Related
So I had a Sprint Mogul before I got my G1 and I'd get a little EM interference here and there, especially if the phone is somewhere on my desk. With the G1, it's almost constant (granted, I didn't have push email on the Mogul) and much louder and it also happens within a wider proximity (pretty much when my G1 is anywhere in my room as opposed to simply on my desk). I did some research and found this video so I went to Radio Shack and bought the snap choke cores, put them on my speakers and it didn't do a damn thing. Not even a little bit better.
Does anyone have any kind of fix for this? I pretty much have to turn my speakers off most of the time because it's just unbearable to listen to for long periods of time and what fun is a computer with no sound?
I've never really cared about it much as it doesn't affect my speakers as much as it seems to affect yours. But I've heard of people with Iphones setting the phone on a piece of tin foil to reduce the radiated noise from the phone. It worked well for my dad.
As sensitive as you're seems to be you might be better of with a new set of $10 computer speakers (keep those Ferrite Cores they should help if the speakers are shielded). But then again tin foil wouldn't cost ya $10
I'll try the tin foil thing when I get home. I would be a little bummed if I have to replace the speakers since I just spent $50 on this set and I like the way they sound. Problem is, how would I know that any speakers I buy would work any better than these with regard to the interference?
I saw a video on YouTube about a company that made a fix for the iPhone (although now knowing tin foil works, I don't know why you'd buy this product). It was basically something that looked like a laminated card and when the phone was placed on it, it eliminated the interference. Anyone heard of anything like that made for the Dream? He said it was phone specific, of course, he probably just wanted to sell more.
I am thinking about do-it-yourself (DIY) speaker replacements for the TF101.
I pulled mine out and found the plug connector is part similar to JST 04SUR-32S. It is 0.8mm pitch so the wires have to be thin.
I have found a couple different speakers that fit. The square dimensions must be under 25mm x 11mm (12 might work), and thickness is unsure but must be under 7mm. I also will evaluate round at 11mm diameter.
Examples:
http://www.veco.com.tw/
square speakers
The part number on speakers in the tablet is "tek 1505". I think the 05 stands for 5 ohms, just a guess.
Thoughts or suggestions?
Let us know how it goes.. I have one speaker not working, I might want to try that too.
Thanks
Awesome. I am really looking forward to this. If you find some speakers that perform really good, let us know the specifications. I really would like some better speakers.
really looking forward to this, really would like some bass enhanced speakers...
Old news: Got my speakers pulled, need to test originals on an oscillator.
New news:
Got replacement speakers, but they are a little to big. Will see if they fit next time I open my tablet.
Got replacement plugs for wiring harness, 04SUR-32S. I think it is a match, and will test fit next time I open my tablet.
This morning I made a replacement wiring harness with some top quality AWG 30 wire and a replacement plug (04SUR-32S). The quality of my wire seems better than original, so I might replace the original wiring harness if the original speakers test okay.
I got my plugs from these guys: http://ecommerce.tlcelectronics.com/jst/04SUR-32S
So, I have a few extras (min order 100) - selling some. Recommend a few (5?) because it takes practice to crimp in the wires. Also, I might make a few replacement wiring harnesses - and sell some wiring harnesses instead.
At this point, I am not 100% sure they will fit in the circuit board but they *look* like a match to the original. PM me for info.
Any news on this?
I'm very interested in this too.
I found a supplier of speakers that are the same size as ASUS. So, I asked for a quote & samples over a week ago and I have not heard back. Waiting.
I also have a few varieties both larger & smaller than the standard speakers. In about one week I will be doing more hardware hacking.
Other people's thoughts and work interest me too. Ideas?
Bob Smith42 said:
I found a supplier of speakers that are the same size as ASUS. So, I asked for a quote & samples over a week ago and I have not heard back. Waiting.
I also have a few varieties both larger & smaller than the standard speakers. In about one week I will be doing more hardware hacking.
