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Countless tempting projects, yet none really needed, now what?

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mendip_discovery:
I have a few project ideas running around in my head but I just find that by the time I work out the parts costs it becomes an overpriced solution. Worse bit is the parts are expensive not because they are hard to make quality parts but becuase I am not buying them by the thousands so the suppliers charge a stupid price for them.

I miss the project kits you would see in magazines. I enjoyed those as they were fun soldering practice and if I got it right it worked. Now most things are a smd board with 99% of stuff on there.

Recently I have been looking at putting together a weather station as I miss my old one I had from Maplin. But this time I want to be able to log the data at home as well as send it online. The challenge is working out what setup will do what I want without becoming obsolete and not spending silly money getting it going.

I have a few projects that I need to finish off over this winter as I didn't get them finished last year.

Buriedcode:
One of the biggest stumbling blocks for many of my projects is indecision. 

As much as the old timers complain about software and fast micros ruining things - we really do live in the best times for hobby electornics, with a huge range of very cheap parts and prebuilt modules available almost everywhere. 

The only downside of such an abundance of solutions is - theres no real restriction on the number of ways to achieve something, so instead of being forced to use, say, TTL logic or a cheap opamp for a solution we now have to choose between many possible designs, all of which are pretty cheap and easily avaiable. So there often isn't any need to be "clever" with what you have, its just quicker, and easier to throw an Arduino or Pi at something.   Sure you can design it differently for the sake of being different, but often that requires more time, which is great for a hobby, but if you're sharing the project so others can build, it'll just be another hurdle for them.

When I first replied to this thread I checked my notes to see how many projects were started but incomplete, that is, on-going - anywhere from already bought the parts for it to half finished prototype board or written a library, but not a main code and it's easily over 30  :palm:

jonovid:
I have a room full of unfinished projects
and also collecting more test gear to do the projects. got My fourth oscilloscope.
now have My own electronics store at home! just a hobby.  ;D

Smokey:

--- Quote from: jonovid on October 15, 2023, 03:28:53 pm ---I have a room full of unfinished projects
..

--- End quote ---

My opinion is that we start projects to learn how to do a thing.  Once we feel like we understand the thing, actually "finishing" the project is no longer a high priority.  That's how I explain my 3/4 finished project graveyard at least.

Note: I'm talking personal hobby stuff here.  Business stuff is all business.  But the skills from the personally hobby stuff often end up in the business stuff.

RJSV:
Sounds a little like (mild) depression, and I do similar approach, gauging how useful the project might be.  Musicians have long complained about creativity issues.

   Sense of humor helps.  All the while, when I tried really hard, to invent some electrical device, or (commercial) software innovation...all that time, my landlord, apartment building owner, was a...Patent Attorney.  An irony I noticed, as a struggling inventor / Engineer.

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