UCN5832 IC's

[badbaud]

Has anyone found a source for the 40 pin DIP IC p/n UCN5832 used in the older Mikohn displays?

[stayouttadabunker]

Are these at the U3 and U4 locations on the piggyback boards?
Mine say UCN5832A though...

[badbaud]

Yes, "A" or any other suffix as long as the IC is the 40 pin DIP version and not the newer SMD part Allegro makes.

[stayouttadabunker]

I'd check the major online warehousing outlets such as mouser.com, jameco and others for these parts.
It's as easy as punching in the chip numbers into a search dialog box on these websites.

As far as the UCN5832A chip though - what makes you think they're bad?
What methods are you using in checking them and what are they doing
as far as lighting up the LEDs on the display panels?
Have you checked the resistor values?
If so, how was this done what should be their normal values.
Is there a high/low end of the scale?
By this, I mean, 5% or more high or low or more than that?

[badbaud]

Many years ago Mike Stone and John Acres (the two names were combined to create MIKOHN) used these chips in their LED color progressive meters. I still think they saw I was using them in my sign lighting products (www.aldor.net) and started using them in their products.

Anyways, my sign lighting products are still being built and sold and I finally ran out of my personal stash of the 5832's, went to buy more and discovered they could not be found. Allegro had migrated away from the larger die sizes to a smaller version and recreated the 5832 as a SMD device. Before I could re-layout my sign controller boards I got a rush order and came up short on these IC's for this older board layout.

Just wondering if anyone knew of a source - those parts mongers charge an arm and a leg and have high minimums so I try to avoid them.

[stayouttadabunker]

Oh that's cool!  I didn't know you were so much into display systems like that.
And here I am asking you if you've checked the resistor values!!! LOLOLOLOLO 
Well, Your best bet would be the china guys I guess.
mouser.com doesn't have a minimum on any of my orders whenever I buy stuff from them...

[badbaud]

Ya, Mouser is one of my favorite suppliers followed by Jameco Electronics.