IC Technologies

Dear All,

I saw in a Data sheet "Dual in-line Package" and "Small Outline Package"

What are these packages and what is the basic difference between inline and outline packages?

A Dual Inline Package (aka DIP) is the regular through hole type part you see that has 0.1" spaced pins.

Here is a DIP: http://www.atmel.com/quality/acrobat/SPA20P3.pdf

The Small Outline Package (aka SOIC) is a surface mount part. So you dont drill holes in your board to mount these. Here is the same part in an SOIC.

http://www.atmel.com/quality/acrobat/SPA20S.pdf

You can kind of see how it sits on the board from the cross section on the bottom of the diagram. Both of these are types of packages. There are others as well such as quad-flat-pack and ball-grid-array, amongst others.