regulator with high efficiency

Hi to all,
I am searching for a high efficiency regulator device, anybody advice any part number? ( or a small schematic increasing the standart 78xx or lm317 series regs)

- 0.5 - 1.5A load
- 10-24vDC input
- 6-8vDC output
- high efficiency ( battery operated)
- common, easily findable
- small package

All linear regs (such as 78xx/lm317) are basically the same for overall efficiency, because they categorically just burn up the extra voltage.

There are ones with lower quiescent current. If a device spends most of its time drawing no power then this becomes significant. LP2954 is great for that. However in my searches I've noticed low quiescent current and high current output do not seem to happen in the same device.

If you're really looking at 24v in, 8v out, at 1.5 amps you probably want a switching reg. These will deliver power very efficiently and without thermal dissipation issues. They're not as simple however.

thanks.
from the same path I found lm2574, which is a switching one.