Dave's "jellybean"? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: lpc32
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 14, 2014, 11:47:34 pm
content: Dave's usage of the word "jellybean" suggests to me it's to be interpreted as plain/basic/standard. Is that really the case? What's the origin of the expression? I can't find any references to this usage.

author: mariush
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 14, 2014, 11:54:13 pm
content: Jellybeans are in some countries very cheap and all over, available anywhere you look.Generic, classic, common, cheap and simple, made by several manufacturers etc etcwhat would be jellybean ... 7805 (linear regulator made by everyone) , mc34063 , lm358, 10k and 100k resistors, shift registers

author: Phaedrus
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 15, 2014, 12:09:30 am
content: Jellybean, to me, implies one of those classic, common parts with a million uses, that are usually cheap and plentiful with a half dozen suppliers at least. Also it seems to imply an actual IC, passives like resistors and caps don't seem to count. Things like 555, 7805, 74HC logic, LM393, etc. I could also see it applying to some of the more popular single source chips, like maybe some of the more popular SMPS controller chips from TI or Linear.

author: sleemanj
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 15, 2014, 12:45:55 am
content: Quote from: lpc32 on April 14, 2014, 11:47:34 pmIt's when you don't really care about the exact specs, they are useful in many situations, and so you just keep a bunch around."I need a transistor that can handle about 100mA"stick hand in jellybean jar and pull out... a 2n2222, or a BC548, or ... you don't care about the exact model, it's enough that you know it can do around 100mA"I need a device to make a square wave"stick hand in jellybean jar and pull out... a 555, you don't care about the variant, it's enough that it works off 5v and can output a logic high/lowA jellybean itself, is about as plain, basic and standard as you can get in the world of confectionery, it's not uncommon to have jars of jellybeans on a counter, "I need some sweets", stick hand in jellybean jar and pull out.... a handful of jellybeans, you don't care about the colour or flavour (well, I prefer the black ones, but if they are all gone...).

author: lpc32
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 15, 2014, 12:55:32 am
content: But is it an EEVblog-exclusive expression or something more widespread (yet endemic I'd assume)?And I'm not sure all would agree that jellybeans of the edible kind are interchangeable, and any random type will do.

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: April 15, 2014, 01:54:11 am
content: Quote from: lpc32 on April 15, 2014, 12:55:32 amNo, it's not my expression, it's very common in the industry.Heck, it's even on Wikipedia!http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jelly_beanQuote

author: vk6zgo
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 15, 2014, 02:31:38 pm
content: An Electronics supplier in Perth,back in the 1970s actually had a jellybean jar on the counter filled with unmarked NPN small signal transistors.They were extremely cheap & would replace BC108s,2n2222s & in like in many circuits.We called them "BC10--?s"One of my workmates even used them as phototransistors by carefully cutting off the top of the metal package.

author: Mark Hennessy
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 15, 2014, 09:02:25 pm
content: I first saw the expression "jellybean" in The Art of Electronics (2nd edition) - that would have been 1992 at a guess...

author: electronics man
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 15, 2014, 09:49:00 pm
content: i just see the word jelly been as meaning, not very special specs , not super acurate, high power or high frequance ect, some jelly been components are lm324, lm317, 555 timer, 78xx ect they are the sort of components that you should keep a lot of, like i have a big tube of lm324 opamps and a tray of lm317s

author: tsmith35
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 15, 2014, 10:28:17 pm
content: So "jelly bean" could be a reference to a commoditized component?

author: Richard Crowley
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 15, 2014, 10:34:41 pm
content: I see it as more than "commoditized". At least IMHO, it has implications of widely used. There are lots of components that are "commoditized" but I wouldn't consider them "jelly-bean" components.

author: Phaedrus
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 15, 2014, 10:39:22 pm
content: If anything, commoditization would seem to be a side-effect of becoming a Jellybean; or a contributing factor. Or something.

author: poorchava
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 15, 2014, 10:50:10 pm
content: let's see: 1n400x, 2n2222, bcxxx, bat54, bat85, 555 timer, lm339, lm324, op07, lm358, ua741, 78xx and 79xx, 1117 regulators, 100n capacitors, all ordinary caps and resistors, 5mm leds, 0.1" headers, 1n4148, 2n3055, tip122, tip126, bd139, bzx84cxxx zeners, sma/smb/smcj TVS, integrated rectifier bridges, mc34063, tl431, lm2904, lm2903, bss123, bss84, bs170,

author: lpc32
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 15, 2014, 11:59:00 pm
content: Oh, indeed it is right there on Wikipedia. I'm pretty sure I looked there. Probably missed it expecting a "disambiguation" link on the top. But, tsk tsk, no references there.Oddly, no mention on Merriam-Webster, Cambridge, Oxford, Urban Dictionary, Wiktionary. Should probably send a question to phrases.co.uk or worldwidewords.org.

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: April 16, 2014, 12:04:26 am
content: Quote from: Mark Hennessy on April 15, 2014, 09:02:25 pmI can recall it back in the early 80's in the electronics magazines, and I'd be surprised if it's not from at lest the 70's.

author: BravoV
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 16, 2014, 03:27:26 am
content: TUN ... TUP ... do these still in used these days ?

author: David Hess
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 20, 2014, 07:39:28 pm
content: Quote from: electronics man on April 15, 2014, 09:49:00 pmI would include the OP-07 now as well since it is widely second sourced and inexpensive.I am still working my way through a couple tubes of LM337 regulators that I picked up at some point. They are not quite as convenient as LM317s but if you have a floating voltage source, they will do.

author: vk6zgo
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 21, 2014, 01:53:27 am
content: Quote from: BravoV on April 16, 2014, 03:27:26 amElektor,if I remember correctly?