Do we need a 'circuit ideas' category? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: Cerebus
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 15, 2016, 04:20:13 pm
content: Over the years my favourite parts of the electronics journals and magazines have been the 'circuit ideas' columns and sections.For those not familiar with them the typical 'circuit idea' item would typically be half to one page long and include a simple circuit or sub-circuit with a schematic, perhaps one or two other diagrams and a description of the circuit, how it worked and how to apply it. Typical subjects would be something that simplified or improved a standard circuit, a clever non-standard use of a standard part (555 timers featured heavily), cunning ways of squeezing precision out of non precision components, circuits that used particularly inexpensive components to good effect, standard but lesser know circuit constructions (e.g. the Monticelli cell) etc. etc.What prompts me to mention this is that I've come across a few useful circuit ideas recently that I've felt I ought to share around but they didn't seem to naturally fit any of the existing categories. They include:A fast settling PWM to DC filter that can settle in as little as one PWM cycle and uses few components.A bootstrapping technique for Op Amps that lets you use them well outside their voltage ratings.A simple cheap zero-crossing detector that can safely be applied directly across the mains and is highly accurate.Those might also help to give you a flavour for some of the kind of 'ideas' that would be appropriate.So, the question is: Do we need a new category for people to share 'circuit ideas'?

author: Aodhan145
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 15, 2016, 07:51:11 pm
content: That is not a bad idea. There are hundreds of blogs / websites that do this anyway though. The only advantage is people could comment on bad designs. I have seen some awful designs on some of those websites.

author: station240
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: April 16, 2016, 04:51:11 am
content: Quote from: Aodhan145 on April 15, 2016, 07:51:11 pmYes, I treat anything that doesn't show a physical PCB as suspect.The good engineers are busy working, the bad ones are posting stuff on their blog.Maybe it should be "tested circuit ideas" or proven.I do like the Indestructibles " I made this" button, would be interesting to see if the forum could have that sort of feature.

author: DTJ
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 16, 2016, 05:28:09 am
content: Quote from: station240 on April 16, 2016, 04:51:11 am^^^ OUCH !

author: Zero999
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 16, 2016, 01:34:56 pm
content: Quote from: station240 on April 16, 2016, 04:51:11 amInstructables should be called destructables because they're invariably written by the clueless and often contain errors, such as exceeding components' maximum ratings: bang!

author: Iwanushka
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 16, 2016, 07:18:03 pm
content: Would be nice if we have subforum for beginers for most common circuits so people can learn all that stuff in one place.

author: Mechanical Menace
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 17, 2016, 01:05:37 pm
content: I've two thoughts on this but not sure which one is the better.1) Certain sections get their own "Circuit Ideas" sub forum. Obvious candidates "Beginners," "Projects, Designs, and Technical Stuff," "Microcontrollers & FPGAs," "RF, Microwave, HAM Radio," and "Metrology."2) A "Circuit Ideas" section with sub forums for particular applications.EDIT:Thinking about it option 2 would probably be better. But we'd need a consistent way to rank how involved each idea is and appropriate tags to add to the subject line.

author: TinkerFan
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: April 18, 2016, 03:55:30 pm
content: I quite like this idea, but it should have just about three or four subcategories, otherwise it would get a bit too organized.The projects category is already a similar thing, it could beset up as a subcategory there ("Future Projects")

author: Seekonk
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 18, 2016, 06:37:30 pm
content: Quote from: station240 on April 16, 2016, 04:51:11 amAnytime I see a pretty schematic and board layout, I say watch out. Odds are they have no idea what they are doing. It would be a mistake to add any more validity to these designs.

author: Zero999
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 18, 2016, 06:55:19 pm
content: I think having a section for circuits is a good idea.There are many bad circuits on the Internet. Some have a nice PCB and others don't.

author: Cerebus
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 26, 2016, 02:21:25 pm
content: Shameless ping to keep the thread visible and hopefully promote more discussion.

author: zapta
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 26, 2016, 05:23:11 pm
content: Quote from: Cerebus on April 26, 2016, 02:21:25 pm+1A circuit ideas section will invite people to proactively post interesting design ideas. Currently we have mostly circuits answers in reaction to questions.