EEVblog #54 - Electronics - When I was a boy...

[todd3293]

brings back so many memories. my story has so many parallels to yours, down to the exact same 200 in 1 kit! but for me, when i was 12 yrs old, we got a tandy color computer 3 and thats when I strayed from electronics and became a computer geek, which is what i ended up studying in college. but your blogs has gotten me back into it again! love all your vids and thanks for the trip down memory lane

[THEtechknight]

I was born in 85. I pretty much started off the same way in electronics as you. I was also a trashpicker when i was a kid. But what sets me different, is i have grown more into the technician/repair background, and less in the engineering background. Your way more advanced than I in engineering, but I am getting there. hehe. But repair/troubleshooting, i can tell you whats bad before i pull out test equipment I am so strong at it.

[XTYNoLuck]

at least these days..

[XTYNoLuck]

"gadgets" makes "kids" more ignorant and stupid...

[thenaimis]

Thanks, Dave, for the nice trip down memory lane. My background isn't so different, though I got a TI-99/4A and the 200-in-1 kit within a year of each other. I write software for a living, but do circuit design for fun.

[Pagweb]

What parts would you recommend me to buy to get started in electronics? I was thinking on buying resistors, LEDs, capacitors, diodes, and a few microcontrollers. But there are so many I don't know which to buy. What kind of resistor values would I need, for instance?

[SampsonGizmo]

For just getting into electronics after my first college class, this video is truly inspiring. I'm definitely taking your advice and gonna start learning the hobby way, tinkering and hacking my way through projects! who knows, all this might just have me changing my major next year! Thanks for the videos Dave, Ill be watching!

[EEVblog]

@1710WL I had to sell my huge Electronics Australia collection to free up some room. Regretted it ever since!

[CoolDudeClem]

I remember playing with those whatever-in-one kits, it was amazing back in those days building and disassembling circuits and learning about electronics with them (even if I didn't fully understand it). I learned a lot of things from books too, but now I'm so glad the internet exists to give me the helpful info when I need it. Thanks to the internet, circuit simulators and videos on YouTube I have learned more about electronics in 1 year than I ever did before Internet existed.

[oshondrom]

Hello!

I'm 14 years old, and I come from Slovenia (in Europe). In my country, we do not have good education of electronics, magazines or any other literature (only on college). Can you give me some feedback about the books in your video (like the TTL book) so I can look them up on the internet or by them?

e-mail: oshondrom@gmail.com

[bestjunky]

I have no formal electronics education, and proud of it. I think that anyone can learn it as long as they're not afraid to make mistakes. Parents should tell kids that it's alright if things don't work out right away (which is often the case). Keep trying and don't give up!

[bestjunky]

I started electronics when I was 3, watching my father fix tv's. Fixed my first one when I was 7. Lots of things went into my brain only to make sense ages later. Eventually got into programming and microcomtrollers. Biggest obstacle to my learning was money. I couldn't afford anything and relied on dumpster components till I was in my 20's.

[ciprianwiner]

you are right Dave but i've seen a lot of peoples that fear so much of trying something new than in schematics, they have to ask why is should replace that, replace there why and why, i'm not fearing of anything when comes to those things...why? because in this way now i'm inventing my own circuits and bloody hell it feels good, example(a speaker amplfier IC that gave a lot of trouble) and when you will make it work it will feel awesome to listen to it because you put a lot of work into it :)

[ciprianwiner]

well i'm 17 and i started like you dave, taking things apart but i didn't had knowledge of transistors of capacitors or IC's so i started making my own power supply in 2010, then i got it i started with transistor and i remeber my first transistor circuit that ive tryed it was the Joule Thief and i worked on it few months but nobody is helping me, i got to do things my self but it does worth, so yeah in few months im good at ic's and everything so you just got to be into it, sky is the limit :D

[RowsbyW]

Wow!! That brought back memories! I started with vacuum tubes building linear amplifiers for CB radios as a kid. Old televisions were a great source of components. Wiring was point to point back then. Thanks for the memories. 

[yong1991k]

it's kind of sad that the knowledge of an average 2nd year electrical engineer student at my university knows less about electronics than you did when you were 12 or 13.

