Beginning Electronics Book - Electronic Circuits Projects Diagrams Free

MarioAllStar · 16th January 2004, 05:37 AM

First, I would like to say how much I love these forums and how kind and helpful the users here are. I really feel I can learn a lot here. Though, there is only so much you can learn from a website.

Most articles I find (not posts here, but articles from other sites) tend to be very brief and don't go into as much detail as I would like. I am very experienced in in computers and know the basics in what makes them tick. Therefore, I do know know some general electronis as well. But, I would like to know if you guys have a recommendation of a book or two to read to really get a good understanding on electronics. I do not care how long it may be (I acually like to dig into a nice, big book) as long as it will be educational.

Thank You for your help.

samcheetah · 16th January 2004, 06:09 AM

yes u r right. articles on the net dont go into the depth that is required to obtain a gut level understanding of electronics. the simplest way to obtain knowledge is by reading a book. when u read a book lots of questions develop in your mind. then u consult other books and people who know about the topic. this is the learning process !!!!!

so i would suggest u to read alot of books on electronics. now suggesting a particular book is very difficult for someone. everybody has a different way of looking at things. so if i say XXXX is a nice book then somebody else will say no YYYY is better than XXXX.

anyway i will give u some names;

Basic Electronics by B. Grob

The Art of electronics by Paul Horowitz, Winfield Hill

Introductory Circuit Analysis by R. L. Boyelstad

get these books from a public library. read them. and then if u like them, go to a bookshop and buy them.

stevez · 16th January 2004, 12:02 PM

Electronics, like other subject areas, is a very large area. While you might get what you need from one book you'll also begin to realize how much more there is. Give some consideration to experimenting by building up something from basic components. Also consider carefully analyzing a relatively simple circuit to understand what it's doing. There is much to be learned from a close look at a one transistor amplifier. I've purchased the Radio Shack "Getting Started in Electronics" books (there are plenty of other good ones too) for friends and to use as a guide in mentoring friends with similar interests. It's incredibly basic but a fun way to learn. Note also that some of the "100 Electronics Projects" or similar kits can be great. I think people get turned off when they see it's rated for "ages 12 and up." The information is the same and these seem to be a low cost way to have a kit of everything in front of you to learn.

Dean Huster · 16th January 2004, 01:56 PM

Bernard Grob's text mentioned by Samcheetah is now in (I think) it's seventh or eighth edition and is a favorite of vocational schools across the U.S. I recommend it as a beginning book over most others and have been working with it for about 20 years of teaching electronics. I covers primarily dc and ac theory, some solid state and a little on op amps and digital. I've found that once you pass basic dc and ac theory, you need a specific book for digital, another for op amps, another for analog ICs in general, another for microprocessors, etc.

Don't ignore hobby books by Forrest Mims. I understand that Radio Shack is starting to drop them from their line, but they're available through McGraw-Hill as I recall.

Dean

John Sorensen · 16th January 2004, 03:00 PM

My vote is for the Art of Electronics, also. I've had it for years and years, but still use it all the time. In fact, today it is open to p77 (Basic Transistor Circuits).

j.

*A little story: I bought the Art of Electronics in 1994 at a Borders bookstore in Detroit, Michigan. It took me years to discover it, but I found that part of the book was missing in the Microprocessor chapter. Like 50 pages were missing, and the previous 50 pages were duplicated. But by that time I had moved to Milwaukee and there wasn't a Borders near me. Later I moved to Billings, Montana, where there IS a Borders, so I took it in and showed them; it still had the Borders price sticker on it and it was clearly a printing error, and though they were a little agitated and amazed that anyone would try to return a dog-eared, written-in book after nine years, they exchanged it with a new copy, which they had to special order.

I wonder if I have the record for returning a book?

Ok, it was a dumb story.

