EEVblog #251 - Mailbag - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: sacherjj
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 01, 2012, 05:49:18 pm
content: I liked the look of the I2C book. Looks like you can get a copy from a seller linked to from Amazon for under $40. Elector is wanting nearly $50 each for the PCBs.I guess if you are doing all the projects, it isn't too bad. But this is $140 before parts. At least shipping for the boards is only $5. If it were $50 for both boards, I'd buy them today.Am I off base? Is that a reasonable cost for boards that size? (I'm guessing they are taking the little they make on the book and making it on the boards.)

author: fitter108
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: March 01, 2012, 06:42:45 pm
content: I personally think the price is very fair for the knowledge you will gain. Just a quick look my opinion is there are about 12 or more projects to build and learn with. I am going to get it .

author: sacherjj
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 01, 2012, 06:59:28 pm
content: I bought the book off of an Amazon reseller. I'm holding off on the boards until I see the BOM and price for everything.

author: Rutger
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: March 01, 2012, 09:31:38 pm
content: I have also just ordered the book, but I thought the PCB were included, for $ 40.00 they should be in my opinion. Or make the package deal a bit higher, but $ 100 for the PCB is too much.Rutger

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: March 01, 2012, 10:11:02 pm
content: Quote from: sacherjj on March 01, 2012, 05:49:18 pmI thought the blank PCB's were a tad pricey.Such boards would only cost maybe $5ea tops from China.Dave.

author: McMonster
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 02, 2012, 12:46:45 am
content: I've seen books about ARMs that come with assembled development boards and standalone JTAGs formuchlower price (but they're all in Polish with no translations if you're interested). They really need to rethink their marketing, the costs are probably being switched to PCBs for what they think is more profitable.

author: ttp
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: March 02, 2012, 03:01:50 am
content: Quote from: EEVblog on March 01, 2012, 10:11:02 pmLooking at Elektor kits and PCBs its all overpriced in my opinion, haven't bought from them so can't say if quality justifies their prices. Maybe they use EU manufacturers. I remember they have bought Circuit Cellar a couple of years ago, first thing they've done is double the subscription price.Tom

author: merser
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: March 02, 2012, 06:42:21 am
content: I also like the look of this book but no way am I willing to part with 100 bucks for bare boards. Does anyone know if there is enough circuit information to build them on a breadboard or perfboards? Cause I think the book looks worth 40 bucks.

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: March 02, 2012, 07:04:06 am
content: Quote from: merser on March 02, 2012, 06:42:21 amLooks like it does.Each board seems to have it's own section, with full schematic.Dave.

author: merser
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: March 02, 2012, 10:33:34 am
content: Thanks Dave.

author: free_electron
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 03, 2012, 06:48:17 am
content: Quote from: merser on March 02, 2012, 06:42:21 amFull schematics are given for all projects. There are no secrets. Also the sourcecode for the PIC processor is available.Each book has a unique code in the backflap that allows you access to the download site.Additional information such as PDF versions of the BOM can be downloaded there as well.Building on perfboard is going to be a challenge. Apart from the 24Cxxx EEprom, PCF8563 RTC and the simple A/D D/A like the PCF8591 and the basic I/O with a PCF8574 none of the parts exist in thru-hole version.The Potmeters, A/D D/A , Tempsensors , Bus multiplexers and advanced i/o cells in the PCA family are SMD only.Some people may claim it is sad but we have to face the reality that thru-hole is going the way of the vacuum tube and dinosaur... 99% of new IC's released in the last 10 years is SMD only. Time to work on those soldering skills.

author: merser
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: March 04, 2012, 04:00:32 am
content: Well I've ordered a copy. Just wish I had looked better first. My copy through Amazon cost 46 dollars Aus. And I could be looking at a 1 or 2 month wait.But I since found this on ebay.http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Mastering-I2C-Bus-Vincent-Himpe-BRAND-NEW-/300673473934?pt=AU_Non_Fiction_Books_2&hash=item4601891d8eProbably best price available at 36 dollars.

author: Neilm
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 04, 2012, 05:24:13 pm
content: One advantage of Fahrenheit over the original scale devised by Anders Celsius is that the smaller the number, the colder the temperature. The original Celsius scale had 0 as the boiling point and 100 as the freezing pointNeil

author: robrenz
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 04, 2012, 05:28:55 pm
content: Quote from: Neilm on March 04, 2012, 05:24:13 pmWhat did i mis?

author: Neilm
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 04, 2012, 07:03:06 pm
content: Quote from: robrenz on March 04, 2012, 05:28:55 pmDaves comment at 5:38 - "Useless scale - what do you need that for" Answer - shows the correct way up for the temperature scale. (plus it allows me show off some otherwise useless knowledge.)Neil

author: SeanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 04, 2012, 07:38:17 pm
content: Add to that half the specs for airconditioning are in Fahrenheit, and all the pressures are in a mix of imperial and metric units. You also get weights, like a ton of airconditioning, which funny enough, has a mass of 50kg or so.

author: gxti
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 04, 2012, 10:01:11 pm
content: Quote from: Neilm on March 04, 2012, 05:24:13 pmThe inverted scale hasn't been seen since the 1700s. I think we can safely consider it dead.

author: m12lrpv
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: March 05, 2012, 04:12:29 am
content: I'm hoping to see the nixie kit put together and the circuit being given a going over. From what I understand they take a bit of voltage to get them going so from a beginners perspective that would be an interesting circuit to see.

author: dcel
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: March 06, 2012, 11:18:23 pm
content: Regarding a "Mailbag" segment, I think its a great idea, I liked it. It gives you a chance to show off the stuff you get in the mail sent to you from others. And it gives you additional content that maybe you haven't though of, which may or may not be of interest to you or others. It introduces a bit of mystery and variety.I trust you to keep it informative & educational and sort out the BS.Chris

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: March 07, 2012, 01:59:57 am
content: Quote from: dcel on March 06, 2012, 11:18:23 pmThat's the idea.I've gotten stuff before that's not really appropriate (or interesting enough to a general audience) for it's own "review", or I'm simply not interested in it personally enough to review, but when you bundle them together in an mailbag video it makes it all a lot more palatable and fun for all I think. And it also gives the midnight engineer a chance to show off their product on the blog if they want some exposure.Although, nothing might turn up, so it could fizzle outDave.

author: SeanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 07, 2012, 08:16:55 pm
content: So what do you want? Was nice seeing the mailbag, could be a good 2 minute video every so often, or a 20 minute omnibus.

author: madworm
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 14, 2012, 03:48:42 am
content: Quote from: EEVblog on March 07, 2012, 01:59:57 amSomething will turn up, don't worry. Only I don't know if it will be considered as worthy ;-)Maybe it will serve as an "how not to do it" example...Unless it gets eaten by our friends in the customs office.