Home › Topics › Hardware & Electronics
Electronics & circuit design: videos Hacker News recommends
Electronics: analog and digital circuits, PCB design, grounding and EMI, signal integrity, power supplies, oscilloscopes, EEVblog, Ben Eater, op-amps, RF and radio, test equipment. Below: every video in this topic that at least three HN users linked with real commentary, in at least three different months (35 demos, 28 explainers, 24 tutorials), best-scored first, with the comments on each video page.
- 12 HN recommenders 15 months 2014–2026HN repeatedly calls it the clearest introduction to waves and transmission-line behavior, better than modern explainers.
- 14 HN recommenders 12 months 2017–2023HN repeatedly recommends the series it launched as the best way to understand how a CPU works, praised for Eater's clear teaching.
- 11 HN recommenders 11 months 2019–2026HN repeatedly recommends it as the best hands-on way to understand how a CPU and a computer work from first principles.
- 12 HN recommenders 10 months 2010–2024T The Qualcomm Institute · talkRecommended for years as the best technical introduction to memristors from the person who found the physical device.
- 9 HN recommenders 10 months 2021–2025A Altium · lectureHailed as the best video on electrical engineering and an essential, eye-opening watch for anyone designing high-speed boards.
- 8 HN recommenders 8 months 2021–2026HN considers it the best experimental rebuttal and clarification of the Veritasium wire debate, with real measurements.
- 5 HN recommenders 6 months 2021–2026A Altium · talkHN engineers cite Hartley as the intuitive, field-based alternative to cargo-cult PCB advice, especially on differential pair routing, reference planes and EMI.
- 8 HN recommenders 7 months 2019–2024HN recommends it as a clear, from-scratch look at how video hardware works, understandable with just basic logic knowledge.
- 6 HN recommenders 6 months 2017–2026D Dalibor Farný · documentaryHN commenters call it mesmerizing and a great look at how things are actually made by a dedicated craftsman.
- 7 HN recommenders 6 months 2021–2025HN commenters recommend it as a clear, comprehensive explanation of USB signaling and keyboard polling.
- 5 HN recommenders 5 months 2024–2026Praised as the clearest visual explanation of transmission lines, impedance and signal propagation, with several commenters saying it made it all click.
- 6 HN recommenders 6 months 2019–2024M Microsoft Israel R&D Center · talkHN people point to it as the sober, technically grounded picture of hardware supply chain security, and an eye-opening one.
- 6 HN recommenders 6 months 2023–2026HN points people to it as a deep dive showing how complex logic was built without computers.
- 6 HN recommenders 5 months 2023–2026Linked whenever people ask why a Thunderbolt cable costs so much; the CT scans show the construction difference clearly.
- 4 HN recommenders 4 months 2020–2026HN calls it one of the best explanations of how atomic clocks actually work.
- 5 HN recommenders 5 months 2021–2026HN points to it as proof that efficient, long-lived LED bulbs can be built and as an example of well-designed lamps.
- 4 HN recommenders 4 months 2021–2024HN recommends it as the clearest introduction to what is inside an AC EV charging station and why it is much simpler than people assume.
- 3 HN recommenders 4 months 2019–2025HN treats it as the obligatory video to share whenever plugs and sockets come up, praised for its safety reasoning.
- 4 HN recommenders 4 months 2020–2023HN commenters prefer it over other transistor explanations as an enlightening starting point that leads into building logic gates and a CPU.
- 4 HN recommenders 4 months 2018–2026Recommended as the best look inside a modern PCB fab, cited in threads on hobby PCB vendors, manufacturing in China and automation.
- 1 HN recommenders 4 months 2018–2021Linked by the author and others in LibrePCB threads as the best explanation of its design rationale.
- 3 HN recommenders 3 months 2013–2020A Afrotechmods · demoHN commenters use it as a vivid, math-backed demonstration of what ultracapacitors can do and why shorting them is dangerous.
- 3 HN recommenders 3 months 2021–2024HN links it in any LED Christmas light discussion as the explanation of why they look off and how to fix it.
