Introducing myself - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: sunspots
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: August 23, 2017, 05:31:13 pm
content: Hello,I was really into electronics many years ago back in college, building "arduinos" well before they existed. Honestly their popularity dumbfounds me, it's just an ATMEGA on an overpriced prefabbed PCB? To each their own I suppose. I ended up getting my BS in comp sci, got a job, a house, a fiance, and now I want back in.Still have my old 100mhz tektronix oscope buried down in the basement. I have my Hakko 936 from back in the day, my Hakko 472B which I just recently got, and my new personal favorite: my Hakko 852, all of them are genuine. I prefer old style Hakko for a couple of reasons, they look waaaay better than the fisher price yellow/blue style they've adopted and I can get them used for far cheaper.Anyhoo, I'm looking to buy a bunch of parts for my new toys, including about 30 solder tips for both my 807 and my 907. I've got my shopping cart on tequipment.net full of stuff and I went looking for a coupon code. I found a post here that claimed to have one so I signed up. I realized after I signed up that the post requirement was to start making posts in the community so that's what I'm here to do. Hopefully I can be of some help to someone.I'm looking to start on some small home automation projects at first, and then who knows what.Anyways, thanks for listening.-sunspots

author: kalel
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 23, 2017, 05:34:00 pm
content: Welcome

author: bjcuizon
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 23, 2017, 08:03:02 pm
content: Quote from: sunspots on August 23, 2017, 05:31:13 pmI believe the price is not all for the arduino board but also for the developers so that they can research and make another good product.Anyway, welcome to the forum!

author: Dubbie
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: August 23, 2017, 08:24:06 pm
content: Why the heck are you buying 30 soldering iron tips?

author: skarecrow
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: August 23, 2017, 10:13:36 pm
content: Welcome! There's a post requirement??Sent from my XT1565 using Tapatalk

author: ZeTeX
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 24, 2017, 12:03:08 am
content: Welcome Back.30 soldering tips? what the hell? you only need about 4-5 top.

author: bjcuizon
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 24, 2017, 12:30:13 am
content: Quote from: ZeTeX on August 24, 2017, 12:03:08 amMaybe he meant 30(three) and accidentaly typed 0.

author: Brumby
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: August 24, 2017, 04:32:27 am
content: Quote from: skarecrow on August 23, 2017, 10:13:36 pmIt's more like an expectation tocontributeto the forum.People who sign up just to get a coupon code and then disappear (until their next purchase) are not welcome. Nobody likes being 'used'.However, someone who is happy to offer something of value to the forum is the kind of person we like to help out. The OP has shown their awareness of this and seems to be making an effort.Welcomesunspots.

author: TerraHertz
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 24, 2017, 07:16:21 am
content: What coupon codes? You mean there's some way to benefit from spending too much time in here? Oh wait, sounds like I'd need to actually have some money to spend first...Welcome Sunspots. You chose a name that is becoming in short supply. You'll be very popular as the mini ice age really starts to bite.Now we need more to register as Solarwind, CosmicRay, and Nucleation. You ever thought of forming a quartet?

author: Brumby
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: August 24, 2017, 07:49:28 am
content: Quote from: TerraHertz on August 24, 2017, 07:16:21 amI know that song.Get a few more of us together and we can do our own quartet.

author: kalel
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 24, 2017, 09:51:46 pm
content: Quote from: Brumby on August 24, 2017, 07:49:28 amI guess that only the professionals have a financial way to return their investment when it comes to electronics.No offense intended if one of you is a professional. Or if you both are.

author: sunspots
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: August 24, 2017, 11:07:09 pm
content: Quote from: bjcuizon on August 23, 2017, 08:03:02 pmThanks for the welcome!That was my point, it's something anyone dabbling in EE could build for a quarter the price. Feels like a cash grab as opposed to a great product. Maybe I'm just jealous I didn't think of it first, I never would have guessed anyone that enjoys working with electronics would need something like that.

author: Dubbie
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: August 24, 2017, 11:12:33 pm
content: Quote from: sunspots on August 24, 2017, 11:07:09 pmAre you kidding? Arduino for all it's faults is almost singlehandedly responsible for an absolute explosion in hobbyists being able to work with microcontrollers. Before Arduino you had to be a pretty dedicated hobbyist to work with a pic or something similar. With Arduino, anyone with almost zero electronics knowledge could bodge something together in an hour or two and it would work. And that is a good thing. It's a great gateway drug!R

author: sunspots
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: August 24, 2017, 11:15:42 pm
content: Quote from: bjcuizon on August 24, 2017, 12:30:13 amNo I meant 30. I wanted every chisel, some special guys, some smd guys, some hoofs, etc. I just wanted an arsenal. Perhaps it's over the top.This is the list of what I was considering:Hakko 900M-T-3CMHakko T18-D08Hakko T18-D12Hakko T18-D16Hakko T18-D24Hakko T18-D32Hakko T18-DL12Hakko T18-DL2Hakko T18-DL32Hakko T18-BHakko T18-BR02Hakko T18-BLHakko T18-IHakko T18-CF1Hakko T18-CF15Hakko T18-CF2Hakko T18-CF3Hakko T18-KHakko T18-S3Hakko T18-S4Hakko T18-C05Hakko T18-C08Hakko T18-C1Hakko T18-C2Hakko T18-C3I'm not usually one to splurge on crap I don't need, I'm typically very conservative. But I'm getting back into my favorite hobby and actually have money for once in my life, last time around I was a broke college kidI need to reel in the excitement and think about what I'll actually need.

author: sunspots
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: August 24, 2017, 11:17:53 pm
content: Quote from: Brumby on August 24, 2017, 04:32:27 amYes and I plan on sticking around. So far from what I've seen I like this forum. Everyone seems knowledgeable and friendly. I used to frequent thewww.avrfreaks.netforum.Thanks for the welcome!

author: sunspots
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: August 24, 2017, 11:24:21 pm
content: Quote from: Dubbie on August 24, 2017, 11:12:33 pmNo I'm not kidding? I'm not sure what you're talking about?Before Arduino there were Atmel MCUs (obviously still are as that's really what an arduino is). You would just order one from mouser.com or any other electronics catalog for <$2 or if you want the big dogs then $5 to get a MEGA and toss it on your circuit. Write some C, compile it with the right compiler flags and flash it. There was an entire forum dedicated to it, probably still is, was something like avr forum. You absolutely did not need an overpriced arduino. I did this stuff in my spare time while in college, I was a computer science major, not an EE major, you did not need to be dedicated or overly knowledgeable on the subject. I built a programmer from an old parallel cable. It's insanely simple and far cheaper. You definitely did not need to work with PICs.If anything I would say the C based MCU is responsible for an explosion. The company Atmel. Arduino just cashed in on it by letting people skip a step.But to each their own, I'm happy it got people interested either way.Update: the forum ishttp://www.avrfreaks.net/forum

author: ThunderCat
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: August 25, 2017, 03:02:59 am
content: Hi sunspots, welcome. I'm new here too! I've spent a fair amount of time in the GroupDIY forum and I like to build audio stuff. I'm working on an 1176 compressor right now.To your point - I have to agree the arduinos are absolutely worth every penny to those who don't have the expertise you have. We all have blind spots (sunspots?) to our own greatness, and I think you don't realize how gifted you are.I was thrilled a few months ago to make some rudimentary LCD screen projects with an arduino. Plus you can buy smaller boards for just a few bucks - less than the price of a latte.I'm looking forward to diving into the forum and learning from you guys; I've been a fan of Dave's for a long time via his YouTubes.PS I just got myself a used Metcal MX500 PSU and a new hand piece and I'm loving it!Mike