Electrical Engineering Stack Exchange
Electrical Engineering Stack Exchange

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1500 questions
21
votes
11 answers

Op-amp tutorial for electronic noobs?

Can anyone point me to a tutorial for electronic noobs that explains how to use op-amps and what I can do with them, besides amplification?
Nikolaus Gradwohl
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5 answers

How can I detect which arduino board (or which controller) in software?

I have a project that I want to work on either a Uno or a Mega (or even a Due) and it would be nice if I didn't need two versions of the software. For example, on a Mega, to use SoftwareSerial, you have to use different pins than the ones on an Uno.…
tooshel
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21
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9 answers

How can 8-bit processor support more than 256 bytes of RAM?

If a 32-bit processor can handle approximately 4 GiB of RAM (i.e. \$2^{32} = 4 294 967 296\$) bytes, why does my Arduino Mega 2560 have 8 KiB of SRAM, if being a 8-bit processor allows it to handle just 256 bytes (\$2^8\$)? Or am I reading the…
ZaqueoAlejandro
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21
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3 answers

Getting started with PCB Layout for BGA Packages

Are there any good resources for learning the intricacies of PCB layout when dealing with BGA packages? I'm very familiar with layout for almost every SMT part that has leads on the edge (QFP, TSSOP, QFN, etc...) However, I have not ever had a…
Connor Wolf
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4 answers

Supercap compared to a battery

What is the current state of things when it comes to super capacitors and batteries? Are super caps anywhere near rivalling LiPo's in capacity? I've often heard people talking about super caps as being a viable replacement for batteries, in that you…
Thomas O
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21
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5 answers

Difference between Hz and bps

Does Hz and bps mean same? Can a signal be transferred at rate of say Mbps on a channel bandwidth of few Khz?
sk1
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21
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2 answers

Microcontrollers/microprocessors and different bit versions, what's the difference?

As a general engineering hobbyist, I am learning more about the world of microcontrollers each and every day. Once thing I don't quite understand though is the significance of the bit version of a microcontroller. I have been using the ATmega8 for…
capcom
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21
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7 answers

How to remove enamel from wire?

I want to repair my computer mouse cable which has become disconnected from the PCB. The wire is insulated with enamel and I have to remove it before soldering it back onto the board. How should I remove the enamel?
Mohammad Etemaddar
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21
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6 answers

Why would a circuit designer use parallel resistors?

I've been reviewing this reverse engineered schematic of a bmax6 style lipo charger. To my understanding this circuit is used to dissipate excess charge in a cell when balance charging. The circuit uses a parallel resistor network as the current…
Mazaryk
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21
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5 answers

Why do FPGA projects always take the same amount of time to compile?

With software, when we compile the project for first time it may take a while but afterwards, it does not take so long anymore. If we change a single file in the project, everything does not need to be compiled again. This does not seem to hold true…
gyuunyuu
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21
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6 answers

How does a fuse blow at its current rating, regardless of voltage?

I know from reading elsewhere that it's safe to use a fuse with a higher voltage rating when replacing one, so long as the current rating and reaction speed is the same. For example, if a fuse is rated 125V 1A, then a 250V 1A can be used. Let's say…
JYelton
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21
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9 answers

Why is impedance represented as a complex number rather than a vector?

I am trying to understand why impedance is not represented using vectors. I assume it is due to complex numbers having the property that $$j = \sqrt {-1}$$ but with my limited knowledge I can't see how this relates to impedance or why this property…
JShorthouse
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21
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7 answers

Random number generators using a GPIO pin?

I just read through question AVR Random Number Generator and encountered a number of ways to generate random seeds in an AVR: Use a special-purpose "Secure AVR" Use an internal temperature sensor Read unwritten EEPROM Measure time intervals between…
Vorac
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5 answers

Why is the PCB part number traditionally on a copper layer?

I'm an experienced board designer, having designed 100+ boards over the past decade, and I have yet to hear a good answer for why the PCB part number is traditionally on an external copper layer, and the PCBA part number is on a silkscreen layer. To…
Fix It Until It's Broken
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21
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6 answers

I'm TV technician, but I don’t know how to save or protect the boards in my workshop

I have main boards, power supplies, and so on as spare parts. But sometimes they spend several years in my workshop waiting for a customer. When I find the right customer, several times the boards were damaged, mostly because of corrosion. How could…
NIN
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