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16th January 2004, 05:37 AM	(permalink)
MarioAllStar	Beginning Electronics Book First, I would like to say how much I love these forums and how kind and helpful the users here are. I really feel I can learn a lot here. Though, there is only so much you can learn from a website. Most articles I find (not posts here, but articles from other sites) tend to be very brief and don't go into as much detail as I would like. I am very experienced in in computers and know the basics in what makes them tick. Therefore, I do know know some general electronis as well. But, I would like to know if you guys have a recommendation of a book or two to read to really get a good understanding on electronics. I do not care how long it may be (I acually like to dig into a nice, big book) as long as it will be educational. Thank You for your help.

16th January 2004, 06:09 AM	(permalink)
samcheetah	yes u r right. articles on the net dont go into the depth that is required to obtain a gut level understanding of electronics. the simplest way to obtain knowledge is by reading a book. when u read a book lots of questions develop in your mind. then u consult other books and people who know about the topic. this is the learning process !!!!! so i would suggest u to read alot of books on electronics. now suggesting a particular book is very difficult for someone. everybody has a different way of looking at things. so if i say XXXX is a nice book then somebody else will say no YYYY is better than XXXX. anyway i will give u some names; Basic Electronics by B. Grob The Art of electronics by Paul Horowitz, Winfield Hill Introductory Circuit Analysis by R. L. Boyelstad get these books from a public library. read them. and then if u like them, go to a bookshop and buy them.

16th January 2004, 12:02 PM	(permalink)
stevez	Electronics, like other subject areas, is a very large area. While you might get what you need from one book you'll also begin to realize how much more there is. Give some consideration to experimenting by building up something from basic components. Also consider carefully analyzing a relatively simple circuit to understand what it's doing. There is much to be learned from a close look at a one transistor amplifier. I've purchased the Radio Shack "Getting Started in Electronics" books (there are plenty of other good ones too) for friends and to use as a guide in mentoring friends with similar interests. It's incredibly basic but a fun way to learn. Note also that some of the "100 Electronics Projects" or similar kits can be great. I think people get turned off when they see it's rated for "ages 12 and up." The information is the same and these seem to be a low cost way to have a kit of everything in front of you to learn. __________________ stevez

16th January 2004, 01:56 PM	(permalink)
Dean Huster	Bernard Grob's text mentioned by Samcheetah is now in (I think) it's seventh or eighth edition and is a favorite of vocational schools across the U.S. I recommend it as a beginning book over most others and have been working with it for about 20 years of teaching electronics. I covers primarily dc and ac theory, some solid state and a little on op amps and digital. I've found that once you pass basic dc and ac theory, you need a specific book for digital, another for op amps, another for analog ICs in general, another for microprocessors, etc. Don't ignore hobby books by Forrest Mims. I understand that Radio Shack is starting to drop them from their line, but they're available through McGraw-Hill as I recall. Dean __________________ Dean Huster, Electronics Curmudgeon Contributing Editor emeritus, "Q & A", of the former "Poptronics" magazine (formerly "Popular Electronics" and "Electronics Now" magazines). R.I.P.

16th January 2004, 03:00 PM	(permalink)
John Sorensen	My vote is for the Art of Electronics, also. I've had it for years and years, but still use it all the time. In fact, today it is open to p77 (Basic Transistor Circuits). j. *A little story: I bought the Art of Electronics in 1994 at a Borders bookstore in Detroit, Michigan. It took me years to discover it, but I found that part of the book was missing in the Microprocessor chapter. Like 50 pages were missing, and the previous 50 pages were duplicated. But by that time I had moved to Milwaukee and there wasn't a Borders near me. Later I moved to Billings, Montana, where there IS a Borders, so I took it in and showed them; it still had the Borders price sticker on it and it was clearly a printing error, and though they were a little agitated and amazed that anyone would try to return a dog-eared, written-in book after nine years, they exchanged it with a new copy, which they had to special order. I wonder if I have the record for returning a book? Ok, it was a dumb story.