How to Get Obsolete Electronic Parts for Your Tech

Sourcing obsolete electronic parts aren’t always easy to do. In fact, as you get more obsolete and obscure, it may seem downright impossible. 

The good news is that it’s rare it’s impossible to source a part of a functional alternative. That said, some electronic parts are quite tough to get. Today we’ll discuss where to get electronic parts you can’t seem to find and some solutions when all seems lost.

First, Check for Alternatives

When obsolete electronic components fail, it’s easy to jump right to replace them with an identical part. However, this isn’t always the best solution.

While some obsolete parts may be cheap and easy to find, some won’t be. When a part isn’t in production anymore, its price can sometimes rise. In the worst cases, it may even cost more than it did when new.

For this reason, make sure you need the part you’re looking for. One alternative solution may be to repair the part that broke. In some cases, it may be as easy as doing some resoldering or swapping out a capacitor.

You might also consider alternative parts. For example, many computer parts have dozens of alternatives that would work as well or better than the original. You might even be able to upgrade to modern parts.

That said, sometimes the only solution is an obsolete part. Whether you’re working on an old school build or there just isn’t a modern alternative, there are times where only a “new” obsolete part will do.

Learn Everything You Can About the Part

If you intend to start looking for an obsolete electronic parts supplier or seeking out the part yourself, you need to know what you’re replacing.

Ideally, you’re going to want the exact name of the part in question. However, this may be hard if you’re not tech-savvy. That said, the more details the better.

If you can, find out who made the part, what it was installed in, and take pictures of it and where it is meant to fit into. A broken version of the part can be great for finding one that works since it will (usually) have most or all the info you need.

You should also figure out how specific your goal is going to be. For example, if you need an old CRT television, you may not need an identical replacement. You only need a compatible replacement.

One of the more frustrating parts of replacing obsolete components is the “new” part’s age matters too. Even modern electronic parts only tend to last 4-10 years of use.

Unless it saw little use and was well cared for, the part your sourcing is likely to be somewhat into its expected lifespan. You can aim for one in ideal condition, but that may increase costs and the time of sourcing.

Where to Find Obsolete Electronic Parts

Now to address the big question: Where does one source obsolete electronic parts?

The bad news of course is that the original manufacture isn’t your answer. By definition, the part is obsolete. It will rarely still be in production and most companies don’t make a habit of selling obsolete merchandise once production has stopped. 

The default many people resort is something of a “shotgun” approach. They try to think of anywhere nearby that sells electronics and hope to get lucky.

Now, in fairness, this approach does work sometimes. The less specific and obscure your needs, the better your odds.

To go back to our previous example, if all you need is an old CRT television, you can probably find one around. If you’re trying to fix an old Famicom or Macintosh SE? It’s going to be harder.

The internet can often do you better but pricing and reliability are going to be hit or miss. The seller had also better know how to ship old electronic goods, as they can often be very fragile and may break in transport.

Try a Professional Sourcing Service

As for the good news, some companies specialize in electronic components sourcing. Services like ours offer a few things you’re not going to see with smaller operations or those not specializing in this kind of sourcing.

First, we warranty your electronic components purchasing the investment. You are buying new surplus electronic components when you purchase from us and as such deserve the 90 days we offer to ensure quality.

Second, we’ve built a network of suppliers from manufacturers, distributors, OEM and EMS companies, and more. Where dealing with an individual or smaller company casts a small net, dealing with us allows you to cast a huge one.

Through those suppliers, we’ve developed a complex system for vetting obsolete parts so that you can make sure apart from our network is what we claim and will last a long time. 

Combined with good practices on your part, you should be able to rely on the parts we source for years. Just because a part was manufactured years ago doesn’t mean it should break months after purchase.

ARIA Sourcing Can Help

ARIA Sourcing is an obsolete electronic parts supplier. All electronic components offered by ARIA Sourcing are 100% original in original packaging and RoHS Compliance. If we sell it to you, you can trust it will work.

If your curious about our services and would like to learn more, contact us! We also encourage you to explore our site to learn more about how we can help our customers and how our operation functions.