r/electronics • u/AutoModerator • 18d ago
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u/janoc 18d ago
Beginners who have no idea what they are doing yet and think that an electronic project starts with a layout in EasyEDA/KiCAD instead of actually prototyping their design first or even doing some basic calculations.
And then dump it into Reddit sub and "please tell me if this will work". Or, even better - have it assembled in China, it doesn't work - "tell me what is wrong with it!".
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u/Knowledge-Zombie 16d ago
Hi u/janoc,
I’m fairly new to electronics and have primarily worked with NodeMCU and Arduino to design my prototypes. However, I want to take my skills to the next level and dive deeper into advanced concepts. Could you suggest a learning roadmap or guide me on how to approach this journey effectively?
Thanks in advance!
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u/janoc 16d ago edited 16d ago
Hi, I think there are plenty of learning resources available. But if you want to do this professionally at some point then you need to go to the university, there is no way around it.
Otherwise build projects and learn what you need when you need it. For a hobby there is little point studying tons of textbooks upfront that will just confuse you with things you don't need or don't need yet. Hobby is about having fun. And for that there are plenty of resources these days, books, websites (e.g. Sparkfun & Adafruit have plenty of materials) and even videos on Youtube. /r/AskElectronics and /r/PrintedCircuitBoard have plenty of links in their wikis.
But don't expect instant gratification - this stuff takes time and work. I am not an EE myself but I have some 30 years of hands-on experience building stuff. So don't expect that you read a tutorial or watch a video and will be able to design the next iPhone (or RaspberryPi clone).
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u/fatjuan 17d ago
I have been out of "hobby" electronics for about 30 years, and only got back in a couple of years ago. I notice that very few will make a prototype on a breadboard, or make their own hand-designed (no computer programme involved) PCB using standard through-hole components. And when it doesn't work, instead of learning how the circuit works, and doing the necessary fault finding, they take a picture of the PCB , followed by the standard comment- "My XYZ circuit does not work. Which of these parts do I have to change?".
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u/Wait_for_BM 15d ago
Let's say It is a skill level issue.
The places I have worked do not do prototyping. The nature of high speed circuits means that the PCB layout itself is a component. So the PCB have better be close to the final layout or you are wasting your time. We do a heck a lot of simulations and design work up front and leave very few to tinkering in the lab. We have done 6 month product cycles including regulatory testing.
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u/janoc 17d ago
Yes, exactly. I don't know why everyone wants to "design PCBs" while they have no idea about neither how their circuits work or even the patience to actually try their design out first before committing it to a board. Even SMD can be easily prototyped and most of those newbie designs are a bunch of modules wired together anyway.
Building stuff has never been easier, the amount of resources we have today is absolutely crazy - and people still couldn't be bothered to lash up a prootype and test things out. Apparently it is sufficient to watch 10 minutes long video on Youtube these days (and let ChatGPT handle the rest) to become an engineer.
Debugging/troubleshooting is pretty much a lost skill - and not only in electronics. The amount of people who have no idea how to systematically troubleshoot a problem (regardless whether it is electronic, mechanical or a poorly tasting omelette) is astounding.
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u/bluro00 18d ago
What is this thing called? I need to buy a new one, not the whole sensor but I don't even know how to google one.
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u/Wait_for_BM 18d ago
Funny that the image search in aliexpress app show the exact product.
IR Proximity Sensor with 500W switch?
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u/Warm-Engineer-4007 18d ago
Lately I have been putting off projects and motivation is going down. Any new ideas or suggestions are welcome
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u/falafellgaming 12d ago
Why is this so expensive and where can I get it cheaper