- 3 HN recommenders 3 months 2017–2023Recommended as the key video for understanding control logic and microcode.
- 3 HN recommenders 3 months 2019–2024HN people use it as the accessible go-to explainer for the superhet trick whenever radios or signal processing come up.
- 4 HN recommenders 3 months 2023–2026HN cites it for the field-based picture of power transfer, noting it was controversial at release but the experiment largely backed the creator.
- 3 HN recommenders 3 months 2017–2022J Jellybean Fenderson · tutorialHN finds it mesmerizing and uses it to build intuition for waveforms and oscilloscope XY drawing.
- 3 HN recommenders 3 months 2016–2021Recommended as an enlightening and funny explanation of bridge rectifiers, often linked in power supply teardown threads.
- 3 HN recommenders 3 months 2021–2022P Phil’s Lab · tutorialHN people recommend it as a real, end-to-end PCB design walkthrough that beginners successfully imitated to learn KiCad.
- 4 HN recommenders 3 months 2016–2023K K7AGE · documentaryRecommended as the definitive visual walkthrough of the WLW 500 kW transmitter, with detailed equipment views and lots of history.
- 3 HN recommenders 3 months 2022–2023B Ben Vallack · tutorialHN recommends it as a thorough, general walkthrough of the steps in designing your own keyboard.
- 3 HN recommenders 3 months 2022–2023P plgDavid · demoRecommended in threads on chip emulation as a look at how hard it is to emulate vintage sound hardware accurately.
- 3 HN recommenders 3 months 2018–2022Cited as the go-to demo that full microcontrollers now cost about three cents, replacing things like the 555 timer.
- 3 HN recommenders 3 months 2022–2025P Phil’s Lab · tutorialHN recommends it as a practical way to learn KiCad and PCB design by following one full project.
- 3 HN recommenders 3 months 2012–2020Recommended as a good introduction to SMD soldering techniques for beginners.
- 3 HN recommenders 2 months 2018–2023HN commenters credit it for inspiring their own satellite-reception hobby and praise the channel's high-quality content.
- 3 HN recommenders 3 months 2020–2022D DigiKey · tutorialRecommended as a friendly starting point for people who want to learn PCB design with free tools.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2013–2021HN likes Ellsworth as a hardware tinkerer, and cites the video as proof that transistors can be made with low-tech, DIY fabrication.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2016–2024Cited in threads about cheap chargers as proof of why proper certified and isolated power supplies are worth paying for.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2019–2022T The Signal Path · demoRecommended as part of a channel with deep teardowns of extreme test equipment, valuable for anyone interested in electronics or RF.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2020–2021Recommended as an eye-opening look at pre-computer automation and relay logic.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2014–2019Recommended as a deep, hands-on explanation of how a 555 timer works inside.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2019–2023HN people recommend it as a fantastic maker project among Apollo anniversary builds.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2019–2026HN commenters recommend it as an especially good explanation of analog TV and CRT shadow masks.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2019–2023HN people recommend Ben Eater's videos for easy, clear explanations of digital logic and building computers.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2018–2023E EEVdiscover · interviewCommenters recommend the series for hearing an operations supervisor explain how Voyager signals are actually received.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2023–2024Shared in Voyager news threads as an accessible look at the real equipment used to talk to the probes.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2016–2023J John Gammell · tutorialHN points to it as proof that SMD soldering is simpler than people fear.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2018–2022Suggested as a gentle starting point for beginners in electronics.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2024–2026HN cites it as the key example of Amazon selling dangerous counterfeit goods and warns people to test their fuses.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2017–2024E EEVdiscover · tutorialRecommended in Voyager threads as the best look at how operators actually contact the probe.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2021–2024HN recommends the series as awesome and notes it is now legally on YouTube; commenters cite it for radio history.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2022–2025HN commenters recommend it as a practical explanation of microwave hazards and shielding, and of using microwave ovens safely without an enclosure.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2024–2026Brought up in Tesla auto-wiper threads as the clear explanation of how simple conventional rain sensors work.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2018–2021H HACKADAY · talkRecommended as a clear account of the craft of reading chips from photographs.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2020–2023K Kenneth Finnegan · tutorialRecommended as a practical way to get 12V or other voltages from USB-C for hobby projects.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2022–2025M mitxela · demoRecommended as a great creative PCB-design video and linked in threads on KiCad and artistic boards.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2020–2022Recommended as the answer to why breadboard computers are worth building and why breadboards work at these speeds.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2019–2024A Andreas Spiess · tutorialRecommended as a clear introduction to LoRa and the link budget idea that sets it apart.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2025–2026L LightningOnDemand · demoHN users suggest it to anyone who enjoys extreme high-voltage projects and big capacitor-bank discharges.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2022–2024Recommended for its detailed and clear look at Starlink hardware and beamforming.
