I've been using a Radio Shack 13.8VDC/3A supply feeding a
LM317 w/ Heat Sink for my breadboarding setup so far. But
now I'm playing with some VFDs and expect to be pulling
around 500mA at 5VDC stedily, with an inrush peak
near 900ma.

I don't think my current configuration is going to be good
for a steady 4.4W even if I improve the heatsink. I'm debating
between the quick fixes and something I don't see outgrowing
any time soon.

Options I'm considering now are

1 - Moving over to a 5V switching setup, perhaps the PT5101A.
    (http://focus.ti.com/docs/prod/folders/print/pt5101.html)

2 - Find a 5V switching wall wart, or a 7V unregulated to feed
    a 7805.

3 - Raiding e-Bay for a new bench power supply.
    (Any shopping tips?)

4 - The Fun solution:
    Converting an Antec QuietPower. It seems to me that by
    just installing the power supply into a project box and
    hooking up via an ATX 20 pin connector that you could
    preserve the warrenty and certifications. I was thinking
    it might be a fun project to put a front panel Voltage
    and Current meter for each output and perhaps a setable
    emergency shutoff based on the current being drawn. Any
    reason I couldn't use a PICs A/D inputs referencing a
    precision voltage reference hooked up across the output
    for the voltage and across a very low value resistor for
    the current? While this has a great deal of appeal it's a
    bit more of a down the road solution as I need a better
    power supply now.

Are there better options I'm missing or anything wrong with
the ideas I have so far?

Thanks,
  Michael Olson

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