Thank you all for your responses
I always find that good projects are repairing faulty electronics. This is nice place to start to see how things work / why dont they work. Try in your basement, I'm sure you can find old gameboy or TV that has some kind of fault. Do a research, get the board plans.. Try to figure it what is causing the fault. This is good just for old type electronics, dont try to fix iPhones because you will lose your mind how small components are
start from 80s, 90s electronics and then move up ![Smiley :)](https://www.eevblog.com/forum/Smileys/default/xsmiley.gif.pagespeed.ic.R8GFI-pF6f.png)
I don't have much junk anymore since i have recently have moved and cleaned out everything.
![Sad :(](https://www.eevblog.com/forum/Smileys/default/xsad.gif.pagespeed.ic.L3FGyzQrjB.png)
Believe me i have changed screens on a few apple products for friends and that alone was a nightmare.
Since you haven't written anything about what you already know it's hard to help you. As far as I know this board is just an IO-board and no programable board like an Arduino. Both of them aren't something I'd recommend for starters, especially since most of the sensors/motors you will want to talk to need more parts to read/control than a few IO pins on a micro controller.
To get parts for starters old/broken TVs, radios, powersupplies or whatever you can get your hands on. Taking them apart for parts will get you a long way on resistors, capacitors, diodes, transistors maybe even switches or relais. Just buying parts without special values for a project in mind, can be a waste of money.
I thought it would be like an Arduino at least its what the radio shack guy said,
![Banging Head |O](https://www.eevblog.com/forum/Smileys/default/bangheadonwall.gif.pagespeed.ce.8iLbFYV4Bc.gif)
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What i do know is programming and after few lines of C++ i was able to get the board output and have the LEDs turn on.
I just want this board to do more than turn on an LED.
A book that I have found helpful is "Practical Electronics for Inventors" by Scherz Mank. ISBN-10: 0071771336 The best part was that it wasn't sold at text book prices! There is an e-book copy, however recommend the paper because it has large pages that lay open well on the bench.
The book would have been great while I was taking night classes in mechatronics.
Also I have been collecting tools and books for years. In 2009 I discovered my local community college had a mechatronics program that included several electronics fundamentals classes. It started with analog and rounded out with digital. This was great because it was interesting, was a great value and got me connected to other people in my community also interested in electronics.
Finally I am involved in a local club that meets monthly at a local hobby shop. Small group mostly focused on talking about projects, sharing news and supporting/challenging each other. Now a days there are so many great forums, its hard to stay active in all of them, good luck!
Looks like a great book !! added it to my amazon wishlist, thanks !!
Clubs are great, I've been in a few and they defiantly help.
I agree with the whole salvaging parts from old electronics thing. I do it all the time myself, whenever I see a broken microwave on the side of the road or a stereo I'll take it home. I've gotten all sorts stuff like bridge rectifiers or voltage regulators that while still quite cheap to buy new it saves me money in the long run.
Yes, looks like i have to start looking for some garage sales and scraping whatever i can find.
Again thank you all for your inputs, time to grab my tools and take things apart
![Evil >:D](https://www.eevblog.com/forum/Smileys/default/xevil.gif.pagespeed.ic.tdrs7Uj5gu.png)