[TrickyNekro]

I'm actually 20 years younger than you, still I started with a kit like yours and an amiga 500 :-D

It's so rewarding to see other people share your background story!!!

[bcsupport]

wow, that radio shack 200-in1 brought back memories. thanks !!

[Cla0016]

Oh my god i have that exact same Tandy kit. If i ever have children, ill pass it on to them.

[hannobisschoff1]

I'm so sorry I didn't get into electronics earlier in my life....

Better late than never

[bcsupport]

@hannobisschoff1 Yeap, I second that. I always tinkered a little bit but never learned what im doing now

[KarriKoivusalo]

A few further thought; back in the old days, stuff was expensive and if you couldn't afford it, you made it yourself. DIY meant you were POOR, not skilled. Then in the nineties, nothing was beyond purchase anymore, but the inertia of the thought carried on; it wasn't just electronics that was in the slump; RC planes&cars, miniatures and all such hobbies were too. But for the past few years, the appreciation of crafting skills have increased tremendously. 

[KarriKoivusalo]

I got a Gakken EX-150 set as a kid, but back then there was no-one to tutor me and couldn't read the manual either (English being the first foreign language at school). If the mrs. pops out some Next Gen some day, I'll be sure they get the most out of it though.

[Schmiki24]

Cool stuff back to the 80's, now we have farmville on Facebook! xD

[robomanism]

hey i bought 2

[tonyrueb]

I used to have one of them... I'm going to school for engineering now...

[K3RR0N120]

Thats my exact story

[theothermikeg]

haha, i love hacking things, and ill keep it up

[nyehnyi]

i built my first helicopter when i was 11.. struggle to fly the beast for a months,,I used D size batteries btw..

[williefleete]

VEROBOARD FTW. i love the stuff. use it in almost all my projects. the new zealand site brightsparks also makes boards called kiwipatch boards. its identical to breadboard . except its in PCB form and able to be soldered

[trailkeeper]

Me and one of my friends were sort of fascinated by things such as glass diodes in things, and would remove them from junked items for possible use, maby with some homemade crystal radio.

[TheEPROM9]

It was back in 2000 when I was 9 that electronics relay took off, this was from someone giving me an old watch/bick PCB. After that every thing was dismantled, when I got round to my toys I learned how to resemble stuff. The internet allowed dad to buy me Bug Bot Junk Bot And Bots On Weels. This book rely started me off and after that I had enough knolage to know what I was looking for on the net. I still tinker and hack, forever learning the subject.

[Films4You]

when I was a boy... they had valves

[xjet]

@Films4You Ah yes, many a cold winter's night was spent in the shed, huddled around a chassis that contained a collection of 6SN7s and 807s. Today's modern electronics don't keep you warm at all. Damn all this nanowatt technology! :-)

[Films4You]

@xjet Hummm... and values had built-in lighting LOL

[hannobisschoff1]

@xjet Amen. Nano sucks. I've just gotten an IBM ptinter made completely of 74 series logic. It's awesome good old "warm" electronics.

[thewii552]

i have the newer version of the 200-in-1 kit from radio shack, and it got me started too!

[Ridin24z]

Awesome!!!

I had one of those radioshack kits, my uncle went to Canada for a seminar and bought me one back to the UK =D. I loved that kit, the amount of transistors I went through. I'd take apart an old product and the second I'd see a component with long legs, I'd pull it off and add it to some free space on my kit :P.

[Minifig666]

I love to hear people go back to their childhoods and enjoy the things they had.

I take everything I can to bits for fun, and I believe I am the only kid I know who is fascinated by how does this work and why does this do that.

It's a shame really because today kids get shunned for being creative intelligent or inventive. It worries me that there will be no science left in the future.

[spektrum1983]

I had the Mykit System 5.

[theslawek]

I'm 22, and I actually started in a similar way.Took everything apart. I had the Radio Shack 200 in 1 kit, but once I hit the schematics I put it away. (BAHH!). But I still got into electronics and I watch my classmates struggling with the most basic circuits. I just started watching your video's, they are great! Thank you for making them! As JINXZER commented, I suffer from a short attention span and I have a whole bulletin board of great projects to do.

