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General project discussion / help
Did you make a robotic coffee pot which implements HTCPCP and decafs unauthorized users? Show it off here!
By josephhays
#196839
Hey all! I recently got my first few breadboard kits and such that contain jumpers and buttons and the like. What they don't contain are transistors and ICs. When I look these up in bulk, there are so many different options. Like thousands. The issue I have is that I live in a small town that takes one thousand years to have things shipped here, and no hobbyist stores around. What should I put on my shopping list to make sure I can tackle a variety of projects, from a basic motor to an 8-bit computer?

I'm trying to avoid having to wait many weeks between projects both original and followed.

Thanks in advance!
By Valen
#196858
A multimeter! Seriously, that is the prime tool you need to understand how those electrons are causing traffic jams in your circuit. Get a basic arduino starting kit. (Inventors kit is what Sparkfun calls it I think). Make sure it contains the parts described in Sparkfun's Inventor's kit tutorial series. So that you can use that learning path as a start. That should contain the basic leds, resistors, capacitors, transistors and the like to get going with those first basic projects. The Arduino takes care of that 8-bit computer wish.
By josephhays
#196881
Will be looking into arduino, thanks! Have the multi-meter down, have been doing tech repair and micro-electronics for a while, only just starting to enter the world of "engineering" my own electronics. What I'm really looking for right now are recommendations for bulk and preferably assorted ICs and transistors. I've got assorted values of resistors and capacitors and other countless miscellaneous components, but nothing for logic.