Lack of analog electronics knowledge

[klj12574]

After looking over a lot of posts here I have noticed two things. The first to hit me is it appears that there are a bunch of people trying to get us to do their homework for them. Not cool. Second is there seems to be a huge lacking in the basics of analog electronics. I see a lot of folks jumping to PICs and microcontrollers when the same result could have been achieved with a few transistors at a fraction of the cost. Just an observation feel free to comment or flame won't hurt my feeling none.

 

[(*steve*)]

Depending on your level of experience, a picaxe can be far easier to work with than even a very small amount of electronics.

The same is not true of programming a "real" microcontroller, as they're far more tricky to program.

Sometimes the answer could be a 555, some CMOS gates, or a uC -- which is right depends on both the user's experience and what they have on hand. Which is appropriate is another question.

I refer you to the thread dealing with driving a 3W LED. A circuit involving an LM317 would not be in any of my top 4 or 5 options, but there we are discussing it.

 

[thefif]

yenka is a reasonable tool for learning about all types of electronics and more.
and a home license is free

http://www.yenka.com/en/Downloads/

 

[andreapg]

I see a lot of folks jumping to PICs and microcontrollers when the same result could have been achieved with a few transistors at a fraction of the cost.

I see that wherever in the world, and I think it is not related to a lack in the basic knowledge (using analog IC and PIC is not so easy).
I think that new technology is helpful if we use it in the right way. For example, if we build a control panel based on IC and microcontrollers, we should use a few electromechanical devices; so we get few chance of failure.
But often I see electronic equipments with a lot of relays. What is the benefit?

 

[tronixstuff]

After looking over a lot of posts here I have noticed two things. The first to hit me is it appears that there are a bunch of people trying to get us to do their homework for them. Not cool. Second is there seems to be a huge lacking in the basics of analog electronics. I see a lot of folks jumping to PICs and microcontrollers when the same result could have been achieved with a few transistors at a fraction of the cost. Just an observation feel free to comment or flame won't hurt my feeling none.

From a beginner's point of view it is very tempting to jump straight into microcontrollers and ignore the analogue stuff. Personally I also succumbed to this course of learning for a few weeks, but am now working through "Fundamentals of Electric Circuits" (Alexander and Sadiku) in parallel with the digital education.

 

[neon]

I drink to that analog is not like digital true or false but rather MAYBE? Analog is where someone must realy knows the stuff becasue it hardly ever works as designed.

 

[55pilot]

Analog is where someone must realy knows the stuff becasue it hardly ever works as designed.

Everything always works as designed. If the designer is incompitent, then they will design it to do what is considered "not working".

---55p