Datasheets

Archive New Product Ideas
1

Perhaps you could partner with one of the print-on-demand companies to get nice printed compilations of datasheets? Unfortunatly, it looks like the days of free printed datasheets from chip companies is over.

2

Be it good or bad, I don’t think printed datasheets are in our future. We’re in Boulder, Colorado - we don’t want to kill trees, we want to hug them! :roll:

Pete

3

I just end up printing out the data sheets I need when I need them, which is also nice because I don’t have to print out the whole sheet, just the parts I’ll refer to a lot. No need to print out ten pages of thermal characterization curves or “not for use in life support devices” boilerplate if I don’t need them.

I recently ran across [Lulu.com which does print-on-demand incl. qty-1 runs and stuff. I haven’t tried them but they look reasonable for things like 200-page microcontroller manuals which I don’t want to print myself. 2¢ per page, plus maybe $5 for binding and stuff. Cheaper than Kinko’s, but maybe not cheaper than a local print shop. I haven’t checked.](http://www.lulu.com/about/)

4

I was thinking more for the large data sheets, such as the PIC16F88.

5

Why does anyone need a copy of the entire datasheet? I print the very few important pages and read the rest on my computer as needed. Once you’ve used PICs for a while you know how they all work and only need to lookup a few details now and then.

Mike

6

When you are just getting started, having the entire data sheet is handy. I took one to the doctor’s office while waiting to have something to do.

I printed it two to a page with duplexing on my laser printer. It resulted in 1/4 the actual number of pages in paper, and wasn’t so bad. I’d definitely recommend a laser printer (I got one for $300 at an office supply store), as they are MUCH faster and MUCH cheper per page for B&W text. (Or borrow one at work!)

7

I have a brother hl-1440 and it lasted 2 years one one toner cartridge and that was still a lot of printing. Plus you can get these for 99 bucks at staples. For data sheets a laser printer is definitely worth the money