120VAC to 5V chip

[dsicon]

> a cap drop circuit won't work for this app

Why? You can steal up to 30mA from a properly sized Cap...

> am trying to find a chip that i am pretty sure was by ST, 120VAC to 5VDC, non isolated...

The item you refer to is the VB408 which was discontinued... try (as an example but unlikely it will handle your current requirements)...

http://www.supertex.com/pdf/datasheets/LR8.pdf

Several vendors still have stocks of the VB408... be careful, they were VERY fragile (in as much as the SLIGHTEST error on your part resulted in their - spectacular - destruction!).

thanks Melanie
the VB408 was what i was trying to find, but no good if not in production

no room for a cap of nec. size
next plan of attack is to get the current requirement way down