Hello From the Newbie :)

[noop]

Hello everyone!

I am a pc guru, working for my Comptia A+ Certificate, and am currently taking cisco classes. However, just knowing whats in a pc, and how they talk is all fine and dandy, but I want to take the knowledge of what I have learned with these two, and expand it even move.

Surfing the web a few days ago, I stumbled accross this on youtube.
YouTube - 3D LED Cube (?????)

This really inspired me to start and try to learn how to build your own electronics and things like that.

Anywho, I would like to start learning how to build my own circuits and eventually work my way up to something like that. I checked out the FAQ thread and read the threads that contained some books, however a lot of those threads with the books looked more like the "read and you will get it" type of stuff. I am really hands on, and I would like something that gives you projects to try stuff hands on to learn. Does anyone recommend anything that teaches you hands on?

-noop

 

[duffy]

Let me get this straight - because you're a "hands on" kind of a guy, you want to... read a book... about being hands on?

Isn't that like reading a book on how to avoid procrastination?

Just do it. Get a soldering iron, get some parts, build that LED cube. Here's a link to a simpler version, with software, construction tips and everything -
LED Cube Matrix Driver

 

[crutschow]

If you want to start with something simpler, you could try one of the may electronics learning kits available, just Google. I've also seem some "Electronics for Dummies" books which you may find helpful.

 

[noop]

Let me get this straight - because you're a "hands on" kind of a guy, you want to... read a book... about being hands on?

Isn't that like reading a book on how to avoid procrastination?

Just do it. Get a soldering iron, get some parts, build that LED cube. Here's a link to a simpler version, with software, construction tips and everything -
LED Cube Matrix Driver

Hehe, no, I want something where you read and then you try it, read, try it, instead of just reading the entire book and then try something.

If you want to start with something simpler, you could try one of the may electronics learning kits available, just Google. I've also seem some "Electronics for Dummies" books which you may find helpful.

Thanks for the info, I will definately look into something like this. The reason I want to learn before I make the cube is I want to understand a lot of what is going on so I can work my way up to building an RGB cube from what I know instead of following a tutorial. Plus, there may be a small chance I will want to build something else in the future instead of just cubes

Thanks for the replies
-noop

 

[noop]

hey, sorry to bump this up but I do have a question about this cube. I was looking around for parts, and it seems like you can find only half of them in US stores, but the other half is exclusively from the UK.

Does anyone know any really nice stores to purchase things like this online in the US? Whenever I search for this kind of stuff, I get RadioShack(Which seems to have really high prices) or general electronics store. I have heard of Digikey (infact its like 300mi) from here, but I do not understand their website (man they really know their stuff. Everything is put down in terms which I am not familiar with yet.)

So to sum storytime, where do you purchase your electronic stuff from?

Thanks again!
-noop

 

[silvarblade]

There are a lot of places to buy from depending on your location, for websites(no location for you) digikey,farnell and many more.

 

[mramos1]

See if your Radio Shack store has Forest Mims books. They are a good start if you have no electronics background. Also, google is a wealth of knowledge. Use the books as your start to research on google and of course ask question here.

On the parts, I like mouser over digikey most of the time.

If you like LEDs maybe google "555 LED circuits" or better with a PC background, look at the inchworm from blueroomelectronics.com and go right to the PICs and have some real fun programming the chip to make the LEDs do whatever you need.

 

[duffy]

Mouser's cheaper than Digikey, Digikey has a much better parametric search engine.

Don't be put off buying stuff from the UK, electronics is a global market and the net's its bazaar. I buy stuff from Farnell all the time, they carry items you can't get anywhere else. (the GP2W0004XPOF IRDA tranceiver, for instance)

 

[Salgat]

Try to take an intro electronics course at a local community college. That really helped me get to where I am now.

 

[Sceadwian]

If you don't have an ego find a 101 electronics project kit that are aimed at middle/high schoolers. If you can get over the fact that you're buying something made for a kid there are lot of real practical circuits to build and descriptions of how're they're built.

 

[duffy]

If you don't have an ego find a 101 electronics project kit that are aimed at middle/high schoolers. If you can get over the fact that you're buying something made for a kid there are lot of real practical circuits to build and descriptions of how're they're built.

I'll second that. And after you chewed all the good out of it you can take the parts off and use them again in breadboards and more permanent gizmos.

 

[Sceadwian]

Yep yep. My step-mother got one for my son in law. Has a 741 opamp on it, tapped inductor tuneable cap, resistors caps and an NPN and PNP transisttor. Speaker, CDS photo cell. tons of goodies. I had more fun with it than he did =O