/TM5RJ1-484850/?qs=/ha2pyFaduhy%2bgdI82GSC9nYfGf9kLbY7kG0xGrj4apudSIolzZ7Ww==

Bertus