- 1 HN recommenders 2 months 2016–2024HN points to it in battery-fire threads as a rare look at what is inside a Li-ion cell and how dangerous disassembly really is.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2017–2021Cited as a teardown of a well-made, safe USB charger, and as evidence for why quality chargers matter.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2019–2020Recommended as an accessible, educational build that anyone with basic logic knowledge can follow.
- 2 HN recommenders 2 months 2016–2024M Megaprocessor · demoHN commenters link it as the easy way to see the giant home-built CPU without hammering the author's website.
- 3 HN recommenders 1 months 2016–2017HN calls it a famous, hilarious teardown and a go-to example of terrible hardware quality.
- 1 HN recommenders 1 months 2021–2024Referenced as a typical example of the channel's hacker-eye view of everyday technology, and for its flasher explanation.
- 1 HN recommenders 1 months 2021–2025M Marco Reps · demoHN people point to it as a showcase of CERN's open hardware and as an example of quality metrology content.
- 1 HN recommenders 1 months 2020–2024HN links it as an entertaining, in-depth rebuttal to 5G health fears from an electrical engineer.
- 4 HN recommenders 1 months 2021–2023HN commenters recommend it as the more rigorous, polite and complete treatment of the Veritasium puzzle, though one dissents that the original misleads people.
- 1 HN recommenders 1 months 2020–2022S styropyro · demoHN mostly cites it as an example of the absurdly powerful lasers sold cheaply online, and a nod to the channel's DIY laser builds.
- 1 HN recommenders 1 months 2015–2019G Google ATAP · demoReferenced for years as the go-to example of fine gesture input, often in discussions of keyboard replacements and later its appearance in the Pixel 4.
- 1 HN recommenders 1 months 2018–2024HN points to BigClive as a source for how cheap UVC lamps actually work and what they emit.
- 1 HN recommenders 1 months 2021HN commenters point to it as the clearest explanation of the PS/2 protocol, usually when keyboard interfaces come up.
- 1 HN recommenders 1 months 2024–2025HN recommends it as an in-depth look at mechanical logic, and uses it as an analogy for state machines and biological instruction processing.
- 2 HN recommenders 1 months 2022–2024HN points to it as the authoritative explanation of why fractal wood burning with MOTs is deadly and how to reduce the risk.
- 1 HN recommenders 1 months 2020–2024Pointed to as a clear look at what is inside a smart meter, including anti-tamper switches and the cellular module.
- 1 HN recommenders 1 months 2019–2025HN points to it as a cool demonstration of cheap precision laser measurement and the origin of hacks based on self-mixing.
- 1 HN recommenders 1 months 2022–2024HN suggests it as a vivid, hands-on way to understand circuits, including for a blind child learning to program.
- 1 HN recommenders 1 months 2018–2020H Henryk Gasperowicz · demoCited as an example of how much surprising behavior can hide in seemingly simple circuits, in hardware backdoor discussions.
- 1 HN recommenders 1 months 2017–2021J Jellybean Fenderson · music videoHN cites it as the example of oscilloscope music, where the song itself is the visual, in XY mode.
