Re: Note : Pi 2 Zero W Now RIP-OFF Price on Amazon

On 06/08/2026 21:10, rbowman wrote:
> On Thu, 6 Aug 2026 12:55:36 +0100, The Natural Philosopher wrote:
> 
>> On 06/08/2026 07:25, c186282 wrote:
>>> Ummmm ... NEVER buy from Ali ...
>>
>> ALWAYS buy from Ali. Just never again discrete semiconductors or
>> obsolete chips....
> 
> Your money, your choice.  The word on the STM forums is you might as well
> participate in back alley crap games if you expect your AliExpress Black
> or Blue Pill to be other than a pill bug.
> 
> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Armadillidiidae
> 
> My family always called them 'cellar bugs'. I don't know if it was the
> German influence like calling chives 'Schnittlauch'  or because they lived
> in the cellar.

*shrug*. I have tools, I have boxes of screws, I have threaded bushes 
for 3D prints...I have PCBs with chips on that actually work.
The only thing I got that was totally duff were some high voltage 
(allegedly) Darlingtons that weren't. They broke down until I stopped 
using them. I've got resistor packs, capacitor sets, mains RF chokes and 
so on all of which are very good quality. And of course SMPS units to 
power Pis and so on.

Hi-Link is the company for those.

I repaired loudspeakers with GXAMP parts .

They (Ali express)  were the only place for full 15A/240VAC relays.

I bought a pair of small brushless motors with controllers. One of the 
controllers caught fire as soon as I plugged it in. I downloaded a 
return material auth,sent the damaged unit back  and they refunded the 
money. So I ended up with one set for free.

My PCBs are made in China too. No problems ever. About 10 day turn round.
Only VAT charged on the stuff, and Aliexpress do that at source.

Some vendors are criminals. Most are not.



-- 
The difference bweteen a psychopath and a saint is that the psychpoath 
takes what he can and gives only what he must, but the saint gives 
everything he can and takes only what he needs.