Nice & cheap finds at eBay

[matseng]

Every now and then I "surf" eBay and stumble onto some really good deals there. I'll add them to this thread as I find them.

I invite others to list their finds here as well... Please add a picture and either a direct link to the item - or even better the the url used to find it.

[matseng]

I start off with Reflective IR detectors that can sense an object at about 10 cm (4 ") distance. You can get 50 of them for less than $10 inclusive shipping.

http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw=50+ ... &_from=R40

TCRT5000-VSO-FNT-LRG_enl.JPG (5.65 KiB) Viewed 1092 times

[Sleepwalker3]

Only one problem with this sort of thing, when the Chinese supplier suddenly gets a lot of orders, they often jack the prices up all of a sudden. That happened with the little Nokia LCD's (like you just got), when the article first came out about a year ago, I got one for about $3 shipped, a day or two later they were suddenly about $5 or so. The didn't come down for some time after that. You can't blame the poor supplier for trying to make a buck while they can, they must make so very little on the stuff already.

[matseng]

Yes, that's probably very likely to happen. So here two proverbs are relevant:

Caveat emptor (Latin for "Let the buyer beware")
and
If you snooze you lose

I.E - get your stuff yourself before announcing it to the world.... :-)

[Sleepwalker3]

>>>>---------<runs off to order>----------->

[Sjaak]

/me calls his secret contact in china

[ian]

One thing people were talking about here the other day was a invite-only sourcing co-op. The invite only part is because you gotta understand the risks of buying stuff like that and not be a jerk if it turns out to be total crap :)

[matseng]

One thing people were talking about here the other day was a invite-only sourcing co-op. The invite only part is because you gotta understand the risks of buying stuff like that and not be a jerk if it turns out to be total crap :)

Sounds like a good idea - the "Caveat Emptor club of Electronics". There should be a secret handshake and and a special signet ring as well for the members:-)

[matseng]

More eBay stuff - this time LDO voltage regulators. The LD1117 -series is mentioned as 'common/always kept on hand' parts in the DP partlist tutorial http://dangerousprototypes.com/docs/Partlist

The seller giorgio11185 (Asia Engineer) is selling these in packages of 100 pcs for $7.99 inclusive free shipping. That is really dirt cheap!

5 volt - http://r.ebay.com/ujFPkI
3.3 volt - http://r.ebay.com/OU4ReJ
1.8 volt - http://r.ebay.com/E0OxDH
Adjustable - http://r.ebay.com/7837AM

[sdixon]

Although I don't think I need 100 LD1117s, I'll just say that I have bought other things from Asia Engineer, as have a few other people I know. We haven't had any problems so far. The prices are usually quite good.

[neslekkim]

wo, he also have looots of IR leds:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Lot-of-200-X-5m ... 0672032388
Can they be used in building an tvbgone ?

I also see he have a lots of crimping pliers:
http://www.ebay.com/sch/m.html?_odkw=&i ... &_from=R40

Do anyone know which ones will work fine for dupont connectors?, I have bought bags and bags of connectors male, female, and housings 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 pins but, alas, I cannot make any crimp to work yet :)

[neslekkim]

I start off with Reflective IR detectors that can sense an object at about 10 cm (4 ") distance. You can get 50 of them for less than $10 inclusive shipping.

http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw=50+ ... &_from=R40

the ones that turn up in the search here, have an sensing distance of only 12mm?

[matseng]

They are 940 nm narrow angle IR leds so they should work just fine with a tv-b-gone. $8.99 for 200 seems like a good price as well. Adafruit charges $8 for 25 pcs of a slighty more powerful diode.

[matseng]

I start off with Reflective IR detectors that can sense an object at about 10 cm (4 ") distance. You can get 50 of them for less than $10 inclusive shipping.

http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw=50+ ... &_from=R40

the ones that turn up in the search here, have an sensing distance of only 12mm?

Yes, the datasheets seems to indicate that, but I've seen video at youtube showing detection of a hand or piece of paper at what looks like a distance of 10 cm or slightly less. I've ordered some and will report what I can get out of them when they arrive in 2-3 weeks.

[neslekkim]

Maybe not the place, but where can one find coin cell holders like this:
http://www.adafruit.com/index.php?main_ ... 46_LRG.jpg

I can find all other types of holders, mabye those are just as well, but I imagine that this type should be dirt cheap..