[jpelczar]

Haha. Back in the '90s (in Poland) I had to walk 10km to get books about electronics from the library ;) We couldn't even afford to buy an electronics magazines or books. Phones were virtually nonexistent in rural areas, let alone modems. I agree that most of the pro guys started without external support. Apart from the lack of support, many were being discouraged by everyone else.

[basslover201]

went to nationals and got fourth place in all of canada :) just thought i would say something

[basslover201]

just thought i would say when u were talking about everything falling into place and everybody struggling to learn it and for u it was just there. I was the same way im still in school and all but i got one of those kits when i was young also and i always enjoyed taking electroics apart and seeing how they worked. in fact lasty year i was in a electronics class and i was 5 weeks ahead of everyone :P. oh and i recently went in electonics skills and won by over 200 points in provincials and ...

[montinhoman]

" Heck ! This people doing reflow soldering in a thousand pin BGA in frying pans in their kitchens…You've gotta be kidding me ! " LoL just imagined my self =)

[unlokia]

What a lovely guy! EVERYTHING you say is completely true. I am 35, and started in 1990-1991 in the electronics industry, by ringing around local TV & VCR repair companies, asking if they had any old TVs and VCRs that they were throwing out... and they had LOADS! One guy (my first boss, Phil Towell [UK]) asked me one day if I wanted a job, as he said I was SO enthusiastic!

If you're considering electronics, GO FOR IT - IT IS GREAAAAAT!!! :D

I love your relentless enthusiasm - what a great chap!

[MJLaukala]

For all you guys having trouble remembering the table or are still looking of a "cheat sheet", I wrote a free program to help you out. Here is the link to the quick tutorial on how to use the program. The download link is in the description. youtube.com/watch?v=nolRA9ZmK-­U

[FearTriX]

This story sounds so familiar! I however started with a Cosmos kit.

[MadManMarkAu]

Oh, wow, I had that exact model 200-in-1 as a kid. Also a 150-in-1 and a 300-in-1 with digital chips and breadboard. :)

[williefleete]

i got into electronics at around 7 or so with a dick smith funway one kitset now i've got into PICAXE programming and microcontroller controlled stuff

[electronicfanatic1]

thumbs up if he sometimes get wayy to excited... but he still is amazing! :D

[EatBigCookies]

very inspiring and interesting Blog,i cannot agree further ,there are plenty of distractions. i only started getting interested half way through my first year of uni once i got some technical knowledge.

just started getting a lab together recently to tinker around and discover, seems easier to pickup pace with the world wide web. and the theory we study at university is dull with little to no lab time. but with a personal lab i actually enjoy seeing the theory come to life

there is much to learn

[CalcProgrammer1]

Wow! I got that exact same kit when I was that age! One of our neighbors gave it to me, it was old and a bit worn out but it worked fine and I built several of the designs and many of my own with it. I also got some other kits (AM/FM radio, crystal radio) that were similar. I'm 21 and a junior in computer engineering now, with a desk full of breadboards and parts (mainly for AVR programming). Planning on getting a Rigol DS1052E because of your reviews :)

[CalcProgrammer1]

@CalcProgrammer1 I also have that same analog multimeter, my dad got it before I was born but it still works and I use it occasionally when I don't have my digital one.  Unfortunately I don't have my own oscilloscope but am looking to get one for Christmas, the DS1052E being in my price range.

[quadcam24v]

Pretty much started the same way - 150 in one, then dick smiths funway 2. I'm 18 and I pretty much relied on books until about 4yrs ago! Didn't have a cro at age 14 tho :/

[ace992thegreat]

Lol i had the same life as you except im only 12 now and im still taking apart stuff and trying to make stuff work b putting wire and wire in to different motherboards into another, i also have a 130 in one and i pretend to 'blow the world up' aka world domination but now i have realised and im on my way making stuff what actually works :) great theres someone else in this plantet who has the same childhood :D

[Anderskh]

I had a 150 in one kit back in the 70's.

Been into electronics since I was 9 and i'm 48 now.

