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Hey Poal,

I want to create new Wunderwaffen for WW3, so I'd like to learn some microcontroller-programming and electronics in general, and I'd like to ask you for any ideas/resources/anything else about how to start.

I'm able to use get a "real" computer to do my bidding, and I'm able to code in several programming-languages, including C/C++, but I know next to nothing about electronics, as in how to create a circuit-board that actually does something, and so on. My knowledge in that regard is basically, that I know the relationship between Volts and Amperes, and have used a soldering iron in the past for basic repairs.

Do you have any suggestions where to best start out, what resources to use, and so on?

Hey Poal, I want to create new Wunderwaffen for WW3, so I'd like to learn some microcontroller-programming and electronics in general, and I'd like to ask you for any ideas/resources/anything else about how to start. I'm able to use get a "real" computer to do my bidding, and I'm able to code in several programming-languages, including C/C++, but I know next to nothing about electronics, as in how to create a circuit-board that actually does something, and so on. My knowledge in that regard is basically, that I know the relationship between Volts and Amperes, and have used a soldering iron in the past for basic repairs. Do you have any suggestions where to best start out, what resources to use, and so on?

(post is archived)

[–] • 11 pts

As suggested, there's no better introduction to microcontrollers than the Arduino. It's literally designed to do exactly what you're asking for.

[–] • 1 pt

I got a degree in electronic engineering but that 25 years ago. Barely ever used the knowledge.

We had entered the Era of hot swapping boards and throw away electronics.

[–] • 1 pt

Depends on what you’re in. I replace individual components on my job stuff.

[–] • 1 pt

I used to repair early cellphones to the component level.

But as they got cheaper beyond economical repair got more common.

Then I became a board jockey for consumer electronics.

I finally jumped ship to programing

[–] [deleted] • 5 pts

Art of Electronics is the best self study guide and reference. The other suggestions of arduinos and the like is also excellent and you can't go wrong with arduinos because there are way more than just arduinos in that universe now.

[–] • 1 pt

Seconded. I read that all the time for enjoyment. Really solid book, and not heavy on theory. The authors only use as much as necessary to solve real problems.

[–] • 0 pt

Art of Electronics is really fucking heavy for a newbie without any prior knowledge.

[–] [deleted] • 0 pt

It's the perfect book to learn. You don't have to read the WHOLE book at once.

[–] • 0 pt

yep, came here to post that

they'll be a pdf online but I'm sure I have it somewhere if not

[–] • 4 pts

If you are coming from programming look into Arduino projects for hands on learning to turn your programming into real world physical applications.

[–] • 2 pts

That's what I thought. However, I know next to nothing about arduinos, so don't know how to best start.

Besides, I guess my main focus should be to learn basic electronics to be able to create useful circuitry, rather than to just follow all those arduino-tutorials, that explain how to create mostly useless junk, without explaining much about how to create your own circuitry from scratch. You know, the stuff that actually enables you to do more than just follow the instructions. And there I really am at a miss. I watched a few youtube videos, where people explained what capacitors, resistors, and so on are, and showed some basic circuits with transistors n' shit. How do I best start out when I want to learn this topic?

feel notified as well

[–] • 1 pt

I got going with Arduino using Youtube and Googling pretty much everything. Have a look around for some ideas for a simple beginner project, and go from there. You'll learn a lot doing it hands-on, even if it's laid out for you step by step. How's your programming knowledge?

[–] • 1 pt

Start with Arduino junk so you can get a basic idea of things, then you will slowly begin to make your own stuff. Though, these days with microcontrollers you don't need a lot of analog knowledge to connect useful things to it. I think the best way to learn is find something you want to make and figure out how to make it.

[–] • 1 pt

I don't have any suggestions for you on guides or sites, what I know about is many years out of date/out of print.

I would suggest if you want to learn basic electronics, find guides online that talk about these topics:

What is voltage, current, and resistance, and how do they interact with one another. What are the basic components used in electronics, what do they do, and how to read them.

That's really the nuts and bolts, once you've got those items in hand you can pretty much lead yourself anywhere you need to. Start with some simple circuits, don't be afraid to blow stuff up.

[–] • 2 pts

I guess to do that, I need some parts to play with.

Where do I get those from? Do I buy one of those starter-packs with a breadboard and some cheap electronics like so that the chinks can dump their broken out-of-spec waste? Or do I salvage parts from some old devices? Or do I make a list and buy them at some local store?

[–] • 0 pt

Literally just look up "getting started with Arduino projects" there are thousands of guides, projects, books, and pages about the topic.

When you are confident you can get you self a little micro-controller and play around.

[–] • 2 pts

Buy a few big Chinese arduino kits on Amazon. If you want big brain control systems, go raspberry pi

[–] [deleted] • 0 pt

raspberry pi with the top kits is useful. if you want to move up to small PLCs, siemens makes some cheap ones.

