Electronics
26 episodes
#5986: Electronics Kits for Toddlers? What Actually Works
No kit exists for a 15-month-old — but the age question splits into three windows: kits at 5, breadboards at 10, microcontrollers at 13.
#5871: Why Your USB-C Charger Won't Talk to Cheap Devices
A pocket speaker charges on USB-A but flashes red on USB-C. The answer is two missing resistors and a handshake that never happened.
#5865: Four Pocket Players That Won't Sell You a Device Today
Mono, Fonix One, Sudo, and DuRoBo Krono all promise phone-free podcast listening — and not one of them is ready to ship today.
#5733: Why Your Raspberry Pi's Wi-Fi Keeps Dropping
The antenna on your Pi isn't the problem — where it sits is. What actually keeps an SBC link alive.
#5732: Why You Own 40 Unlabeled Power Supplies
Three standards bodies tried to fix DC connectors. The box of mystery bricks in your closet is the result.
#5676: DIY Cable Guide: Barrel Jacks, XLR, and What to Avoid
Soldering your own cables won't save money — it buys exact-length runs. But some connectors hide polarity traps and tooling costs.
#5655: Organizing the Electronics Repair Bench
Why phone repair benches resist order, and the trays, lights, and magnification that fix it.
#5654: Why Hand Driving Beats Power Tools on Tiny Screws
A precision screwdriver set, ESD tweezers, and a spudger — the case for the manual tool in a world that reaches for the motor.
#5611: Why Your Label Printer Quits After 10 Seconds
A label printer that charges for ten seconds then dies — and what that tiny failure reveals about building a diagnosis-first repair bench.
#5286: Soldering Isn't Dead — It's a Hiring Bottleneck
Robots build the boards, but humans fix them — and the industry can't hire enough people who can hold an iron.
#5272: Soldering for Beginners: Badges, Fumes, and Real Safety
The smoke you see isn't the lead — and the cheap fume extractor most beginners buy doesn't work. Here's what actually does.
#5263: Why Micro USB Ports Break and How to Fix Them
Micro USB ports fail mechanically, not electrically. Here's why they break, how to diagnose it, and whether a USB-C swap is worth it.
#5023: The Three Machines Hiding in "Get a Small Vacuum
Dust, fume, and static are three different problems. One word — "vacuum" — can't solve them all.
#4489: Fixing Your Monitor's Death Whine
Can an amateur fix a failing monitor? The surprising answer is yes—with the right parts and safety know-how.
#4478: Digikey, Mouser, and the Hidden Supply Chain of Components
How Digikey and Mouser quietly keep the global electronics industry running with impossibly large catalogs and same-day shipping.
#4191: How to Build a Kid-Safe Electronics Workshop
Teaching electronics to curious kids without the electrical risks — low-voltage DC, breadboards, and smart separation strategies.
#3289: From Breadboard to PCB: Your First Board Design
You can code and breadboard. Here's how to cross the gap to custom PCBs with free tools and minimal risk.
#2917: Decoding the Spec Sheet: MPN vs Model Number
MPN, model number, SKU, GTIN — which identifier actually gets you the right part?
#2794: Build the Perfect Electronics Workbench in a Small Space
Chair first, then bench, then lighting. How to build a frustration-free electronics workstation in 60 square meters.
#2363: The Chasm Between Breadboard and Pacemaker
How do tiny computers power everything from hobbyist projects to life-saving medical implants? The engineering constraints are worlds apart.
#2256: The One-Charger Dream: Specs, Trade-offs, and Reality
Drowning in chargers? We break down the specs for a single, powerful desktop charging station that can handle laptops, phones, and more—and where t...
#1978: The Ingenious Fail-Safe Engineering of Emergency Beacons
From 98% false alarms to pinpoint rescue: how a tiny plastic device saves lives across oceans and mountains.
#787: The Blooming Problem: Precision Gluing for Electronics
Stop ruining your hardware with cheap superglue. Discover the professional liquid adhesives and precision tools needed for tech repairs.
#566: When Cable Marketing Outruns Reality
Is DIY cable making the ultimate tech flex or a recipe for disaster? Corn and Herman break down the physics of home networking.