Other people's thoughts and work interest me too. Ideas?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I replaced the speakers on my A101 a few months ago. I usually use Digikey for components, but Mouser had a surprising amount of speakers. Have you looked for stock there yet? In my testing, all speakers around this size have a sharp linear falloff under 100Hz, so I focused on getting the highest SPL efficiency, I think I ended up around 96dB/V.
P.S. Why are you bothering with new plugs for the speakers? I usually just desolder the old ones and use their harnesses. Not an attack, just wondering.
How difficult is it to disassemble and reassemble this tablet? I asked the guys over at ifixit if they were going to do a teardown of Transformer but they said they have no plans at this point. Does the battery look DIY if it is ever needed?
just wondering how this is going? i need to replace a speaker due to blowing out 1 of them and not being able to send off under warranty.
frankly dont know enough about this sort of thing to complete on my own but can test and contribute to get this done.
I did find a site with possible replacement speakers, but lost the link so trying to find it again.
anyway ill post when I find it, hope this is still being worked on!
Wondering why you don't look at an enclosure/driver that works....IE the iPad...not the 2.
What did they do that ASus obviously didn't??
The transformer is a consumption device, and by god, as such it had better deliver sight , sound and recording of same with steller results...zsent mine back and returned to my Ipad2 for that very reason.
... hoping the crappy audio I/o will be solved with the next iteration...
I really wanted the Xformer to be a winner
Chas
divvet said:
just wondering how this is going? i need to replace a speaker due to blowing out 1 of them and not being able to send off under warranty.
frankly dont know enough about this sort of thing to complete on my own but can test and contribute to get this done.
I did find a site with possible replacement speakers, but lost the link so trying to find it again.
anyway ill post when I find it, hope this is still being worked on!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Update: I never got reply from speaker supplier. Could use more suggestions on suppliers. So, I will have to go with what I have found already - 2 sizes slightly off.
Great suggestion hesynergy. I will check out the iPad 2 speakers.
I am still planning to do mod in near future. If someone else wants to attempt you can PM me and I will make you a speaker wiring harness. You can remove the originals and try a second set without damaging originals.
Other distractions at the moment. I got two 4000mAh 7.4v batteries (8000mAh total) that might (should) fit in the dock. I need to disassemble the dock or tablet to measure the power connector so I might do speakers at the same time.
I will post everything when going on ....
found that link..
http://www.speaker-tw.com/manufacturer/speaker/rectanguler%20speaker.htm
admittedly, i haven't measured the speakers yet so dont know if these are anywhere near the size needed.
and also just realised this isnt a uk supplier, but none the less may come in handy.
just emailed asus asking for help. hopefully get a good response
I've been following this thread. I love hardware hacks. Too bad there isn't more of it spread among popular devices. I have to admit, I was hoping to hear a success story like, "I've done it! I integrated the port design from my Bose Wave radio and my Transformer has some b-b-b-bass!"
Till then, i'll keep lurking the progress here.
Hi Guys
I want to replace my speakers as well. The left speaker does not work
I sent my transformer for RMA and they sent it back and again the speaker does not work. On the paper I received they mentioned that they changed a sponge.
I can not be bother to send my transformer back to asus.
Have you found a speaker replacement and the hardness?
well asus responded with very little help. they gave me a list of possible sites to find the part, but none of them had it
My left speaker also doesn't work, but when i squeeze left side it works. So I wonder how difficult is to open device and did anybody succeed in repairing original speaker. I guess resoldering some connection is all it takes.
I am also hoping somebody will find better speakers, but just having both spakers working would be a great improvement for me.
Hi Divvet
Can you share these web sites that you got from Asus?
I think these speakers are really bad quality. I hope Asus to understand that
and to start replacing them with a better quality.
If someone find a good quality speaker and to actually fit I would be interested in
Lets see the results
vlasac said:
My left speaker also doesn't work, but when i squeeze left side it works. So I wonder how difficult is to open device and did anybody succeed in repairing original speaker. I guess resoldering some connection is all it takes.
I am also hoping somebody will find better speakers, but just having both spakers working would be a great improvement for me.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Mine did the same but eventually it stopped, i took my tab apart and it didnt seem to be the connection itself, i think it was the actual speaker, unfortunately i dont know enough about repairing speakers.
