Tutorials for learning basic electronic

Tutorials for learning basic electronic
by Banshaku on 2010-01-09 (#54954)

I always wanted to learn some basic electronic in the past but never had the chance to find the time to do it. I would like to read on the subject and I know I could "just f$%#!@ google it" but I don't know which one is good since it's not my field. I'm a little bit concerned to end up on the "gba guy" of electronics..

Is there any tutorial people recommend on the subject? I should be able to have access to some part easily like a breadboard, resistances etc.

My goal is not to make something complicated like a powerpak but more like learning the basic and having fun with simple circuits. Any information on the subject will be greatly appreciated.

by Celius on 2010-01-09 (#54955)

You could somehow ( ) get a copy of Electronics for Dummies, which I found very helpful. It explains a lot of fundamentals of Electronics that I didn't understand, and it helped me to understand them a lot better. It also says what you should have a constant supply of if you want to be working with electronics often among other things. I didn't finish the whole thing, and I didn't wrap my mind around everything they said because I kind of skimmed through the first part, but it seems to be a very good book, and I'd highly recommend it.

Other than that, if anyone has good tutorials, I too would be very interested because I think electronics are quite fascinating. I can't believe someone came up with the concepts behind them and more than that I can't believe they work.

by hyarion on 2010-01-09 (#54956)

we had this book as course literature in an introduction class in digital electronic at the uni: "Digital Fundamentals with VHDL‎" by "Thomas L. Floyd"
might be a bit expensive (maybe available at your local library?) but it explains pretty much everything needed for fiddling with digital electronic.

but just as programming, start experimenting as soon as possible... start with a breadbord, some 74xx ICs (logic gates), push buttons, and some LEDs (with resistors ofc) and get crackin ^^

by Banshaku on 2010-01-09 (#54958)

My issue is usually at my local library, that would means books in japanese so.. I would prefer them in english since my japanese is still not good enough for those things The easiest access is on the web for anything I need so if there is any tutorial, I will be more than glad to read them.

I will check if I can have access to the books you both mentioned but I would be very surprised. The only way will be by ordering them online.

Getting the breadboard and a few components won't be an issue (I was at an electronic shop today looking at some sockets with lever) but I guess before I can fiddle with them, I need to learn a little bit about the basic to make sure I know what I'm doing and don't fry anything.

edit:

- "Digital Fundamentals with VHDL‎" is easily 100$ (and up to 200$) on amazon jp hmm.. Electronic for dummies is cheaper but there is many version of them.

by Celius on 2010-01-10 (#54960)

Well I found my copy of Electronics for Dummies by uh... backing it up as a PDF file . I swear the pirate bay had nothing to do with it...

by lidnariq on 2010-01-10 (#54975)

A class I took recommended Practical Electronics for Inventors which struck me as a pretty good way to get a good basis for most of this.

by Bregalad on 2010-01-10 (#54984)

Well I'm a supposed to be a professional at elecronics things so I don't know much what to say.
The problem is that it's very easy to f*** something up if one wire isn't as you suppose it, etc...

I guess the Tomas L. Floyd books are really popular since I've had some course based on a french tranlsation on them.

by tokumaru on 2010-01-10 (#54986)

Most of the books listed in this thread can be found through, uh... alternative methods. Some are extremely large when compared to regular PDF files though (Principles of Electric Circuits by Thomas Floyd is 550 MB, hopefully it's not a porn video), but that's probably because they have a lot of pictures. I guess I'll be studying some electronics too! =)

by kyuusaku on 2010-01-10 (#54993)

Floyd books are good but they're really expensive and aren't the easiest to reference. I think it'd be smart to "review" some text books, but spend more time just absorbing information online. This was a helpful site for me: http://www.play-hookey.com/

by Banshaku on 2010-01-10 (#54997)

Thanks everyone for the comments. I will start to check the online stuff and check if I can "preview" some of the books before buying them

by peppers on 2010-01-12 (#55133)

I have not read this one in particular but its dose get semi advanced even gets into MCR's later on (too what extent I do not know) and look like a fun way to learn. At one point it recommends that you lick a 9v battery. naturally its available for further previewing if you know what google is.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/059615 ... d_i=507846

by NesHackR on 2010-01-16 (#55228)

It's probably not the best thing, but it has explained "some" things well for me, and it just one of numberous sources I have checked out. http://www.allaboutcircuits.com/ It is probably still incomplete, but if you have some of the prerequisites for learning this stuff pretty well, this may help.

Honestly though, even if it is not an option, the best way to learn this stuff is probably to go to school. If that can't be done, hands on experience will probably be needed to make it so much easier, like with a breadboard to start out with. I am going to start school for this stuff this year, and I am not touching any component for a while, not after making an LED explode...(want to ask me what it looked like?)

by Banshaku on 2010-01-16 (#55247)

I guess at my age and now 2 kids it's a little bit hard to go back to school for learning those stuff The only choice I have is to be a self learner when I can find time! (try to do that in japan..) Now I'm evaluating and accumulating some info until I can have that time to read it and enjoy it. I will check that site, thanks for the link.