[–] • 1 pt

Read teslas method of signalling and treat it like you would a believer would with a Bible. Mix that in with control theory books and do your best to describe things from a control systems perspective, but more descriptive using mechanical engineering terms, not only for your sanity but to help you accurately describe the problem you face when you hit a wall and need help. It will come in handy when you eventually branch into state machines where a lot of great minds unfortunately fall flat because they lack the underlying principles to be the architect of their own original systems. Programming, give it a solid 3 months before it's not a giant question mark, and another 6 months after that and you should be able to competently learn abstractly at that point and create your own unique solutions it will only take longer than if you were a senior dev. Out of all these things, at their core is teslas method of signalling, if you can understand that from every angle, and not just literally what is written but it's implied knowledge you will be set for life. After that go into programming. I've breezed past a lot of other guys with the same amount of experience programming simply because of the control systems angle is so heavily slept on

[–] • 1 pt

What do you want to make? Figure out exactly what you want to do and go from there. Look at Automation Direct they have cheap plc and good customer service, helping you make things work. They are more industrial focused but it works the same.

[–] • 1 pt (edited )

I did it this way: Start with the beginning (should be obvious). Electronics for Dummies is a good start. Visit this site https://ohmify.com/ Buy some electronic packages and perfect yourself by DOING it daily. Before you realize it, you've assembled your miracle weapon.

[–] • 1 pt

as many have suggested arduino you can go on amazon and buy project kits and sensor kits fairly cheap. i bought one that came with 50 different sensors lasers ir receivers ect. you can also buy a components kit you will get a breadboard jumper wire diodes resisters encoders capacitors all that stuff. you can go on banggood or other chinese purveyor of knockoff goods to get a soldering iron cheap. i use a ksger i picked it up for around 50$.

[–] • 1 pt

I’ve got an electrical engineering / computer science degree..

The raspberry pi worked great for me. It is a small computer. Next look up whatever sensors etc you want. READ their manual fully. It WILL tell you what you need to do to make it light up and start giving data / start taking commands.

Make sure voltages are correct. Signals are either up or down. Manuals will say if you need certain lines up or down, when and for how long. There are a few protocols like SPI, UART, i2c etc. read up on them if the chip uses it.

For some basic boards you don’t normally need any extra electronical engineering.

[–] • 1 pt

How much math and theory do I need to make something useful out of the components?

Someone has mentioned book, which I'm browsing through, and (of course) do not understand. Another book was mentioned, which pretty much started out with running some kind of physics equations containing integrals without using any kind of lube, just to show how some kind of value is being calculated, without explaining what any of this means.

Is it really like that?

[–] • 1 pt (edited )

electronics is much the same as central heating plumbing, water/electricity goes faster/slower, stops, splits, gets stored, drained out, is pumped higher, sometimes it's noisy.

you can go a long way with just knowing that V=IR, and how to use a multimeter

boolean logic is just traffic rules - wait until green, go when the other lane is going, filter in turn, stop on red

programming is just a list of chores - get out of bed, clean teeth for 2 minutes, put on red jumper, sort laundry, write shopping list, walk dog until bored, repeat. Programmers don't know anything either, they just cut n paste code from stackoverflow until it compiles without errors :D

Equally most basic electronics is just copying someone else's device application note and not making any silly wiring errors.

Youtube is great for this

That book is all I've ever used, the rest is just experience. Not counting all the text books at Uni, but very little of that was any practical use until much later

[–] • 0 pt (edited )

For most sensors, GPS chips etc normally you just hook up the individual I/O lines from ie the raspberry pi directly to the chip and that's fine.

Basic concepts of electronics are helpful to know so you simply know the basics. What is taught in "Physics 2" at a college will teach you all the basics of electrical circuits etc. The difference between parallel and series circuits etc. You could look up if there are any online free courses teaching "Physics 2".

But really you just wire the I/O lines directly to the sensors, read the chip's manual on what lines need to be up / down at what times and for how long etc. Or if they have I2C / UART / SPI then just wire up those lines to the I2C / SPI lines on the raspberry pi etc and then just use the protocol libs in c / c++.

How much math and theory do I need to make something useful out of the components?

Someone has mentioned this book

If you are just hooking up sensors, servos, GPS chips etc you don't need any of this theory. You don't even need the Physics 2 class I mentioned. The Physics 2 class should be quick and give you all the basics of electrical circuits / electricity though.

[–] • 0 pt

Okay. This was helpful, thanks. I'll look up physics 2.

[–] • 0 pt

Look up mechatronics stuff on YouTube and buy a breadboard and some wires and wiring supplies.

Also as was said arduino is a great resource.

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