Being new to the hobby, but having Big PlansTM I'm looking at eventually going from breadboard to at least permanent protoboards or PCB's.
I fell down the rabbit hole that is large catalogues with suppliers like Digi-Key, which appears to have IC's for just about everything.
Looking for a simple shift register for example, which might be featured on Dronebot Workshop or other mighty fine youtube channels, I'll get tens if not hundreds of hits on something not entirely unlike "Generic shift register", but from many vendors, many prices and apparently sligthly different functionality.
So I'd love a video on how to navigate the business of buying components online and what to focus on in the data sheets. This is slightly related to the "how to design a pcb" video elsewhere in this section.
See DroneBot Workshop-
Shift Registers – 74HC595 & 74HC165 with Arduino
Best, Anibal
@anibal Thank you. I didn't mean shift registers specifically. More the process overall.
@anibal Thank you. I didn't mean shift registers specifically. More the process overall.
I personally prefer to learn from a specific project. My general process would be as follows.
Choose a project where a shift register would be required say perhaps a 7 segment display using a 74HC595 shift register?
Build the circuit on a breadboard wire it to an Arduino and program it to work properly. Watch it as it runs properly, and if it doesn't run properly troubleshoot it until it does.
Then you will have one shift-register project under your belt. Other shift register projects can be learned in the same way, soon you will have the general idea of what they do and how to use them. This is the magic of working with breadboards they make it easy to build circuits.
You don't want to build PCB's until you know your circuits will work.
DroneBot Workshop Robotics Engineer
James
@robo-pi Thank you. I didn't mean the development itself, but more the jungle of components out there. When I search something specific, like "74HC595" I get 190 results, where the IC's vary in form factor and price, along with various models all from the same supplier and perhaps more. And none of them have exactly part number of 74HC595. I don't currently have components in stock. At some point I'd need to stock up on for instance 74HC595's, but which? They all look the same to me.
That is the thing I'm trying to navigate.
https://www.digikey.dk/products/en/integrated-circuits-ics/logic-shift-registers/712?k=74HC595
I get 190 results, where the IC's vary in form factor and price, along with various models all from the same supplier and perhaps more. And none of them have exactly part number of 74HC595.
They are all mostly the same in different packages. It all depends on what you are needing for implementation. Under filters, click more filters and you can sort by the package. If you are building on a breadboard then look for DIP. You can always google what the packages are and the more you look at them the more they will start to look for familiar. Remember, filters on DigiKey are your friend and can also be your worst nightmare. Also, you can select multiple selections on the filter if you hold down ctrl and click.
Also, if you look at the first datasheet, a little ways down is a table with the naming scheme and package. Here is a handy picture(look for one you like) Packages
Also, if you look at the first datasheet, a little ways down is a table with the naming scheme and package. Here is a handy picture(look for one you like) Packages
That is a very handy picture! That's going on my office wall!
yeah, I recall a presentation where Bill talks about reading data sheets. I think it may have been one dealing with motors. He doesn’t get into great detail but what he does cover is important and relevant as always. I agree reading data sheets are a required tool in building projects. Just important as reading schematics. I understand the frustration of Google and the bombardment of sites and worst stuff aimed at the grad level engineer. I learned from using the data sheet and making sure I understood my own parameters.
Best,
Anibal
@robo-pi Thank you. I didn't mean the development itself, but more the jungle of components out there. When I search something specific, like "74HC595" I get 190 results, where the IC's vary in form factor and price, along with various models all from the same supplier and perhaps more. And none of them have exactly part number of 74HC595. I don't currently have components in stock. At some point I'd need to stock up on for instance 74HC595's, but which? They all look the same to me.
That is the thing I'm trying to navigate.
https://www.digikey.dk/products/en/integrated-circuits-ics/logic-shift-registers/712?k=74HC595
Yeah... form factor is one of the quickest ways of reducing that number. After specifying through-hole at your link, you're down to 10, but remove "Qty Available:0" and such with the "In Stock" checkbox and we're really down to 4 options. Available from two manufacturers, one of which is obsolete (no longer in production), which is fine for people not committing an industrial production line to a component. Each manufacturer makes two models which differ in temp range/construction material.
If you're working on the bench/breadboard, you're likely looking for through-hole. If you're not sure you want SMD, you don't want SMD as a hobbyist. (Side note... for parts only available in SOIC packages, there are small SMD-through-hole adaptor boards available on ebay)
"A resistor makes a lightbulb and a capacitor makes an explosion when connected wrong"
"There are two types of electrical engineers, those intentionally making antennas and those accidentally doing so."