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General suggestions or questions about the SparkFun Electronics website
By crazi_ace1978
#102725
I am just getting started into the world of electronics and low level coding. I would like to build a good starting inventory. I am considering going with the Arduino chips but don't want to get stuff that I will have to upgrade shortly after getting. For a college class, we did some work with the POP-BOT and I noticed we were already running into problems with limit resources. A list of suggested purchases would be appreciated.

Thanks.

Example:
Development board
Resistor set
Other items that are commonly used between projects
By 60amp_relay
#103210
It all depends on what you want to do, but I frequently find the following useful:

- Largest breadboard you can find
- +5v voltage regulator and a +12v wall-wart*
- Assortment of breadboard jumper wires
- Assortment of resistors 10, 100, 220, 500, 1K, 2.2K, etc. up to 100K
- Assortment of capacitors from 0.1uF to 45uF or so, ceramic and electrolytic
- 10K potentiometers
- Tactile "breadboardable" momentary SPST N/O switches
- Assortment of LEDs and a few LED bar-graphs
- A few 1K resistor networks
- Some CMOS chips: 4047, 4094, 4021, 4584, 4511

These are all things that come in handy pretty often.

Good luck!

* (why 12V? Because it lets you expand to using more than just +5V in the future - for example, driving larger motors with an H-bridge, programming PICs, making automotive applications, etc)
By dewan
#105260
Q: I want to buy BGA rework station for computer/laptop mother board repairing purpose. But i don't which one is better like conventional heat BGA rework station OR infrared rework statin. Please give me an idea.

Thanks

Dewan Suzon
By Philipf
#105371
I use a Jovy RE-7500 for all rework repairs, superb machine with a pretty easy learning curve. I dont do many repairs now, but I was fixing 10-15 phones and around 4 laptops a day and its still going strong.