4 ms·

I am interested but know nothing, where should I start?

complex1314 8y ago
This course https://www.edx.org/course/circuits-electronics-1-basic-circuit-mitx-6-002-1x-0 https://www.edx.org/course/circuits-electronics-1-basic-circ... is excellent. I took it for fun a few years ago, enjoyed it so much that I later enrolled in an EE program (while already having another degree) and I am soon to graduate :)
- Phenomenit 8y ago
  Cheers * congrats on the degree. I'm going back to school as well.
DanBC 8y ago
Start with single LEDs and understanding the voltage across them, and that you need a current limiting resistor and how to work out those values. http://lednique.com/electrical-theory-basics/power-calculations/ http://lednique.com/electrical-theory-basics/power-calculati... http://lednique.com/electrical-theory-basics/ohms-law-and-resistor-calculation/ http://lednique.com/electrical-theory-basics/ohms-law-and-re... Buy a breadboard[1] and some components and build some flasher circuits. This 555 circuit is a nice first circuit. http://www.555-timer-circuits.com/flashing-led.html http://www.555-timer-circuits.com/flashing-led.html Change the resistors R1 and R2 to different values (or use potentiometers) to see how they affect the flashing - you should see one changes the on time and the other changes the off time (the mark:space ratio). You need to see this because it helps understand "multiplexing" -- you strobe the LEDs because it saves power. Then look at 7 segment displays. I'm not sure this page is particularly clear for beginners: http://lednique.com/display-technology/7-segment-display-basics/ http://lednique.com/display-technology/7-segment-display-bas... This page walks you through using the 4511 to create a Binary Coded Decimal to 7 segment display: http://www.learningaboutelectronics.com/Articles/4511-BCD-to-7-segment-display-decoder-circuit.php http://www.learningaboutelectronics.com/Articles/4511-BCD-to... If you're the kind of person who can learn from books The Art of Electronics and the Student Manual are great. I haven't read the new editions. The editions I have are good but have some stuff that's out of date. For Youtube Kris Cochrane talks about hobbyist level (cheap) tools and kits: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCh8JiW2G9yR2v7TwUm04m_g https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCh8JiW2G9yR2v7TwUm04m_g And Big Clive does teardowns showing that sometimes the cheap tools can be scary for some uses: https://www.youtube.com/user/bigclivedotcom https://www.youtube.com/user/bigclivedotcom [1] This is what I mean by "breadboard": https://uk.farnell.com/multicomp/mcbb400/breadboard-solderless-300v-abs/dp/2395961?MER=bn_browse_1TP_MostPopular_3 https://uk.farnell.com/multicomp/mcbb400/breadboard-solderle...
- tootie 8y ago
  Do you have some good tutorials on pro setups? I've got clients asking for pretty complicated lighting setups and we typically have to hire an AV partner who do a great job, but it's like a whole second system next to ours instead of being tightly integrated. These hobbyist setups are nifty, but I've got clients willing pay for quality. We're slowing muddling our way through DMX and PWM.
  - DanBC 8y ago
    I don't, sorry. I'm sure someone else on HN will know people who can do complex lighting setups with things like DMX and PWM, especially if there's reasonable money involved.
- Phenomenit 8y ago
  That's extensive, thank you for your time and effort.
deleted 8y ago
[deleted]
complex1314 8y ago
Thought of another book I used in the beginning, Make: Electronics. Very suited for beginners, experiment first and then they give the theory afterwards. (https://www.makershed.com/products/make-electronics-2ed https://www.makershed.com/products/make-electronics-2ed, many other good resources here)

This course https://www.edx.org/course/circuits-electronics-1-basic-circuit-mitx-6-002-1x-0 https://www.edx.org/course/circuits-electronics-1-basic-circ... is excellent. I took it for fun a few years ago, enjoyed it so much that I later enrolled in an EE program (while already having another degree) and I am soon to graduate :)

Phenomenit 8y ago
Cheers * congrats on the degree. I'm going back to school as well.

DanBC 8y ago

Start with single LEDs and understanding the voltage across them, and that you need a current limiting resistor and how to work out those values. http://lednique.com/electrical-theory-basics/power-calculations/ http://lednique.com/electrical-theory-basics/power-calculati... http://lednique.com/electrical-theory-basics/ohms-law-and-resistor-calculation/ http://lednique.com/electrical-theory-basics/ohms-law-and-re... Buy a breadboard[1] and some components and build some flasher circuits. This 555 circuit is a nice first circuit. http://www.555-timer-circuits.com/flashing-led.html http://www.555-timer-circuits.com/flashing-led.html Change the resistors R1 and R2 to different values (or use potentiometers) to see how they affect the flashing - you should see one changes the on time and the other changes the off time (the mark:space ratio). You need to see this because it helps understand "multiplexing" -- you strobe the LEDs because it saves power. Then look at 7 segment displays. I'm not sure this page is particularly clear for beginners: http://lednique.com/display-technology/7-segment-display-basics/ http://lednique.com/display-technology/7-segment-display-bas... This page walks you through using the 4511 to create a Binary Coded Decimal to 7 segment display: http://www.learningaboutelectronics.com/Articles/4511-BCD-to-7-segment-display-decoder-circuit.php http://www.learningaboutelectronics.com/Articles/4511-BCD-to... If you're the kind of person who can learn from books The Art of Electronics and the Student Manual are great. I haven't read the new editions. The editions I have are good but have some stuff that's out of date. For Youtube Kris Cochrane talks about hobbyist level (cheap) tools and kits: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCh8JiW2G9yR2v7TwUm04m_g https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCh8JiW2G9yR2v7TwUm04m_g And Big Clive does teardowns showing that sometimes the cheap tools can be scary for some uses: https://www.youtube.com/user/bigclivedotcom https://www.youtube.com/user/bigclivedotcom [1] This is what I mean by "breadboard": https://uk.farnell.com/multicomp/mcbb400/breadboard-solderless-300v-abs/dp/2395961?MER=bn_browse_1TP_MostPopular_3 https://uk.farnell.com/multicomp/mcbb400/breadboard-solderle...

tootie 8y ago
Do you have some good tutorials on pro setups? I've got clients asking for pretty complicated lighting setups and we typically have to hire an AV partner who do a great job, but it's like a whole second system next to ours instead of being tightly integrated. These hobbyist setups are nifty, but I've got clients willing pay for quality. We're slowing muddling our way through DMX and PWM.
- DanBC 8y ago
  I don't, sorry. I'm sure someone else on HN will know people who can do complex lighting setups with things like DMX and PWM, especially if there's reasonable money involved.
Phenomenit 8y ago
That's extensive, thank you for your time and effort.

deleted 8y ago

[deleted]

complex1314 8y ago

Thought of another book I used in the beginning, Make: Electronics. Very suited for beginners, experiment first and then they give the theory afterwards. (https://www.makershed.com/products/make-electronics-2ed https://www.makershed.com/products/make-electronics-2ed, many other good resources here)