Ben Eaters' building an 8-bit breadboard computer is very well done.
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLowKtXNTBypGqImE405J2...
Ask HN: DIY Electronic Resources
11–19 of 19 posts
Re: Ask HN: DIY Electronic Resources
#12A lot of stuff in electronics at the beginner hobby level is highly project specific.
Post some project ideas, we can give you some resources on where to start, if you want to learn the basics just by jumping in.
Re: Ask HN: DIY Electronic Resources
#13I really enjoy Charles Platts’s Make:Electronics. It’s written as a series of experiments runs that give you a good “through-experience” knowledge of electronics.
Also worth reading are the US Navy’s “Basic Electronics” book. It is thorough, and really straight forward, written for any recruit.
Also worth noting that the basic prototyping tools (Arduino type stuff) enable a lot without a lot of electronics understanding.
Re: Ask HN: DIY Electronic Resources
#14The ARRL Radio Handbook is available on Amazon for $63, as a 6-volume-set.
It covers a lot more than electronics, but it definitely covers electronics in the context of amateur radio.
It is updated yearly, so get the newest version. Older versions do not go down in price much, which is an indicator of how good it is.
TOC: https://home.arrl.org/PRODUCTFILES/2003373106/Handbook%20100...
Re: Ask HN: DIY Electronic Resources
#15Get an Arduino starter kit, and dig in. The nice thing about the Arduino is that it's 5 volt I/O, so enough to drive a light, an FET, etc. They're not super fast, but for stuff you want to see... good enough.
Most of the things you'll build these days are just jelly beans you connect together.
Re: Ask HN: DIY Electronic Resources
#16Electronics is really broad. What are you looking to get into and at what complexity level?
Controlling an LED strip with an Arduino library is very different from designing a custom RF solution.
Re: Ask HN: DIY Electronic Resources
#17everything I've found is either too simple or too complex. Neither matters. Starting matters. If it is simple, you will complete it. Completing electronics projects is a useful habit. If it is too complex, you will fail. Failing is a useful habit. Failing is what learning looks like when there isn’t a curriculum with lowered hurdles. Shopping for a Goldilocks’ porridge is easier than failing. It is easier than easy p…
This is a great perspective, and honestly one that extends to many (if not most) practical skills that one can learn.
Re: Ask HN: DIY Electronic Resources
#18Practical Electronics for Inventors[0] is the go-to book for what you're looking for. Has the right balance of practical application without dumbing things down too much. That being said, if you need help getting familiar again, Adafruit's tutorials[1] are a fantastic resource to have a 'recipe' type project with an associated parts list
[0] https://www.amazon.com/Practical-Electronics-Inventors-Fourt... [1] https://learn.adafruit.com
Re: Ask HN: DIY Electronic Resources
#19I know this is annoying, but you learn electronics by doing. First, you need to know the basics. Ohms law (V=IR), the power law (P=VI) the two Kirchoffs laws, voltage divider, what a capcitor, inductor, mosfet, and diode do. Most IC companies (Texas Instruments in particular) have very good technical documents that give you practical tips on how to use their products. Find similar projects that you can base your own…
The art of electronics is a great resource. It is probably better as a reference though!