Components with potential

[jorgen.bergfors at idg.se]

I'm leafing through the new catalog from my main component supplier 
(www.elfa.se).

As a new item they have the BC847/857. It is a matched dual transistor from 
Philips. It is available as both PNP and NPN and is dirt cheap (SEK 2:42 / 
$0.30 for one). Has anybody tried these? Unfortunately they only seem to be 
available in surface mount package (SOT363-6). But it should be possible to 
solder it to a component carrier and put it in an ordinary IC socket.

They also have the Vactrol VTL5C3 for SEK 75:90 ($10) each. The dual version 
VTL5C3/2 cost SEK 86:30 for one. Sounds a bit expensive but I don't know how 
easy they are to obtain in small quantities.

An optocoupler that looks interesting is the HCNR 200 fom HP and IL 300 from 
Philips. They obviously have the same function but the spec might differ. It 
says analog optocoupler in the catalog. It has one LED and two photodiodes. One 
of the photodiodes can be used in a feedback loop with the LED to get a linear 
response. Could this be useful for synth work? The price is SEK 69:00 ($8.60) 
for the HP and SEK 41:00 ($5.10) for the Philips.

They also have LDRs for surface mounting, made by company Moririca. Total size 
is 3,6 x 5,4 mm. They should be easy to mount on a component carrier together 
with a LED and covered with epoxi or something similar. Something for you 
phaser builders out there?

/Jorgen