Comment by stevenjohns
8 years ago
This is something I wish I'd be able to do one day, but every time I look into getting into electronics I get overwhelmed.
Can you recommend the materials you used when learning? Books or resources etc.
This was a really interesting read, thanks for sharing.
Thanks :)
Well nowadays there's a lot of material online, I did find a book interesting, though: "Make: Electronics", it teaches the basics in a very nice way.
Aside from that the key, I guess, is to start small and incrementally go for more and more complex stuff going towards things you like (video games, robotics, etc). If you consistently achieve small victories I think it's enough to stay motivated. Everytime I managed to overcome something, I took it as a victory (generating the video signal, getting a program to run on the CPU, etc) and this helped me get to the next problem to solve.
I started with discrete logic and an Arduino, went on to programming microncontrollers similar to the one on the Arduino and moved from there to CPUs, RAMs, FPGAs, etc.
Also Youtube channels like EEVblog and GreatScott! are great learning resources.
People invariable ask a form of this question every time an impressive project like this is posted.
For what its worth(1), I think that "learn a bunch of stuff -> go build something cool on the first try" isn't quite the right approach. I think you have to set for yourself a series of tasks and then fight like hell to figure out how to accomplish them. Start with a single blinking led. Just google "how to blink an led" and try to do it a few different ways.
In short the only "material" you might use to get started is google, by typing in "how do I..." while chasing modest goals that look like they might be in roughly the right direction. If there is a magic book out there that will "teach you electronics", I haven't found it yet. It sounds a lot like the sort of book that might "teach you astronauting".
"Electronics" is broad enough that it might be more like learning a language than learning a skill.
(1)My own meandering opinion
> For what its worth(1), I think that "learn a bunch of stuff -> go build something cool on the first try" isn't quite the right approach.
There might be also some kind of misconception in the way that you're seeing something cool and now also want to get this cool stuff. But if you aren't interested in the fundamentals - in this case electronics - and don't have fun learning these by simple experiments - like you described - then it's neither worthwhile for you nor you will get to the cool projects.
The first half of nand2tetris[1] (projects 1-6), which corresponds to their first Coursera course[2] is a great introduction to the digital side of electronics. The second half is more general purpose computer and OS specific but probably still pretty useful. I've only finished up to chapter 5 as of right now, so I can't say anything definite.
[1] https://www.nand2tetris.org/
[2] https://www.coursera.org/learn/build-a-computer
I quite enjoyed Ben Eater's playlist on building a breadboard computer, made a lot of electronic concepts click for me.
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLowKtXNTBypGqImE405J2...
Start with an Arduino. Really simple circuits and you get to learn on a microcontroller. It's fun too. For instance learn how to turn on and off an LED then go from there
https://store.arduino.cc/usa/arduino/most-popular
There's the xgamestation boards that you put together yourself, that give you a helping hand in the initial steps of building your own retro console: http://www.ic0nstrux.com/products/gaming-systems/game-consol...
Has anyone here actually built one of these? I've eyed this project for forever, but I've always been a bit reticent for whatever reason. I think I'm nervous that either things are sufficiently put-together before I get it that I won't learn, or that they won't have time to go into everything, so it'll just be a soldering-based LEGO.
I’m no expert whatsoever, but I’d recommend getting an Arduino (the cheap knockoffs aren’t horrible, but if you get one, be sure to donate a couple of dollars to the legit Arduino people), a couple of big breadboards, a jumper wiring kit (preferably with all of the different inch fractions so your wiring stays neat), and some basic components (resistors, capacitors, LEDs, buttons, simple ICs, etc).
Once you have all that, get the Arduino do turn on an LED when you press a button on the breadboard. Incorporate some kind of sensor, if you want. After that experience, you should be ready to tackle a bigger project. Now that you have a test bed, you can incrementally build circuits from books and the Internet and actually understand what’s going on.
Start small. Here's a shift register: http://www.ti.com/product/SN74LV8153
It turns serial signal into parallel output.
They are often found in kits like this: https://www.amazon.com/Smraza-Breadboard-Resistors-Mega2560-... (research a better one than this)
Get a Raspberry Pi (Any controller really, get what you what)
Build something useless like this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lgnopk1qmkk
There are lots of learning kits available on Amazon. That's how I "taught myself" hobby electronics. I don't know much, but this stuff is magic! So it's impressive to most just to implement a simple shift register! Blinkenlights for the win!
+1 from me. I am a lot interested in getting into hands on electronics and most of the times I end up falling a little too short as there is no support around where I live and I never really got a start. Would definitely love some inputs from people who are good at this.
It's dense but the Art of Electronics is the one book I keep coming back too. Better as a reference than a tutorial, once you've played around with an Arduino or the like I found it great to opening up the "what next?" part of EE.