Nuts and Volts and other Magazines - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: watchmaker
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: March 09, 2025, 11:59:38 am
content: I have sources for the older magazines and also downloaded the Elektor archive at Internet Arcive.Is it worth subscribing to Nuts and Volts? Any other suggestions?Thanks.

author: SteveThackery
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 09, 2025, 12:25:44 pm
content: Practical Electronics is a favourite of mine. It has loads of tutorial content regarding many areas of electronics, as well as a great selection of projects.

author: watchmaker
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: March 09, 2025, 01:59:39 pm
content: Quote from: SteveThackery on March 09, 2025, 12:25:44 pmLooks interesting. I like the PCB purchase option. I will subscribe. Thanks.

author: BILLPOD
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 09, 2025, 07:42:24 pm
content: Good Morning Watchmaker, I have subscribed to Nuts & Volts Magazine since it was printed on newsprint. My current subscription hasn't expired, but I don't get printed copies any more. They quit sending them to me and now all I get is a biweekly E-mail 'flier', with a couple of articles that would usually be found in the paper magazine, along with some advertising.I'm going to look into the Practical Electronics, but it appears to only be available in the UK

author: watchmaker
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: March 09, 2025, 09:29:53 pm
content: Quote from: BILLPOD on March 09, 2025, 07:42:24 pmI just subscribed and you get a PDF of the magazine. Back Issues are extra charge; but it is a magazine that suits my interest. I recommend looking at it.

author: floobydust
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 09, 2025, 11:23:59 pm
content: Electronics magazines are dying out - but of their own making. I'm speaking out a love for them, and no the world did not change as much as they are poorly managed lately.In Canada, middleman Disticor has an outrageous markup (pic), who would buy that in-store? 6 weeks late in the newstand as well.Most stores I can find 10 magazines with Taylor Swift on the cover, Rifles Huntin' Fishin' mag etc. but zero electronics magazinesNuts and Volts rarely on the shelf here, Circuit Cellar is oddly enough.Practical Electronics taken over? and "produced" by Silicon Chip magazine (Electron Publishing Aust.), Nicholas Vinen mentioned it in the Oct. 2024 editorial.So now you have Silicon Chip and Practical Electronics with different pricing, different download/archive policies/payment yet many common projects. It's a MESS.I think they SC/PE need to consolidate, offer more than a PCB, and I have a bunch of other ideas... but extinction seems imminent.Past few months PE is suckin' and I didn't find anything interesting, change of columnists etc. Unfortunate they are in change but not doing it well IMHO.

author: coromonadalix
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 10, 2025, 01:39:31 am
content: yes slowly getting harder and harderand here in Quebec we lost electronics part suppliers in 10 15 years, nice to read, almost impractical to build some or many projects

author: themadhippy
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 10, 2025, 02:00:08 am
content: QuoteNot that much when you take into account postage.

author: floobydust
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 10, 2025, 04:00:26 am
content: I compared paper subscription pricing and there's no mention of shipping costs with PE and Silicon Chip, Elektor. I guess it appears only at checkout as a surprise hit, after the currency exchange rate and conversion cost.It's quite expensive.PE Printed EditionInternationalsubscription:12 mo. (issues) is £84.99 CAD $157.73, USD $109.82 or each £7.08, CAD $13.14, USD $9.14, AUD $14.496 mo. (issues) is £46.99 CAD $87.20, USD $60.72 or each £7.83, CAD $14.53, USD $10.12, AUD $16.02PE (PDF) subscription:12 mo. (issues) is £27.99 CAD $51.93, USD $36.17, AUD $57.28 or each £2.33, CAD $4.32, USD $3.01, AUD $4.776 mo. (issues) is £14.49 CAD $26.89, USD $18.72, AUD $29.65 or each £2.42, CAD $4.49, USD $3.13, AUD $4.95-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Silicon Chip Printed EditionInternationalsubscription:12 mo. (issues) is £95.26 CAD $176.72, USD $123.02, AUD $195 or each £7.93, CAD $14.73, USD $10.25, AUD $16.256 mo. (issues) is £48.85 CAD $90.64, USD $63.08, AUD $100 or each £8.14, CAD $15.11, USD $10.52, AUD $16.66Silicon Chip"Online" (PDF)subscription:12 mo. (issues) is £48.85 CAD $90.64, USD $63.08, AUD $100 or each £8.14, CAD $15.11, USD $10.52, AUD $16.666 mo. (issues) is £25.64 CAD $47.57, USD $33.11, AUD $52.50 or each £4.27, CAD $7.93, USD $5.52, AUD $8.75--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Nuts & Volts onlinesubscriptionis $USD 20 for 1 year. Printed is bi-monthly for $30. Add $5/yr Canada or Other foreign is $15/yr.Nuts & Volts paper subscription is 1/3 the price looks like.

author: themadhippy
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 10, 2025, 12:50:45 pm
content: QuoteIt must be included or PE is charging you an extra £13 for the privilege of subscribing.My comment above was based on someone buying the mag in the uk and posting it to canada which comes in at around £9,or going by google exchange rate just over $16 cad

author: SteveThackery
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 11, 2025, 12:01:10 am
content: Quote from: floobydust on March 09, 2025, 11:23:59 pmI agree with the facts, but totally disagree with your conclusions. It is true that there is a significant overlap between PE and Silicon Chip, but who cares? Subscribe to either magazine (but obviously not both) and you will get a really good electronics magazine. (To be fair I subscribe to PE so I can only speak with authority about that one, but SC has a very good reputation). That's what matters: PE is a good magazine for learners, hobbyist, and even professionals who want to learn about a particular discipline within the larger field. For example PE has been running an excellent tutorial series about DSP, working up from basic principles and covering the maths as well as practical implementations. Another series is aimed at beginners learning to use Arduino.I don't think extinction is imminent, although I wouldn't be surprised if they completed the merger and just published one magazine covering both markets. That's fine by me, so long as the content I appreciate continues.Quote from: floobydust on March 09, 2025, 11:23:59 pmWell, that's your opinion, but it certainly isn't mine. I think PE has benefited a lot from having access to the content from Silicon Chip.

author: floobydust
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 14, 2025, 05:10:22 am
content: PE Dec. editorial mentioned a lull, some lost UK writers and columns needing update, Audio Out, Teach-In, Arduino Bootcamp etc. so I was saying ick. We had a postal stike so nothing came in for months.March looks up to speed thoughI think there's still improvements possible in the magazines. Mr. Vinen should get a survey going, with a contest/giveaway maybe for motivation.

author: johnboxall
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: March 14, 2025, 06:37:32 am
content: Quote from: floobydust on March 14, 2025, 05:10:22 amDon't tell us, tell him. Let us know how you get on.