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How a transistor works

Ben Eater

1.4M subscribers • 28 videos on Hallway

YouTube
  • Recommended by 4 people: 4 on Hacker News.
  • A classic. People kept recommending it from 2020 to 2023.
  • Presented by Ben Eater

Beginner. No background in the topic needed.

847K views11 years ago4 recommendations

HardwareElectronicsCPUs and computer architecture

Ben Eater explains the physics and operation of an NPN bipolar junction transistor, showing how it functions as a switch and amplifier.

A detailed look at how an NPN bipolar junction transistor works and what it does. Support me on Patreon: patreon.com/beneater

Why it's here

4 people recommend this

What people say. Highly recommended as one of the clearest and most intuitive explanations of how semiconductors and transistors work.

news_to_meon Hacker News • Recommends

On “Black silicon photodetector breaks the 100% efficiency limit”

Great explanation — although only a week or so ago I wouldn't have understood a lot of it. Knowing how transistors work helps a lot: link to this video

ceronmanon Hacker News • Recommends

On “How Transistors Work [video]”

This is a good explanation, but I prefer the one by Ben Eater: How semiconductor works: link How a transistor works: link to this video

npilkon Hacker News • Recommends

On “How do transistors work, anyway?”

As someone who is not an electrical engineer, I found Ben Eater's videos on how semiconductors work and how transistors work interesting and enlightening. How semiconductors work: link How a transistor works: link to this video

1000100_1000101on Hacker News • Recommends

On “From Nand to Tetris (2017)”

Aside from his basic 8-bit CPU, Ben Eater goes into how transistors work too: link to this video . Once you've got transistors, his videos walk you through making gates. Once you've got gates, he switches to the 74xx series and builds a CPU.