- 1 HN recommenders 1 months 2019–2024HN commenters cite it as a teardown from a YouTuber who dissects appliances, showing live wires in contact with water.
- 1 HN recommenders 1 months 2024–2026C CNLohr · demoHN cites it as a striking example of radio hacking with commodity chips.
- 1 HN recommenders 1 months 2021–2024Cited in caliper threads as a teardown showing how cheap digital calipers work and that they are better than expected.
- 1 HN recommenders 1 months 2021–2026T The Signal Path · explainerRecommended as the deep, expert RF analysis behind Starlink's hardware.
- 1 HN recommenders 1 months 2018–2022HN commenters recommend the series as an approachable demonstration of the simple standardized interface used by character LCDs.
- 1 HN recommenders 1 months 2015–2019A Adafruit Industries · interviewPointed to as a companion to the Art of Electronics book, for people curious about the authors.
- 1 HN recommenders 1 months 2021–2026HN points to it as a clear explainer of how analog TV and CRTs actually work, and as the entry point to the author's wider TV series.
- 1 HN recommenders 1 months 2014–2023HN cites it as the go-to debunking whenever solar roads come up, because it does the math.
- 1 HN recommenders 1 months 2017–2026HN cites it as empirical evidence that PCIe cables can be chained to roughly three meters before failing.
- 1 HN recommenders 1 months 2025–2026J Jeija · demoRecommended as the companion explanation to the Espargos project, showing how phase and time differences localize devices.
- 1 HN recommenders 1 months 2018–2026Pointed to as proof that you can weigh micrograms cheaply at home, and as a clear breakdown of how such a scale works.
- 1 HN recommenders 1 months 2016–2022R RimstarOrg · tutorialHN recommends it as a clear explanation of how lifters and ion wind propulsion work, mostly in threads about exotic propulsion and flying saucers.
- 1 HN recommenders 1 months 2016–2019HN points to it as an engineer's evidence of why cheap counterfeit chargers are dangerous.
- cited 3× 0 months 2017–2020Cited as the definitive engineering takedown of uBeam and as a cautionary example of hype-driven startups.
- cited 4× 0 months 2019–2022HN cites it whenever someone asks whether USB-C holds up better than micro USB, as a small sample but concrete test.
- cited 4× 0 months 2020–2022HN uses it as an example of Google's search answers confidently giving the wrong date for the invention.
- cited 15× 0 months 2017–2026A ateijeiro0 · demoHN commenters bring it out whenever AM radio, strong transmitters or accidental demodulation comes up, as the classic example of grass playing radio.
- cited 4× 0 months 2016–2023U uwsensor · demoLinked as the original demonstration whenever battery-free or energy-harvesting wireless communication comes up.
- cited 3× 0 months 2017–2020HN cites it as an example of early research into room-scale wireless power transfer.
Showing the 100 best-scored of 105. Use search to find the rest.
Questions
What is the most recommended electronics & circuit design video on Hacker News?
AT&T Archives: Similiarities of Wave Behavior (Bonus Edition) by AT&T Tech Channel: HN repeatedly calls it the clearest introduction to waves and transmission-line behavior, better than modern explainers.
How is this electronics & circuit design list ranked?
By HackerTube's score: the number of distinct months in which an HN comment recommended the video, plus half a point for every month with a strong recommendation. One viral thread counts less than steady recommendations over years.
Where do the videos come from?
From every Hacker News comment between 2007 and 2026 that linked a YouTube video, labeled by an AI model as a recommendation, a citation, a joke or a criticism. The list is published by HackerTube under ODC-By 1.0; this edition adds indexable pages and the comment context.
Video list and Hacker News comment labels from HackerTube (prompted by @karpathy), released under ODC-By 1.0, built on the open-index/hacker-news archive. Hacker News data is provided by Y Combinator; comments remain the work of their authors. Video titles, channel names and thumbnails belong to their creators and are shown via YouTube. HackerTube Watch is an unofficial edition. Data export of 2026-10-31.