i'm new to electronics...i'm just wondering where do i start...i have experience programming computers(C,VB), however, when it comes to physical hardware such as caps,resistors, etc. i have very little understanding...i got interested in electronics because of the microcontrollers and all the cool things you can do with them...i'm wondering if should go with a beginner microcontroller kit or should get a beginner breadboard kit and develop a solid understanding for the fundametals before i purchase the beginner microcontroller kit...any feedback, websites,etc would be greatly appreciated
thanks for the help

 

I see that you are interested in electronics because of the microchips and suchlike, but i think it is best that you start with the basics. by lots of capacitors, resistors, diodes, a breadboard ect and a good electronics book and start reading and trying out the practicals in it.
a few good websites are;
http://www.eskimo.com/~billb/amateur/elehob.html
http://www.discovercircuits.com/list.htm
good luck

 

try and learn a bit about binary using logic gates and Leds.

maybe even lok up fip flops and latches

 

hi,

since you are more inclined to computer systems, i suggest you study very well the power supply system for digitals. as you very well know that digital is very sensitive to glitches and spikes and other interferences.

other suggestions are all good.

also study well about capacitors coz they play a wide role on digitals :wink:

__________________
\"NONE BUT THE BRAVE DESERVES THE FAIR\" ~Shakespeare~

 

The info at this site is not free, but has all the basics: http://www.twysted-pair.com/

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I would suggest going to Radio Shack or other electronic supply houses, they have experiment kits for beginners. Some of these kits do 100's of projects, these kits will work , you can be successful with little frustration, and when you get comfortable, the other suggestions of a breadboard and a bucket of parts will be more in your grasp.

 

Are you in the UK, by any chance? I have a tutorial CDROM which I could send you which takes you through pretty much all electronics related stuff - starting from basic electronics theory (voltage, current, resistors, caps) right up through diodes, transistors, some basic A.C Theory, Logic, Combinational Logic, Sequential Logic, flip-flops and etc etc etc.

If you run a PC under Windows (yuck) then this may be an option for you - it's a great home study tool.

Another suggestion I have would be to get yourself a decent electronics simulation program. Then you can try out examples on the computer, rather than spend money on hardware and components only to find the examples in the book ask you to use a different logic chip or different diodes, different transistors and etc etc etc.
I tend to enjoy croc-clips but you can get more complex electronics simulation if you really want to get serious with it. For me, croc-clips does the job for basic simulation and then if I want to get serious I build it in hardware.

Let me know if you want a copy of the CDROM - my email is BrianJHoskins@usermail.com

 

I would suggest building your own test gear, such as a bench power
supply, a frequency/waveform source... plenty of circuits to be found on the web, download a freeware image grabber and set it to trawl the net in search of electronic circuits.

Fountain pens make ideal cases for a logic probe...


Start scavenging! I am constantly amazed at what people throw away!!!
old hi-fi's are an excellant source of power supplies and ready made amplifier modules, old computers are real gems , good for fans and those lovely multi rail switched mode supplies, charity shops in the uk seem to have a never ending supply of LED 7 segment display clock radios

 

well actually guys if he is new to electronics he needs to start with basics like ohms law and watts law and stuff like that before he does binary and stuff like that.

 

go to prenhall.com/cook click on nigel P. Cooks Electronics Series. Choose the introductory dc/ac book on the far right at the top then choose a chapter that you seem not to know much about the information in. this will show you practice tests and also a lot of schematics and information. it has summaries and best of all this website is free!!!!

 

hi,

simulation is okay if you already know the working of every bit of items that is used in the circuit and combination circuits. besides simulation results will most of the time not be the same as the actual circuit result. :wink: nothing can beat knowing the basics. :wink:

__________________
\"NONE BUT THE BRAVE DESERVES THE FAIR\" ~Shakespeare~

 

I agree, knowing the basics is an absolute must - as the basics will apply to all walks of Electronics, whether you're a high power electronics man, an analouge electronics man, a digital man or whatever - the basics always apply.