# Non-isolated DC/DC converters DC-to-DC converters are cheap and ubiquitous, but many still feel uncomfortable using them. In this talk I will talk about step-down (buck) and step-up (boost) converters, covering the basics in an easy-to-understand form, and touching on the knowledge you need to build your own. This talk will be enjoyable for you if you have basic electronics knowledge: you understand what voltage, resistance, and current mean. ##Outline - Theory of operation explained with illustrations - Synchronous and asynchronous converters: advantages and disadvantages - How to chose and evaluate cheap DC/DC converter modules you can buy online - Efficiency and sources of energy loss - Features you might want: Enable, Current Limiting, Undervoltage Protection - Control modes: voltage mode, current mode, and hysteretic mode - Unstable converters, and how to fix them - Switching noise, and how to deal with it - What if you need more voltage? Boost converters!