OT: Low Voltage Motor Control Device

[languer]

This question has nothing to do with CCS (not yet anyway), but I hope some of you may provide some valuable information based on personal experience.

This is more of a general question, but what sort of H-bridge ICs would you recommend for 3V motors with operating currents of 200mA-500mA, and stall currents of 600mA-2A?

Recently I have been looking at the following devices:
LB1836M from SANYO
BD6211 from ROHM
TB6612FNG from TOSHIBA

None would supply stall currents above 1A, but I figure I could parallel some of these if necessary. I am fairly new to motor control, and have no practical application in mind.

I also thought about using the ULN2003 or SN754410 which could operate a 3V motor out of 5V, but with very low efficiency (since they drop quite a bit of voltage).

I understand that using discrete transistors I could taylor the H-bridge to the particular application, but I am looking for a more generic approach which requires a minimum of parts.

[Ttelmah]

As you have already realised, operating at low voltages is at times difficult. The preferred devices for higher voltages (generally MOSFETs), require Vds values, to give efficient switching, that are not easy to generate at these low voltages. Bipolar devices, have the inherent voltage drop, which represents a significant amount of the output swing, at these voltages.
I'd suggest looking at the S17-3A-LV-HBRIDGE part, or the BD621x, while for lower currents, the MPC17C724, is a great unit.

Best Wishes