I just finished reading "Getting started with Arduino" and was able to get all the tutorial projects working.... very cool!
One thing I feel the book is missing, is a proper explanation of how and why a circuit actually works like it does, explained in the same way as the programming language is explained. (i.e. written for someone who knows absolutely zilch).
My understanding currently is: if all your components in your breadboard don't add up to 5 Volts, you need to put a resistor in so that your breadboard components consume all of the 5Volts of Arduino's power.
But what if my components total more than 5 Volts? What if some are in series and others are parallel? How many components can I even use?
I hope someone can point me in the right direction!
Yep I don't think you can beat "The Art of Electronics".
I like the sections where they explain things and then give you schematics and ask "why would this circuit not work".
How many components can I even use?
Well in my last job the box I was making had over 8,000 components so it's quite a lot.
And its worth looking around on the web for electronics tutorials - there will be some good ones out there pitched at the beginner (if you can find them!)
AWOL:
Is that a legitimate free ebook, or a pirate?
I really can't condone pirated IP.
I guess admin answered that. I treat books much the way I treat music. I download via torrent and if I find that I like the entire cd, or book, I'll buy it (I think my bank statements would prove that). There is no replacement for a hard copy in your hands book, just like there is no replacement for an actual pressed cd. I guess if I were at one of you guy's house and tried to read through your copy that would be illegal too. I call it sharing, I don't really care what other people call it. A crappy scanned pdf is not just as good as a book book, it's a way to try before you buy and know that this book is either for you or not. It saved me from buying a copy of the getting started with arduino book. Once I scanned through the pdf I knew right away that I didn't want it.
I'll just have to remember this site is super anal about such things.
It's nothing to do with being anal. It's a liability to link to illegal material. Their legal protection comes from showing that they police the posts.
Also: stealing is bad says the guy who was downloading Terry Pratchett ebooks to read on my Palm IIIc in 2000. To be fair, I bought the hardbacks first, and later admitted it to his agent.
