Who would like to learn electronics....

[Simon_G]

....but find the wealth and depth of information a little too much for them to digest, particularly in its current state?

Are electronic hobbyists a dying breed? If so can they be saved from extinction?

This is a post following on from SkyDivingGirls attempts at learning electronics through the Make magazine and its tutorials and got me thinking about a few things...mainly....

Has anyone in this community used literature to teach themselves electronics?
How did it go?
Was there anything that you thought worked well?
Anything that didn't?
What would have helped you more?

And for those who are already comfortable with the field (and there are a few here) what are your opinions on the "teach yourself" route into electronics, whether that be via book, magazine or even some of the better youtube videos and websites out there?

 

[commodorejohn]

I've been meaning to get into this, I'm just so caught up in other projects...

 

[sprcorreia]

I've studied electronics for 2 years. Books will tell you how things work, but working with things it's another level.

For starters i would recommend some DIY kits, i think it's Vellerman that sold a few that were nice... That will give you a nice insight of how things work. It won't get you very far but it's a start.

 

[Merlin]

@ Simon_G

What would be good is an electronics course pitched along the lines of Tim Hunkin's 'The Secret Life of Machines', where the 'Secret Life' of a particular component is explained in simple terms.

For those that don't know Tim Hunkin's programmes, they are here.

http://www.secretlifeofmachines.com/

These taught me so much about how things actually work. In fact, the Washing Machine episode was used as the base concept for automating a Polyamide reactor where I work, using a PLC panel, so that it could turn itself on in the middle of the night and start making a batch of product without an operator being there.

Our parent holding company thought we were nuts, but after a few teething troubles were ironed out, it's as reliable as a toaster and it can still be switched over to manual control if needed.

I owe a lot to Tim Hunkin and this series, as it taught me that to understand a machine, you have to think like a six year old, in order to grasp the basic idea behind it.

 

[lopos2000]

I've studied electronics for 2 years. Books will tell you how things work, but working with things it's another level.

For starters i would recommend some DIY kits, i think it's Vellerman that sold a few that were nice... That will give you a nice insight of how things work. It won't get you very far but it's a start.

I agree. I did a apprenticeship in electronics the 80's. Hated the theory but practice was great. To make things work again is a great feeling.

 

[jimbob]

Like any technical field, the depth of it compared to any one persons capacity is pretty limitless.

Electronic hobbyists are an evolving breed, just look at majsta. He shows what a bit of dedication and aptitude can achieve.

I studied some electronics, formally and independently. I built some things, repaired some things but I just don't quite have enough of either quality to be either a reliable professional or a really inspired hobbyist.

 

[Merlin]

We all have to start somewhere and unless you grasp the basics, the rest is just a confused mess.

Let me explain, using the Polyamide reactor project that I mentioned earlier. We were looking at this reactor and wondering how we could increase productivity without increasing manpower, as we had lost our night shift at the time.

We looked at it and we said "Pumps, timers, valves, stirrers and heaters; it's a washing machine, a complicated one, but it's a washing machine underneath it all. The washing machine needs a programmer".

Take away all of the complication and the underlying principle becomes easy to understand. It didn't matter what the liquids were, they just needed valves, timers and a controller to make them work. Powders were just thought of as washing, as they were already in the reactor at the start. Liquids were pumped to a header tank, just like the soap tray.

When it turns itself on at the pre-determined time (programmed via a memory stick) it checks that it has all essential services and power, then it 'puts the soap in' (i.e. charges the liquids) and 'does the washing'.

When we designed the control panel, we made sure that every call point on the PLC program defaulted to fail-safe, so that whatever happened, the system went to a safe state. Five months later, we commissioned and snagged out the unit and it paid for itself within about four months.

That's Brits for you; we're all frustrated inventors...

 

[protek]

I really would like to learn to design and implement my own circuits. One thing that I've been missing is processes and methods to achieve something based on a problem or need, the starting premise and off the shelf components at hand.

Let's say I'd like to get S-Video out of an A4000. In the A1200 you use a Sony CXA1145 to convert the RGB signal from Lisa to S-Video. So basically, you'd need a CXA1145 or similar chip to achieve this on the A4000. You have the datasheet of the video decoder chip to tell you the pinouts and of course the schematics of the A4000. The datasheet also has example implementations of the chip in the form of schematics.

So basically I'm pretty much set up to design the circuit. Yet, I find it difficult to determine, what are the minimum set of signals to provide to the video decoder and what kind of alterations or stabilizations needs to be made into the input and output signals.

So maybe what I'm trying to say is that I'd like to find some good practises and methods to utilize the data at hand so that I can determine what needs to be done. Or in layman's terms, how to fit a square peg into a round hole.

 

[Hivernaal]

I started with the vero layout guitar effects, small, from easy to high skill, just choose and test. It's a very good thing to start i think.
Repairing an Amiga and makes her alive is a very high satatisfaction too !

 

[hooverphonique]

well, one thing is to be able to build stuff according to a schematic/doing simple repairs, another is being able to design your own circuits/do troubleshooting.. the first one you can do "just" by practicing soldering, etc., but the second requires learning some theory, whether one likes it or not ;-)

I started tinkering when I was a child and gradually learned some theory, but the nitty gritty stuff I didn't learn until I went to uni for a degree in computer systems engineering..

 

[Simon_G]

@Merlin - Never seen Tim Hunkins work (thanks for the heads up on that) but have seen something similar before.

I do agree that simplifying of concepts would go a long way in aiding the learner in the understanding and applying of knowledge and maybe one of the things missing from certain courses or publications.

 

[protek]

I have a case that I'd like to give a go, based on a personal need.

I'd like to design a PCI or PCIe floppy disk controller. No frills or thrills, just a simple controller that does the same as an integrated controller on older PC motherboards. The idea would be to use the various floppy image transfer prgrams for which USB floppies aren't suitable.

Obviously I'd need a floppy controller chip and a 34-pin header. So, if the floppy controller chip is a square peg and PCI and floppy headers round holes, what would I need to make it fit, when designing the circuit? Also I'd be interested to understand why something is needed.

Are there any prototyping boards that connect to PCI slot to try the desgin out?