AVR-Chat

Hi, I have been into programming for several years, but now I want to
start with hardware. My first project will basically be a little general
purpose box with lots of buttons and leds and a display, and a comport.

I have bought the stk500, and I have no problem with the assembly
programming, and I manage to connect a few leds 74XXX ic's etc to the
stk500, and get some comport communications with my pc etc.

But I feel my electronics skills are way to low, I need to learn things
like:
* More basic understanding about the electronics.
* How to control things that require more current then the stk can
provide.
* How to build things without using the stk500.
* Howto read datasheets.
* Howto find errors in my hardware designs.
* Etc

Ie The programming isn't any problem, but I don't know enough to design
my own hardware around the AVR.

I just need to get some basic knowledge, so I can experiment. Right now
I get stuck all the time, and I don't know what to do, or where to look
for the solution.

The avrfreaks website is great, but most of the information is about
programming or the electonics is to advanced for me.

It can't be impossible for a newbee like me to design the "simple" box I
mentioned.

It should be just some shiftregisters to set the leds, some
shiftregisters to read the buttonstates, some io to the display and the
comport.

But I don't know where to put the resistors, how to get enough current
to drive the led backlight and stuff like that.

Any ideas where I can find info to learn more about electronics, ie
webpages, books, tutorials, newsgroups, irc, anything that might help
me.

Regards,
David