I presently repair classic stereo equipment and tube radios.

[rollo131]

Dave resembles Coco the Electronic Monkey Wizard from the surf-rock band Man or Astro-Man

[EEVblog]

@rollo131 I'll take that as a complement! 

[quirmche]

Hey, Excellent Dave! I really identify with your story. I however, didn't stick with the electronics, unfortunately! But, now I've rekindled my interests and really need to bone up!

I wonder if you could do a review of the current Radio Shack Electronic Lab, it looks really nice and I'd be curious as to what you thought about it!  I really enjoy your take on things and devices!

Cheers!!

[tkshoe]

can't believe i listened to a screechy aussie for 21 minutes, but I did and it was very interesting. Btw, this is coming from a mechanical engineering student who is currently in a mechatronics class. Electronics are scary :S

[EatBigCookies]

@tkshoe

awesome i'm in mechatronics too, however i find the advanced mechanical subjects especially in 3D dynamics frightening and avoid that stuff like the plague. currently i am leaning more towards electronics/software. wasn't so sure what to focus electives more on, i like all 3 disciplines electrical/mechanical/software

reason i sway to electronics/software is due to the ease of creating your own lab. whereas for mechanical you need bigger bulkier expensive machinery with no room to place..

[ttk1opc]

Electronic gas tank?

[ncrdisabled]

I watched this and loved it I was in VOtec 11th grade really into electronics before and after that was over 30 years ago back when microprocessor were in there infancy I worked in the field until I became disabled I even was a electronic tech in the NAVY on submarines for 6 years oh those were the days. Simson meters were the best back then.

Keep up the great videos!!!

[Zed1967]

This is a lovely vlog and it pretty much mirrors my lifes electronic journey. I can still remember my first multimeter and soldering iron and the fun of tinkering with electronics. My electronics set was called Electronics 1 and it was the best Christmas gift I ever received.

[LyndonSoulGroove]

Fantastic, I too had this Kit in mid 80's this too got me into Electronics, i moved on to the breadboards, then decided to make a career of this too, i was so exciting !

then i built a crystal radio , then whent to RS, Tandy & Maplin to buy breadboard so could make more circuits ! I liked the analogue side. i did not much like micro processors as much because the circuit was so tiny, yes Later i enjoyed Micro processors as a tool to do SPICE,

[IAINMAN96]

Didn't you have problems with soldering?

I have big problems with it.

Could you please show us a small soldering course? :)

[douglas787]

I had pretty much the same way of getting into electronics. Around 9 years old I would grab stuff from the curb near trash day, take the stuff home and take it apart. It's a wonder I never got a severe shock as much of it was line powered. I got the 150in1 RS kit and I learned a lot from it. Forrest Mims books were great, I leaned so much from those. I also had very little support, my parents would grip about my room being a mess, I would keep pretty much everything under the bed.

[mlevinlevington]

I started the same way,born in 1982 but started about 1992. One thing remember building was a FM radio with a similar kit, never really worked, just picked up static.

[gbowne1]

Tell us what equipment sits on the middle shelf of your lab bench!

[EEVblog]

Check out my lab tour video.

[vijoelu]

Your video really brings me back to the early days. Your involvement in the electronics hobby essentially parallels mine, except that I started earlier in the 1950s with tubes. I have all those data books you showed, plus stacks and stacks of electronics magazines in my personal library. I'm still active in the hobby, assembling all sorts of projects and I agree the industry is not dead at all, it's just different now. Thanks for sharing your experiences.

[eirpcalc]

When I was a kid, in the 50s, we had digital music players, but they took up a whole room. Each song came through the mail as 167 pages of ones and zeros. It took about a month to toggle it in through the front panel, but it sounded GREAT. I don't know why it didn't catch on.

[technoetc]

Great stuff, I got started w/ Forrest M. Mimms publications from Radio Shack as well . . . I also agree about the comments regarding attention span, but don't have time to say anything more on the subject ;)

[Gauchland]

I mostly did funway kits and got a "10 in 1" kit, and I must say these gave me a simple understanding which is hardwired into my brain now, even though I'm still a beginner at 18...

