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Electrical & Electronic Engineering DT021 Via General Entry DT066

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  • 29-06-2015 1:31pm
    #1
    D46
    Registered Users Posts: 4 ✭


    Just wondering if anyone is on or has finished the above. I am enrolling as a mature student this coming September in Electrical & Electronic Engineering DT021. However first year is General DT066 to all Engineering students.
    I am looking to get a head start on some of the course content.
    Any recommendations or advice on material that would be beneficial to familiarise myself with prior entry. I am more concerned about areas such as programming microcontrollers etc as I have not done so before.
    Tagged:


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    #2
    2011
    Moderators, Home & Garden Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators, Regional East Moderators Posts: 12,558 Mod ✭✭✭✭2011


    D46 wrote: »
    I am more concerned about areas such as programming microcontrollers etc as I have not done so before.

    You are not expected to have done this before. The course will start with the basics.

    By the way, excellent course choice. I work with a lot of engineers that have graduated from DT021.


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    #3
    D46
    Registered Users Posts: 4 ✭D46


    Hi, thanks for the reply. Yep I have been told that it is a great course aright, looking forward to it.


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    #4
    DeccyJ
    Registered Users Posts: 33 ✭DeccyJ


    I'm sure you're already tearing into it at this stage but I started DT021 as a mature student in 2013 and I'm now in 3rd year of DT081. I changed after 1st year but they're still very similar.

    One piece of advice I'd have for you on microcontrollers is to get the manual of whatever one you're working with and just get elbow deep in the thing. It's the only way, but it is a bit scary. The MSP430 manual is a few hundred pages but it's the only job for getting to know how to get it to do what you want. There are good PDF tutorials on the net but they're few and far between, and you can waste serious time looking for a non-existent easy way out. Maybe you're working on the PIC - there's a good little orange book hiding in the library by a guy called Sid Katzen, and it'll cover you for computer architecture too.

    Keep up to date with your lab reports. If you have time, write them up - even when you don't have to. It'll make life easier for you in the long run (if you want a handle on the material, that is - if you only care about passing exams just do loads and loads of past papers).

    Get a good grip on a few fundamentals and you'll be as well placed as anyone as the modules develop. You'll see a lot of material cross-over. Now's the time to get your calculus sharp. Second-year maths is no joke but you'll be grand if your integration is on form. There's a book on op-amps in the library by William D Stanley. I highly recommend it. And read about whatever subjects you're particularly interested in outside of college. I've been reading a bit extra about a few subjects I particularly like and it pays off. Be careful with American authors though - even their symbols for the natural log is different to ours. That said, my favourite author is American. You'll find what works for you but start looking now if you haven't already. I'll shut up now!


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