NEW GUY! So run, run as fast as you can and as far away as possible!

[Formula350]

Hello!

Lets see... My name is not math derived as I suck at math, but comes from my car, a '93 Firebird Formula with a 350 cubic inch V8.

I like to consider myself an above average computer user, but I am pretty new to the whole IC world... I dove in head first about 6mos ago when my power supply which was 8-9yrs old, decided to finally give up the ghost (metaphorically, no releasing of blue smoke took place ), and since I was/am short of funds I tried to fix it. Had a number of bad caps on the DC side, but since all I knew about caps was they helped to keep a steady flow of power, I ended up soldering in at least one "backwards." Needless to say one blew up....... and my face was a foot above it >_> I didn't know if their insides were caustic or not, so I made a hasty retreat to the bathroom to wash it off lol

Well from that I started researching all manner of things relating to PSUs, learned quite a lot, and when it came time to finding out why this LCD monitor I got for free wouldn't stay on which I took it upon myself to find out why! I knew it was power supply related, but that was it. Cracked it open and 3 caps were expired, so I hit up eBay and bought 10 for only like $5 shipped, but I did know enough from my previous research to buy a quality brand! So I nabbed Chemi-Con. When they arrived I got to work putting them in, THIS time taking care to notice which way the marker strip was facing, and it works beautifully!

That started my new venture of salvaging almost everything I think might be useful at some future time, keep all sizes of caps, what I later found out to be transistors, a varying array different chips, larger resistors, all sizes of voltage regulators, and transformers.

Then my friend (not local) got an X-Fi and from past research we found people who have modded other sound cards for improved audio, so I just checked around to see what there is to do. That lead me to OpAmp and caps which work very well for Audio related things. About this time I took an early 90's 3.5mm amped stereo speaker (2xAA powered) that you would plug into a tape player (basically a precursor to iPod speakers) that I wanted to try and maybe convert for use to drive my headphones. That lead to my discovery of the CMoy, which I have to say while his uses an OpAmp... looks to really be derived from this KOSS amped speaker I just mentioned >_> Anyways while doing that I figured I'd try and upgrade some of it's very old caps, but at the time I was using a poor quality butane soldering iron that just didn't work very well, causing me to destroy some of the traces on it's PCB and ultimately rendering it non-functional. I got some breadboard and tried to rebuild it, but sadly that didn't really pan out either lol

And that is what brings me to here, to learn and get help to build something with all these spare parts to have (Hey... I told you to run!)

ON WITH THE SHOW!

[planet10]

Welcome to the forum.

dave

[Pano]

Welcome to the forum. I was just over in Eastern Tennessee. Nice over there!

[Formula350]

Originally Posted by planet10

Welcome to the forum.

dave

Thanks

Originally Posted by panomaniac

Welcome to the forum. I was just over in Eastern Tennessee. Nice over there!

Thanks. I moved here from Minnesota (suburbs, 30-40min from the "Twin Cities"), so it's a bit of a culture shock Not exactly sure if I'll want to stay or not heh The winters are fare more bearable though

[ostripper]

Welcome to the neighborhood(TN). I have lived in johnson city , knoxville (choke- choke, cough !!) , and now in front of Mt. Leconte (6593') near Gatlinburg , TN. Oh ....and welcome to the forum as well !!
OS

[Pano]

Well the South IS a different place. Not as different as it was before the 1970s when the Great American Homogenization Movement began. What was lost in charm has been made up for in convenience and culture. But it's still different.

[chris661]

Welcome to the forums.

Having already blown some things up, you'll fit in well here.

Chris

[Formula350]

Originally Posted by ostripper

Welcome to the neighborhood(TN). I have lived in johnson city , knoxville (choke- choke, cough !!) , and now in front of Mt. Leconte (6593') near Gatlinburg , TN. Oh ....and welcome to the forum as well !!
OS

I'm just outside of Athens (Decatur) smack between Knox and Chatt. My parents both live in Alaska for a number of years, mom has family there still, so we always went up there in the summer. So I get a kick out of the folks who call the Foothills around us "mountains" (but I mean no offense and of course wouldn't correct anyone!). My Leconte however, is more than high enough!

Originally Posted by panomaniac

Well the South IS a different place. Not as different as it was before the 1970s when the Great American Homogenization Movement began. What was lost in charm has been made up for in convenience and culture. But it's still different.

I can only imagine :S I know that some dislike (resentment?) of northerners is still present, and makes me wonder if the local Dr I see (and a nurse) have dull beside manners on account of not growing up here Unless I misunderstood what you are referring to, then... nevermind! The folks are nice though, don't get me wrong! And if there is any doubt, Minnesota is a great place as well!

Originally Posted by chris661

Welcome to the forums.

Having already blown some things up, you'll fit in well here.

Chris

haha Thanks! I did some soldering-- or a bad excuse for it --last night and have an abundance of little yellow nicks all over my fingers Thankfully working on cars has built up a little thicker skin on my hands than I used to have, so all the μBurns didn't hurt, which I'm thankful for haha


I'm off to find some datasheets so I can piece together a post (see:a long ramble in the attempt to find some help)

Thanks again for the welcome!

[mltube]

Welcome to the forums, you will learn a great deal from DIYaudio.
I'm just 90 min east of your previous home location (Eau Claire)
If you need help, I build almost exclusively TUBE AUDIO equipment.
I will be here day in and day out...
We are all noobs to a certain degree, so youll fit right in
Have a great day
Mike

[c2cthomas]

Hi 350 - and Welcome to diyAudio!!!

I missed you when you first signed in - so it's a bit of a belated hello.

I was captured and tortured into moving from Sacramento Ca. to near Nashville back in '06. After many years of successful bachelorhood I married a gal that was born and raised in "Music City" - the rest is history.

Perhaps this link will help with the soldering - there are others on the net too.
How to Solder
How To Desolder Components | Hardware Secrets
Circuit Board Repair and Rework Guide

Some electronics fer Ya -

All About Circuits : Free Electric Circuits Textbooks
Basic Car Audio Electronics
NEETS - Navy Electricity and Electronics Training Series

Replacing Caps:
Replacing Capacitors in Old Radios and TVs

Replacing Capacitors in Old Radios and TVs

Taking a look at that stuff should keep ya busy for awhile!

Don't let it intimidate you - take your time with it.......