But what I really wanted to comment on was when you said "now anything is possible!". I used to think that less is possible now because factories do everything, but an individual has so much power really, with access to everything. Maybe there will be a hobbyist revolution.

[ilumos]

Fantastic video, very inspiring too. Your enthusiasm definitely rubs off!

[OblivionRatula]

I still have my 150-in-1 kit! Bought my nephew one last year - sadly, I imagine it's still in the plastic.

[stormbytes]

Omg I LOVE your BLOG! :) Like I said already, you're entertaining, educational and ORIGINAL! But what about us avid hobbyist-non-eng types? We're a bit left out :( Would you be willing to dedicate a blog giving US the rundown of how to get started in electronics nowadays? (and especially for the not-so-kiddies?). Thanks in advance! Love your blog man.. just love it!

[Steven715715]

@stormbytes @EEVblog I Second that comment, I am and have always been into electronics for many years I am only just getting started again but only very basic, I also have an intrest in plc stuff as well so been playing with 4-20mA Current sorces etc. Again great blog!!! i have been watching loads of them, i am driving my wife mad lol. Keep up the good work Dave

[JINXZER]

Dave I want you to take back what you said about you perferring the communication revolution over the good old days of data books. This data revolution is great for guys like me, but my attention span is so over whelmed by video games, music, etc. I would perferr the good old days and be limited to that 200 in 1 electronics kit. Now in these days kids leave high school at 18 years of age and it makes me think, does this data revoltion contribute to our attention span? something to think about.

[EEVblog]

100% correct! I completely forgot about that aspect, thanks! Yes, I now have the attention span of a jackrabbit, and I blame the Internet. My list of unfinished projects and ideas grows exponentially every year :-(

[BenitoIsAwesomr]

@EEVblog Sure you guys arent just getting old? :P

[Wizard4592]

Wow, that was my life's story:

8 years old -> Radioshack kits -> Breadboard -> RF -> Tesla coils, high power magnets, particle accelerator by senior year in high school >> owned everyone in college

[SciStarborne]

Right, let's go change the world! :)

[myrdale]

This was an awsome video!

[TheCynicalAtheist]

I had a 300 in 1 when i was about 9 or 10 years old, cant recall the model now; but it taught me how to read the bands on resistors, i built a radio and a few other things with the kit.

Forgot practically everything it taught me 15 years later. :(

However in the past 6 months i have been pretty interested in learning about electronics again, primarily so i can learn how to build my own guitar effects pedals, its how i found this blog in the first place.

[Nedemai]

I remember having one of those electronics board when I was a kid, I think it was like a 50-in-1. I couldn't get very much to work with it however, and my father being a seasoned electrician had trouble with it as well.

Many years later I went into electronics in college and have completed 3 years so far. I've not yet got my diploma yet due to some unfortunate circumstances. Also, as for the stack of textbooks I have, Ill choose them over internet resources.

[philbx1]

Another excellent video!

Sounds like you had a good early start and great support from your folks - even if they just wanted to keep you away from the toaster :-)

The internet is a double-edged sword though I think. I have so many small projects I've started yet haven't finished due to internet 'distractions'. Like 'hmm, whats that shiny object?' Maybe I've acquired ADD in my old age... Sparkfun have done a hell of a lot to help and promote electronics also I think.

Nice work again Dave.

[jaspers22]

This is a great great great blog!

[raccoonnyc]

It may have been Radio Shack for you but before RS it is clear to me why God invented ham radio.

Tom, ak2b

[kitten123456779]

I'm amazed how close so much of this is similar to my story in starting of electronics. I remember the "xx in one" kits. had 2 of them, but being earlier times, they weren't as advanced as your 200 in 1. Being a long way from Dick Smith/Tandy made it hard, but like with everything, we made do :). "Talking Electronics" magazine was another huge help.Thanks for sharing your story, this is really and outstanding video, and I'm glad now I'm not the only one who did these "crazy" things as a kid ;)

[vk3ye]

Loved it! Same age and pretty much the same start up to about 14 min (except for being able to enter a competition). Did the '80% of projects built didn't work' rule apply to you as well?

