Reference for electronic components

[winterhunter]

Hi,

I'm kind of new to electronics, and was wondering how do you manage to get a hold onto some kind of reference for ICs.

The problem that I'm now experiencing is that when I'm looking for a function (say a PLL IC), I search the internet and get (after some time) a list of possible components that could fit the application... When I then try to find those components on some local shops (again on the internet) they don't have the references that I've found in the internet, and since these shops only show you a list of component refs and prices (with no description whatsoever) I have to start the search again...

For example, I was searching for an IC to interface RS-232 to a PIC, and the reference I found in the net was the max232. When I looked into the shop's website, I had to browse : ICs-->M-->MAX to get a list of all ICs manufactured by MAXIM. As luck would have it, they did not have the 232 available, so I had to start looking for a replacement...

Is there any better way to do this? Are there any reference web sites where I can type "232" and get the corresponding list of ICs that do the job? Or type "PCF" and get a complete list of components beginning with PCF with a short description besides each (so I can compare faster with the available ones)?

Thanks for your help!

P. D: For the RS-232 interface, the thing was solved by finding a shop that DID have those available. But I'm looking for an IIC temperature sensor, and I can't find one in the internet that the online electronic shops from which I usually buy things (mostly conrad.fr) has. Of course, I could search one by one all the references they propose and see IF I stumble upon an I2C sensor, but IMHO it is a bit inefficient!

 

[Russlk]

DigiKey has a good search engine (https://www.digikey.com). You probably don't want to order from them because they are in the USA, but you can find a part number and data sheet.

 

[winterhunter]

Thanks a lot!

I'll certainly not order from their american branch , but they are also based within the EU (UK and Germany), so for hard-to-come-by parts it could be an option.

 

[Ambient]

Once you find a component I recommend www.datasheetarchive.com for getting spec sheets.

 

[TekNoir]

Farnell InOne is an international distributer that has an extensive listing of electronic components and also has export sales to France, if I'm not mistaken.

Website -- **broken link removed**

 

[Hero999]

http://rswww.com/

 

[winterhunter]

Thanks a lot!

@Hero999:
Yes, Radiospares, I've bought from them a couple of times. The problem is that they have a minimum sale of 150 €, and when buying electronic components, that can goa looong way (actually, I've bought from them when I've decided to go back into electronics around a year ago, since I needed to buy everything).