And here you go prince...
www.asusparts.eu
www.notebookrepair.co.uk
www.psaparts.co.uk
www.expansys.com
www.computerbasement.co.uk
http://www.superbattery.co.uk/Asus-laptop-battery/
http://estore.asus.com/shop/category.asp?catid=363
www.replacedirect.com
www.laptopparts.co.uk/ShopByBrand.aspx?BrandDetail=Asus
www.jpcparts.com/m/100/ASUS.html
I've just bought a Iconia A500. Very happy so far But next week I'm heading back to university and were planning on using it to take notes. On my phone and laptop I've got the Evernote app which works great and syncs across the platforms. It has a feature for recording sound whilst taking notes.
I tried using it on the Iconia, but the internal mic was, to be honest, crap. Cause the lecturer is at least a few meters away and I could hardly hear a thing.
Q: Do you know if it's possible to use a either a USB mic, Bluetooth mic or a standard 3,5mm jack?
I tried first plugging in a standard MIC 3,5mm jack, nothing. Then I tried the combo headset/mic I've got for my HTC Desire; it worked, but the audio was still pretty crap when faced with the problem of a speaker a short distance away. I also tried connecting my H4N zoom recorder (USB), but nothing.
Any ideas or experiences on this???
Thanks for your time
The problem is not the mic, but the 3.1 Android OS, I have connected an external mic and recorder sound is crap. As far as I see our only hope is to wait for 3.2 to fix the issue, and if not contact Acer and ask for a fix. Again is not hardware related issue but software one.
As for external mic to work, you need one that uses the fourth ring (the first one if I not mistake), that is the ones like iPhone and similar headsets with mic integrated, standard mic doesn't work even they are 3.5 mm jacks because the wiring is different.
[]===> (Jack)
. |
mic wiring (1st one of four)
If you have an older batch of the Acer A500, then you are out of luck... or ALMOST
The newer batch of the A500 (same SKU, same Part Number, same Model Number...) has a major design change/correction that resolves the microphone issue. I saw one a few days ago. On an older batch, the microphone is located on the left AND under the glass, MUFFLED, that is. On the newer batch, the microphone is located in the center, where the glass meets the aluminum AND there is a visible rectangular (small, but visible) opening for the microphone TO BREATHE!!! HAHAHA. Acer finally corrected the DESIGN FLAW. BUT Acer will claim that there is nothing wrong with your flawed designed A500!!! GO FIGURE. Suggestion? Try to force Acer to replace your STILL IN WARRANTY unit for you AND do everybody else a favor, as I have done, and contact the Better Business Bureau, your State Attorney General, the Federal Trade Commission, your Senators and everybody that you know who has an older batch of the A500. Acer's support is crap. Their customer service is crap and dumb. Their US operation is crap. They will remain crap until they replace the piece of crap THAT IS UNDER WARRANTY, a warranty that states the following actions to be taken in case of poor performance or design...
1. repair (unit is unrepairable)
2. replace
3. refund the amount you paid for this piece of crap
People, act. Don't just sit and complain.
rokimbo said:
The newer batch of the A500 (same SKU, same Part Number, same Model Number...) has a major design change/correction that resolves the microphone issue. I saw one a few days ago. On an older batch, the microphone is located on the left AND under the glass, MUFFLED, that is. On the newer batch, the microphone is located in the center, where the glass meets the aluminum AND there is a visible rectangular (small, but visible) opening for the microphone TO BREATHE!!! HAHAHA. Acer finally corrected the DESIGN FLAW. BUT Acer will claim that there is nothing wrong with your flawed designed A500!!! GO FIGURE. Suggestion? Try to force Acer to replace your STILL IN WARRANTY unit for you AND do everybody else a favor, as I have done, and contact the Better Business Bureau, your State Attorney General, the Federal Trade Commission, your Senators and everybody that you know who has an older batch of the A500. Acer's support is crap. Their customer service is crap and dumb. Their US operation is crap. They will remain crap until they replace the piece of crap THAT IS UNDER WARRANTY, a warranty that states the following actions to be taken in case of poor performance or design...
