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If the modules are made by good manufacturers, then they'll have datasheets that have ample explanation of how to use the module. The easier the manufacturer ma
by analogwzrd 8y ago
If the modules are made by good manufacturers, then they'll have datasheets that have ample explanation of how to use the module. The easier the manufacturer makes it to use their device, the more likely someone's going to buy it afterall.
Look through the datasheet and there should be several example application circuits. The datasheet will usually include descriptions about each pin of the module. If you need to use external components to "set" the pins of the module in some way, the datasheet will usually have some equations about how to calculate the correct value and maybe an explanation of where that equation came from.
It'll also list maximum, minimum, and typical drive(voltage or current) levels for the pins. When you see the datasheet mention a term you don't know, spend a few minutes looking it up. A few used to describe module pins that jump to mind are "open drain" and "open collector" - those terms tell you a lot about what components you might want to add externally to the pin.
Make sure you understand Ohm's law and the concept of a pull-up or pull-down resistor and when to use them. Also, what a decoupling capacitor does. When you see a capacitor tied to a module pin, can you tell if it's acting like a filter or a charge reservoir.
Keep playing around with it and you'll eventually build up a lot of knowledge and intuition about how to connect everything. And other people have mentioned a lot of great books to use as resources as well.
- weavie 8y agoI recently bought an stm32 board to start learning and found the datasheet to be complete gobble-de-gook. I have a feeling there is a lot fundamentals I need to learn before the sheet starts to make sense.
- samtho 8y agoThere is a lot of "noise" in the datasheet that you wont have to pay much mind to. There are usually examples of circuits buried in there along with pinouts. You can ignore a lot of it if you are doing hobby-level work.
- analogwzrd 8y agoTrue. There are several companies that are infamous for how terrible their datasheets are. Especially as a hobbyist it can be important to pick companies that provide good documentation because you don't have the leverage of saying you work for a large company that's going to buy 1000s of their parts. Asking questions on the manufacturer's forum is useful to because you can typically get an application engineer to respond.
- joshvm 8y agoSTM's documentation is a bit of a mess. I wouldn't recommend it for a beginner unless you're piggybacking off a development board that uses an STM32 core. This way you can learn snippets of ARM code, but leverage an easier to use framework. Have a look at Atmel/Microchip's AVR documentation, it's worlds better. That plus avrlibc and a few tutorials and you're golden.
- matt_the_bass 8y agoI would recommend starting with some simple discrete logic devices such a 555 timer chip. Learn how to read its spec sheet. Connect it to an LED. Then move on to something more complicated like using the 555 to drive a counter which in turn counts on multiple leds, etc. These circuits are simple and probably nothing you have a practical need for. But they will get you familier with reading data sheets and basic components. Later jump in to microcrontrollers. I used to teach a class called Electronics for Artists at a local maker space. This process worked well for that.