40 pin ZIF socket price disparity...

[Omega-TI]

I was thinking of getting a 40 pin ZIF socket to go with the Uber GROM board, but I've noticed a WIDE disparity in prices. Anyone know why?

 

[+Ksarul]

There are several answers to your question, Omega. First, the cheaper ones are most likely copies--and may or may not work. Second, some have gold contacts inside, which increases the price, and others also have gold pins. Of all of your options, you want the ones with gold. Now for the bad news--not one of the sockets you saw there will fit into a standard machine pin socket. In order to get one that will work, it has to have been manufactured by a company called Aries--they make the best ZIF sockets out there--and they work. I use their 32-pin sockets on Red or Black boards, and I use their 42-pin ZIFs on the Yellow boards (all of these are for my EPROM testing boards). Mouser will sell you the appropriate 40-pin sockets--and they are not cheap. You will also run into one other problem on the Blue boards--the ZIF socket may impact the socket/chip with the 74LS378 in it. I'll have to take a look at it using one of the 32-pin sockets I have, as the 40-pin Aries socket is the same width and it extends over the edges of the socket about the same amount as the 32-pin does.

[JamesD]

One I purchased off of ebay lasted a single use and self destructed

[Omega-TI]

I'll have to take a look at it using one of the 32-pin sockets I have, as the 40-pin Aries socket is the same width and it extends over the edges of the socket about the same amount as the 32-pin does.

 

Thanks. I'm looking forward to hearing how it works out.

[Omega-TI]

One I purchased off of ebay lasted a single use and self destructed

 

Well,

[JamesD]

Yup

[Omega-TI]

I'll have to take a look at it using one of the 32-pin sockets I have, as the 40-pin Aries socket is the same width and it extends over the edges of the socket about the same amount as the 32-pin does.

 

Did you find out if it'll work? This would be 'super' for a development type scenario or using one cartridge for multiple applications.

[slinkeey]

Now for the bad news--not one of the sockets you saw there will fit into a standard machine pin socket. ... You will also run into one other problem on the Blue boards--the ZIF socket may impact the socket/chip with the 74LS378 in it. I'll have to take a look at it using one of the 32-pin sockets I have, as the 40-pin Aries socket is the same width and it extends over the edges of the socket about the same amount as the 32-pin does.

 

Can he stack a couple of the machine pin sockets like the one that comes on the ubergrom, in order to clear the 74LS378? I know that makes more points of failure, but...

Edited October 1, 2015 by slinkeey