1. repair (unit is unrepairable)
2. replace
3. refund the amount you paid for this piece of crap
People, act. Don't just sit and complain.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You sir, are a tool .. And completely wrong to boot. Verify facts, then rant - not the other way around.
I'm looking at my A500 right now, I can clearly see the microphone port at the top center (as you say is the "new" design - only bought mine a few weeks ago, but no idea when it was manufactured) and guess what - Microphone quality is rubbish. I'd love for you to be right (because then I would have a working mic!) but, you're not. Now get down off your soapbox.
To the OP,
I don't know what to tell you except to sit the tablet upward facing your instructor or whatever speaker is loudest in the room. Though I'm sure you're probably using it to type notes as well or whatnot? I would recommend a bluetooth mic but I don't think there is such a thing. The only one's I've seen are for camcorders and I'm guessing they are made specifically for them somehow. I feel your pain
Unfortunately, this may not be the best tablet to do what you want to do with it. If you just bought it, maybe you can return it and try something else? The Transformer is roughly the same price and I haven't heard of people complaining about the mic on that. The Galaxy Tab 10.1 may also be a better choice in terms of mics, but it is more expensive. The Galaxy Tab Plus is coming out and should be $400, in case you don't need a 10" screen. If you want or need the USB port, there's the Toshiba Thrive.
Good Luck.
rokimbo said:
The newer batch of the A500 (same SKU, same Part Number, same Model Number...) has a major design change/correction that resolves the microphone issue. I saw one a few days ago. On an older batch, the microphone is located on the left AND under the glass, MUFFLED, that is. On the newer batch, the microphone is located in the center, where the glass meets the aluminum AND there is a visible rectangular (small, but visible) opening for the microphone TO BREATHE!!! HAHAHA. Acer finally corrected the DESIGN FLAW. BUT Acer will claim that there is nothing wrong with your flawed designed A500!!! GO FIGURE. Suggestion? Try to force Acer to replace your STILL IN WARRANTY unit for you AND do everybody else a favor, as I have done, and contact the Better Business Bureau, your State Attorney General, the Federal Trade Commission, your Senators and everybody that you know who has an older batch of the A500. Acer's support is crap. Their customer service is crap and dumb. Their US operation is crap. They will remain crap until they replace the piece of crap THAT IS UNDER WARRANTY, a warranty that states the following actions to be taken in case of poor performance or design...
1. repair (unit is unrepairable)
2. replace
3. refund the amount you paid for this piece of crap
People, act. Don't just sit and complain.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Where did you get this information? I got my A500 the day it was released in the U.S (thus, the old batch) and my mic is in the center. I have never seen an A500 mic under the glass on the left, that's more than likely the light sensor you're talking about.
Furthermore, afaik the mics on all of them are the same. I think the problem some people have is that they think of them like phone mics (multidirectional) and they seem to be (whether by design or not), unidirectional for the most part, capturing sound from directly in front; adding insult to injury, they are noise cancelling so it actively filters background 'noise' which in some cases, consist of the person's voice. In essence, I've found it great if I act like I'm using the tablet to make a video call and speak loud and clearly, but otherwise it's sub par for use as a recording device. I use it for Voice actions and it works exceptionally well, better than my phone - ironically.
I'm no sound engineer, but I bet that if Acer allowed 1 of the mics to turn off or allowed echoing (through a setting in the OS) or put in a mic boost setting, the perceived quality would go up exponentially. This is a case of technology working against itself.
very nice and informative thread
very nice and informative thread. Thanks to you who have contributed. Exciting the understanding that it is not a hardware problem but a software problem. My mic is also bad even when I use an external headset. Good to understand that even if you put an external headset remains the built-in mic active.
mikkel
Possiblу is replacement of procesor QUALCOMM QSD8250 on HTC HD2 with dual core 1.5GHz procesor similar with mainboard and other components?I mean CPU of another smartphone.Thanks in adviance
I don't even know if its possible, but there would be so many problems caused by doing that that it really wouldn't be worth it.
