One problem with that reg is its a 1A reg. There is a pin compatible LM323T which is rated to 3 amps and is only about a buck and a half. Its not just fatter bonding wires and wider traces on the die, the thermal resistance from junction to package is ridiculously lower... how'd they do that? Obviously I know the theory of how to do that, but how'd they do it electrically pin compatible. Its like someone introducing in 2014 a ford model T that is blueprint compatible with every other model T except this one has 500 horsepower, somehow. I'm professionally semi-impressed by the 323T product.
There is a huge problem in the marketplace right now with LM323K series regs (basically a 3 amp die in a TO3 "big transistor" mounting case). The problem is old video game systems (not home systems, but video arcade) and some other old appliances use them, so you could modify the heatsink and stick a modern LM323T (aka TO-220 package) or hot wire in a COTS switching supply, but it wouldn't look "stock" anymore. So the market is getting flooded.
Its "well known" among CPU collectors that when you get a (insert obscure CPU here) from China, you're not really getting that CPU, you're getting some random 40 pin DIP with repainted markings. The only honest and reputable seller I'm personally aware of in China who doesn't do this is utsource, the stuff they ship actually works.
Its bad when they take a random chip like a 16550 or 8255 and remark it as a Z80 or 8086 for the collectors, but its actually worse when you really do need a 10 MHz rated Z80 or 6502 and you're sold a remarked 2 MHz part which kinda sorta sometimes works. Or if you want a real PITA some of the repainters are fairly ignorant and will ship repainted 6809 for 6809E and vice versa. Or another hilarious one, not all 6502 are pin compatible so you get a WDC product repainted to be sold as a rockwell product, which again doesn't work a lot of the time.
No, ebay in 2014 is not really fun at all for a retrocomputing enthusiast or whatever you call it.
I guess the closest HN sports analogy would be ebay is flooded with collectors items claiming to be the 1790 world series collectors plate or the 1925 football superbowl.
If you're just trying to regulate 600 mA for your rasp pi or whatever its no big deal but its a hassle for repair/restoration of old equipment.
I took a look at the LM323 datasheets out of curiosity. As with the 7805, there are multiple designs that are very different. ST Microelectronics' LM323 has almost the same circuit as the LM109/7805, with a bandgap reference. Motorola's LM323 is similar to the LM340, with a Zener reference and a comparator. So you have two LM323 chips that use not just different circuits but fundamentally different physics to regulate the voltage!
As for how the LM323 supports 3 amps, the datasheet attributes it to "new circuit design and processing techniques". I'm tempted to open one up and see what's different from the 7805 (I'm guessing a bigger output transistor), but I've already got too many chips I want to look at.
There is a huge problem in the marketplace right now with LM323K series regs (basically a 3 amp die in a TO3 "big transistor" mounting case). The problem is old video game systems (not home systems, but video arcade) and some other old appliances use them, so you could modify the heatsink and stick a modern LM323T (aka TO-220 package) or hot wire in a COTS switching supply, but it wouldn't look "stock" anymore. So the market is getting flooded.
Its "well known" among CPU collectors that when you get a (insert obscure CPU here) from China, you're not really getting that CPU, you're getting some random 40 pin DIP with repainted markings. The only honest and reputable seller I'm personally aware of in China who doesn't do this is utsource, the stuff they ship actually works.
Its bad when they take a random chip like a 16550 or 8255 and remark it as a Z80 or 8086 for the collectors, but its actually worse when you really do need a 10 MHz rated Z80 or 6502 and you're sold a remarked 2 MHz part which kinda sorta sometimes works. Or if you want a real PITA some of the repainters are fairly ignorant and will ship repainted 6809 for 6809E and vice versa. Or another hilarious one, not all 6502 are pin compatible so you get a WDC product repainted to be sold as a rockwell product, which again doesn't work a lot of the time.
No, ebay in 2014 is not really fun at all for a retrocomputing enthusiast or whatever you call it.
I guess the closest HN sports analogy would be ebay is flooded with collectors items claiming to be the 1790 world series collectors plate or the 1925 football superbowl.
If you're just trying to regulate 600 mA for your rasp pi or whatever its no big deal but its a hassle for repair/restoration of old equipment.