[Cole Funstuff]

It seems like a lot of new threads get made each time someone goes to install a light kit or sound board. I know there are a lot of helpful threads on the forum and consolidating them into one section might help organize the site a bit more (especially with Halloween approaching).

Thoughts?

[Ejgunth87]

Maybe make an electronics troubleshooting section, and a few others. Mounting parts to shell, how to paint parts, etc.

[lunchbox739]

Common configurations using widely available components accompanied by a basic primer to prop electronics would be a killer addition to these forums.

[ChapterMasterTu'Shan]

Honestly, that's all stuff that is either available in the index, via search, or should be stickied.

I think something as specific as an electronics section would be hard to keep up with, as they tend to be things that come and go, or are improved on, so the last batch of instructions are a moot point. For electronics, I think it would be better, instead of devoting a community-driven section for it, to have the sellers write up clear and concise instructions.

[Cole Funstuff]

I'm not suggesting that the section would be only focused on sellers posting their kits instruction manuals. Rather I would see it as a place for people to bounce ideas around regarding new circuits, mounting methods, troubleshooting, scratch building effects, and other strictly electrical topics.

While I agree that most of these should be easily accessible from a search or sticky, not everyone using this forum understands this when the holidays come rolling around. Why not simply add a section to consolidate all of these topics to one location for people to go to?

Is it difficult to add a section like this to the board?

[ProtonCharger]

Id definitely like to see some more instruction with arduino so maybe one day people would be more inclined to be self sufficient with their builds and learn something new.

Someone made a killing on something so simple and got to run off with thousands. If people REALLY knew that it was just an arduino it wouldn't have been so easy for that deadbeat scumbag to do that.

[lunchbox739]

What PC suggested would be grand as well... I have looked at the various products that Arduino offers on their site. The problem is those of us who are completely illiterate in electronics look at that stuff and it might as well be written in Chinese. The folks around here who are fluent sparkys speak in tech jargon. To them, most of it is basic knowledge, to the rest of us its a different language. I would imagine that its very annoying to them that they have to break out the kid gloves when explaining this stuff. I get that. It would be like me trying to explain the dynamics of hydraulic calculations for fire sprinkler systems to a green helper. However much like that same green helper...you need a basis of where to start learning in order to progress. I think a section dedicated to arduino and a basic low voltage electronics primer and how it applies to proton pack internals would be beneficial to a lot of people around here... myself included. It would also help alleviate some of the annoyances the electro pros feel when repeating the answers to the same questions over and over again to new folks....

[Cole Funstuff]

I for one would love to donate everything I know to ensure people have awesome electronics in their props. After what we all just went through with the last electronics developer, I think this would be a very beneficial section for the site.

[Cole Funstuff]

Not to keep beating this like a dead horse but a section like this could also serve for lighting/sound mounting and placement. I've seen quite a few ideas thrown around regarding how to mount lights and speakers, but without knowing which build thread to reference it can be hard to find them again.

Is this something that could be potentially implimented or is there not enough support? Just curious if I should quit bringing it up or not.

[AJ Quick]

I thought I had replied. Sorry about that.

We're actually working on collapsing some of the site's sections down.

I think most threads like this could go in the Tutorials forum. Of course if you are interested in doing a series of threads that are instructional of nature, we can discuss making it into its own forum.