Sent from my NexusHD2 using xda app-developers app
It's probably not possible.
Too long a response: what I've seen inside the Leo.
I have the remains of 3 disassembled HTC HD2 units in the fight lab (aka storage).
I will warn that these units are never able to be put back together exactly perfect as they were initially. This is because they are assembled like thin layers of stickers stuck on top of each other you need to peel apart. There are layers of copper shielding, plastic, thin metal, etc. all sandwiched together with adhesive. I've taken apart damn near everything I can, (a personality trait and/or symptom of a disorder, a gift and a curse) and I can say that disassembling an iPhone is cake compared to peeling apart HD2s which are a curse.
So, upon peeling it apart, I encountered different CPU cooling techniques on the different units: yellow thermal compound on one, a thick red/orange thermal pad on the second, and a plastic piece stuck with a mystery compound (possibly even glue) on the 3rd. A faster chip will likely be even hotter.
Look into "reballing" when it comes to soldered cpu replacement. The complexities of the physical replacement are significant but the routing of correct functionality from the alien processor are what makes it a much more difficult project, but nothing is impossible.
One would have to have manufacturer schematics of the board, insider details of chips/other components if functionality is to be had even IF the physical removal and replacement of the processor was achieved. The physical install of a faster clocked chip I think we will see done successfully by someone, but the function of the hardware may be forever impossible unless what I believe is closed/unreleased code/info becomes public. If any device were to have it's complete wealth of detailed info released from company insiders/Dark Force Teams/Chinese anons/crafty work, et al, I'd bet it very well would be the Leo. (We can dream).
To be clear, I'm no chip alchemist at all, I'm just sharing what I've seen and been told by some professionals who know at least a little on what I generalize as computer hardware engineering. Having extensively researched (aka wasted too much of my life on) and even managed to discuss with some HP technicians about a tablet CPU upgrade of a soldered Dothan board, I learned that even if the CPU is successfully replaced (& it doesn't explode) it's more than likely the timings of the board may wind up very effed up. Being uncharted territory, there is no way to find out but to try. I appreciate it if I helped or something interesting came from my ramblings, I think clicking thanks helps me or something. Keep fighting and don't take apart your HD2 if you don't have another one handy!
If i change motherboard(cpu,ram and others) and replace them with another motherboard(with cpu,ram and others) but but outside HD2 is unchanged,with same display and buttons!This is a posable?Please tell me?
Drake Sanderson said:
If i change motherboard(cpu,ram and others) and replace them with another motherboard(with cpu,ram and others) but but outside HD2 is unchanged,with same display and buttons!This is a posable?Please tell me?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
er, replace them with what? a quad core and 4gb from your pc? and why? are you skilled in microsoldering and chip reprogramming?
how much space is inside your phone and what do you really think the chances are of replacing anything?
did you not read the post above yours by ComputerFight. he has seen the inside of an HD2 and lived to tell the tale
i would usually answer 'anything is possible' but i think this one has to be a no
Even if it was possible, i don't understand what would you acomplish with it?
HD2 is legend because of it's wide variety of OSs, roms etc, not because of its hardware.. at least not anymore.
I would rather buy an new phone or used HD2 if i feel like playing around with flashing different operating systems.
If you do even manage to successfully solder and re-wire new hardware onto the HD2, it wouldn't be usable because there are no drivers for them. Someone who have to build hardware drivers from scratch or port them from other phones then every HD2 Rom would have to be re-done to work with the new hardware. I'm no tech expert but I hardware isn't the main problem, it's software. It would be cool if we got tegra 3 and more ram on the HD2 though, that would give the HD2 2-3 more years in a chance to run future roms.
Still another smartphone to make the appearance as being an HTC HD2?Do you think it possible?
Would you recommend a dual core cpu to pull out another smartphone and puts htc hd2 (as htc sensation xl)?
Drake Sanderson said:
Would you recommend a dual core cpu to pull out another smartphone and puts htc hd2 (as htc sensation xl)?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Oh my god....