[wessouthern]

I had a Radio Shack 50-in-1 Project the same as you. I went into computers though. My dad had a super expensive TRS-80 which, along with the Atari 2600 and video arcades, got me into computers.

[davidjereb]

I started at an age of 6-7years, when my mom got me a kit called Electro Pioneer. It was essentially a teaching tool for tech class in the 9-10th grade.

It didn't have the fancy transistors and other silicon elements, but what it did have was motors, buzzers, switches, batteries, potentiometers, coils,...

I loved it so much. : )

[therock92555]

Dave, can you post a video on the electronics guide to getting laid?

[endesigner]

Loved it :)

[TheAgentAR]

I think I heard you mention EAGLE 5.1, a PCB layout software. There are tutorials here on youTube about it, and it's generally considered a "hobby-grade" software. Can you make a video blog about what makes a PCB layout software "cheap" vs. "professional"? This discussion is critical for us guys who are just getting into designing circuits using a CAD program (moving away from breadboards).

Great video of a revisit to your childhood!

[ashsama2]

Just curious - what was that first project you got published?

[EEVblog]

It was a continuity tester circuit, nothing fancy!

[migsantiago]

Hey Dave, what did you get published on that International Electronics magazine when you were a kid?

[Forssa1]

I thought you was a little too nostalgic at first but I like how you turned things around at the end. I myself am from the hacker/maker generation and appreciate it allot! Great video!

[shiftplusone80]

Lucky. I am only getting into this at the age of 21. I got into uni first and only then got interested in it. I try to do as much on the side as possible, but am struggling with a lot of the theory. I find that I am not learning much practical information at uni, it only works if you supplement it with your own fiddling around.

I still get fascinated with the old days. iWoz sparked the real interest in electronics.

[TheCynicalAtheist]

Thats pretty much what sparked off my interest again, im an applied science student of biology/chemistry related fields, but we obviously have to sit some basic electronics classes as a mandatory part of our science education.

Soldered a couple of basic circuits last year but thats it.

I pretty much need to go out and buy some budget equipment, a nice multimeter a breadboard and some components, hoping maybe dave might have some advice on where to start. Pretty poor being a student and all :P

[shiftplusone80]

Plenty of cheap breadboards on ebay, I suggest get a big one. Also, there are HEAPS of cheap multimeter around. So far, it's very accurate, so I am sure as a beginner, any multimeter will do. If you're Australian there's probably a jaycar near you, which is a good place to pick up components. The rest is on the net and in the library.

[TheCynicalAtheist]

Im a pom actually, hehe. Maplins is about the only electronics store left.

Yeah, i was just going to bite the bullet and pick up a large breadboard and a cheapo MM for now. My imediate focus is on just messing around with some circuit designs from books.

I see a lot of those UNI-T multimeters, they look well built for the money, but its hard to tell if they are absolute crap, my old man had a fluke in his shed but i cant find it. A flukes well out my range at the moment.

TY for the help.

[TheCynicalAtheist]

Immediate has Two M's Sorry for being such a pedant, i just have rented typing hands today. murgh!!

[Twistx77]

That's the real truth people who have experimented with electronics before studyng about it knows their way around much much better than those who hadn't.

Really good video! Thank You!

[markybhoyuk]

I bought the Electronics Learning lab that Radioshack made on ebay recently and a Maxitronix Electronic lab 300 in 1 to get started with electronics, was interesting to hear how you got started.

[TheCynicalAtheist]

That might have been the exact kit i had, its the one with the breadboard in the center right?

My parents bought me mine on my birthday from tandy, was about 40-50 quid back in the mid 90's i guess, sadly tandy doesnt seem to exist over here anymore.

[markybhoyuk]

Yeah it has the breadboard in the centre, the user usacomputertec has vids of it on youtube.

[Vlakpage]

I got kit like this but it was much simpler. It was all on paper board. There were some resistors and capacitors, 2 transistors, LDR, light bulb and maybe something else. You could build 5 projects with that :) I guess that was in mid 90s.

[chromebeats]

Yeah I took a shitload of stuff apart, some of it couldn't get back together, and i did have a electronics kit too.