Unicorn Electronics

D_Harris

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I was hoping to get feedback from anyone who has ordered from Unicorn Electronics. I noticed good prices on 4164 chips but also need to get some chips, regulators, resistors, etc. for Atari PCBs like Asteroids and Millipede, as well as Pac and Star Trek PCBs. Not to mention components for my Nintendo power supplies.

I noticed the search function on their site can be confusing. Putting 4164 into the search didn't show me the chips. I only saw them when I received a link back from them to my inquiry.

So it doesn't seem that it will be as easy as reading the numbers off of board components and plugging them into the search to see what they have. Any thoughts?

Thanks.

Darren Harris
Staten Island, New York.
 
Their search sucks... think of them as the Bob Roberts of IC chips.

I've bought several things off of them before, their prices are great and they ship quickly.

I'm not knowledgeable enough though to tell you about the quality of their chips, usually when I'm working on boards I have a very low success rate of getting them working, so hell they could send me the wrong chip and I'd never know it if it was labeled the same, lol.
 
I've used them a handful of times over the years. My biggest problem with them....DOA chip. There's nothing more frustrating than chasing a faulty board....only to find your new chip you installed....is bad. So, you test your 20 chips you received from Unicorn.....and find 15 of the 20 are bad.

The first time it happened, I blew it off as bad luck. The second time it happened, I said screw Unicorn. I still use then......only when I absolutely have to.

Edward
 
Unicorn has some great prices on many items and also not so great prices but they they do have stuff you can't find elsewhere. I have ordered from them multiple times and been very happy. There's no such thing as a "one stop shop" for components unfortunately. Either they have a handful of stuff at great prices and are over-priced on others or they have a great price on one item but not the rest. I "time/price" average. Is it worth an hour of your time shopping to save a couple of dollars?

DOA chips are unavoidable and I have received them from just about every place I have received shipments. No site can test every chip they buy but I have never had any problems with replacements from any site. My peeve is receiving the incorrect parts. Again no one has ever given me a hassle about that and promptly sent the correct parts. They usually tell you to keep the incorrect parts as compensation. I have a lot of free stuff as a result.

Bill
 
I agree the search sucks. You need to know what category the chip you are looking for falls into (not always intuitively obvious) and go into the right section.

Their prices tend to be lower than Jameco, so if I just need logic chips, I'll order from Unicorn. Their shipping is pretty reasonable and they usually get the parts out quickly. I haven't noticed any significant difference in DOA parts from them or any of the other suppliers (except Epromman, where they are pulls).

ken
 
They have some chips that no one else has. I usually just order from them when they have something I need that no one else has. So, I've only ordered from them a handful of times.

Their site is not very easy to use.

I've not had any issues with DOA chips from them.
 
I've used them a handful of times over the years. My biggest problem with them....DOA chip. There's nothing more frustrating than chasing a faulty board....only to find your new chip you installed....is bad. So, you test your 20 chips you received from Unicorn.....and find 15 of the 20 are bad.

The first time it happened, I blew it off as bad luck. The second time it happened, I said screw Unicorn. I still use then......only when I absolutely have to.

Edward

Ok. I need 72 4164 chips. So how many is it recommended I order?

And how do you test for DOA chips?

From what I'm reading here I'm assuming it is a waste of time searching their site for other PCB components. (The intention had been to order enough components to make up kits most importantly for my Nintendo power supplies and Millipede and Asteroids PCBs).

Thanks.

Darren Harris
Staten Island, New York.
 
I have around 1300 MK4564N if anyone is interested in some. They are used untested socket pulls, shipped in tubes. Price is .25each plus actual shipping.
If interested send me a pm with your shipping address, paypal address, and qty needed so I can send an invoice.
 
You test for DOA chips using a chip tester. ;)

I have a small handheld tester that does 4164/41256 DRAMs and a small desk unit that does 41256/44256 and 411000 (1Mb x 1) DRAMs.

RJ
 
You test for DOA chips using a chip tester. ;)

I have a small handheld tester that does 4164/41256 DRAMs and a small desk unit that does 41256/44256 and 411000 (1Mb x 1) DRAMs.

RJ

Who has these chip testers?

Are they expensive?

And are they easy to use?

Thanks.

Darren Harris
Staten Island, New York.
 
I have one I bought years ago on eBay and another I bought locally from a used computer gear store years ago. You just have to look around and around for 'em.
 
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