I have no experience with electronic repair, but I would like to get into building electronic boards as a hobby. I'll start with a simple stripboard, and hopefully start working on more advanced chips within a few months. (I had to learn Diagnostic Microbiology - specifically, Bacteriology - in less than a month, so I think I can handle the BASICS of this hobby fairly well.)
Please note that I won't be cluttering up this forum with trivial questions, as I'm more than happy to search online for questions that I may have. I posted to the Hardware Hacking forum so that I might directly inquire as to how to best start off in this hobby, by ensuring that this thread had the maximum chance of being reviewed by a knowledgeable source.
My question is how I might go about putting together a suitable KIT to get me going. I'd like input before I go off buying various kits, only to become more knowledgeable in the field and realize that I should have spent my money more wisely. My first project would be to build a POGO pin to OTG host cable, but I hope to progress far beyond that in the upcoming months.
I've found a couple of kits at makershedDOTcom. Should I invest in them, or build my own? I'd just search for what I'd need in a kit, but I have no idea if my finding would be accurate or just a waste of time.
Thank you for any information you are willing to provide.
Regards,
POPE3909
If you want to just master basic electronic assembly skills, get a Velleman kit and do some soldering.
If you want to learn more experimenter analog electronics, get a protoboard and $20 of parts to play with.
Radio Shack still sells their "Engineer's Mini Notebooks".
For playing with digital interfacing and programming an Arduino is not bad.
Maybe a Raspberry Pi is more your thing.
I've had fun with theTeensy.
POPE3909 said:
I have no experience with electronic repair, but I would like to get into building electronic boards as a hobby. I'll start with a simple stripboard, and hopefully start working on more advanced chips within a few months. (I had to learn Diagnostic Microbiology - specifically, Bacteriology - in less than a month, so I think I can handle the BASICS of this hobby fairly well.)
Regards,
POPE3909
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Dear POPE3909
To get better direction you need to tell what is prior experience. Can you program? Do you know basics of electrical and electronic circuits?
In any case I would advise to buy a kit with variety of components and possibly Arduino board. It's fun and gives quick gratification.
Radio Shack has a few. It does not matter where to buy it matters how good is support or availability of information.
Good luck!
Hello. As an alternative to getting just some kit, you can also get a cheap, damaged android phone to play around with on some certain auction site. For example, you can get an HTC myTouch 3G Slide (a.k.a. Espresso) with a cracked screen for about $30 or less. This device is very easy to disassemble & reassemble, & just to play around with in general. If you really want to get into electronics, you should consider this as well. There are plenty of damaged, but still working phones that you can get for very cheap.
Modern technology tends to be so highly integrated that it's not a great place to start learning - for example, while identifying the chips in a phone can be an interesting exercise, you're very limited in terms of what you can actually do with a soldering iron.
You're going to want some tools, no matter what you do.
Get a decent soldering iron - if not the cheapest then at least the second cheapest! You can solder with anything but some are a lot easier to use than others. Make sure to get an electronic soldering iron - there are some that look similar but put out way too much heat, which can damage components, especially if you're new to this stuff. Bigger is not necessarily better.
I don't know if you can solder already, but if you can't - practise! Remember you want to heat the materials you want to join, then melt the solder on to them; if you just melt solder on top it'll blob and not make a good connection.
Good side cutters are invaluable. Get some that you use for wire, and never use them for anything else (like coat hangers, tin can lids, etc) - you need straight sharp edges to cut fine wires and you'll be very frustrated if they're not. This style of flush cutter is pretty good: http://dx.com/p/rewin-5-electronic-wire-cutter-yellow-black-116062
Side cutters also make great wire strippers. Nibble around the edges of the insulation, then use the flat side to grab and yank it off. Takes some practise but it's very fast - I find it easier than using dedicated strippers.
You also want a multimeter. Doesn't have to be anything fancy - a $10 one will do. Make sure it has a resistance or continuity setting because one of the main things you'll want it for is checking connections.
As for what you start out with making - it really depends what interests you. If you're totally new then kits can be great - can be good for delivering encouraging results, making something that actually does a thing.
On a more basic level, you can do a lot of things with resistors, capacitors, LEDs, and transistors. Your local electronics shop will probably have mixed bags of all those 4 categories and they are really good to keep around.
Thanks.
So.. u r up2 it. In my case i started as an electronics hobbyist b4 15 years. And now i am an electronics & electrical engineer. What that matters is not your interest. But your passion. Give it a try only if you are willing to make it your passion, i said it becoz, electronics is always practical and less theory, in many cases theory wont help u to solve ur tasks, but a solid practical knowledge will do. And believe me, it will eat up ur patience and brain. So it must be a passion more than interest. I am not discouraging you, but i am telling the fact. The best thing about it is " that mighty feeling" u get when u do complete some thing u started ( and when it works!).
So start it with basic tools. A decent soldering iron, a 16-18 swg 60/40 lead,soldering flux,a set of screwdrivers, knife,pliers,tweezers, etc.
Start doing simple circuits like led blinkers,melody generators,light chasers,etc.. then do what developers called as analysis and debugging, ie try changing component values( mostly try experiments with passive components like resistors,capacitors etc).
My story started with LEDs ,bulbs,dc motors, then i started building disco lights with LEDs, then tried melody generators, then i stepped to transmitters, then amplifiers, microcontroller, etc..
knowing about components and its effects is the basic of every thing.
Sent from my NexusHD2 using xda premium
I agree with showlyshah, get all the basic electronic components and work your way up. The two "Make: Electronics" kits and the book on MakerShed are a good start and aren't bad value for money. I built my own kit by buying the individual parts but it's not much cheaper and some parts used in the book might be difficult to find.
Arduino (or similar) is a great way to transition to electronics from programming and is probably the best path if you want to keep in the digital/programming side. All the electronic components you buy can be used in some way with an Arduino.
There are so many resources out there that can help guide you. My favourite electronics forum is eevblog, from there you can branch out and find many other great resources.
You can find like minded people at a hackerspace in your area. Google is your friend.
I'd strongly suggest getting started with Arduino hardware - possibly, if you want to learn a bit more about wiring things up instead of just plugging in shields, an Adafruit Boarduino.
Another thing I personally suggest - Arduinos are pretty much just AVR ATMega dev boards. Rather than use the Arduino IDE, get an AVR ISP programmer (like the USBTinyISP) and start with AVR-GCC. The initial learning curve is a bit steeper, but you learn a lot more about how to efficiently use the underlying hardware, and you'll be able to retarget the stuff you write (for example, down into a Tiny85) much more easily.
As i said earlier, it is better to work around some small components b4 burning expensive ic's. The reason is to build up the knowledge of how components work in real time, even to know the specs of components is a great knowledge, eg:- u cant just use any pnp/ npn transistor in any circuits which need them, gain,current,voltage,temperature values are some basic.
Let me get into another serious example:- most microcontroller boards contains direct drive for some analog devices like leds, small motors etc.. some of those boards use direct o/p from microcontroller ( most pic ic's have it), others use ic/transistor drivers. And when u play with it, for instance , u programmed a stepper motor driver circuit, and is connecting the o/p to a heavy current stepper with out a proper driver circuit.. the story ends!!! The moral knowledge( aka technical knowledge) microcontroller's are not "Thor" to pass lighting through it! Of course u need his hammer ( in this case, the driver) to do that kind of s##t.
So my point is burn the hell out of some analog ic( LM 2030 dual power audio ic is a good option to see how an ic explodes in case of o/p short( with out protection diodes) )power imbalance etc) , explode some filter capacitors ( works great with dual supplies), barbeque some transistors and resistors( motors are ur companion), see what colours a 3.2 v led can produce when run at 6v( yellow light from red, blue light from white are my fav) or if u are smart u can burn the pcb also( high current dc( lead acid batteries can do the trick with out much personal damage)., get used with these stuffs for a while, ask pardon to family members, shout at friends, electrify pets, make holes on ur fav dress.. and become a hobbiest.. then step into developer world with that base, and then u will never miss valuable hits.
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