Synopses & Reviews
Electronics is fascinating – want to make something of it? This book shows you how!
You can make all sorts of things, once you understand what electronics is and how it works. This book helps you out with that part, explaining the whole thing in plain English. Learn how electricity functions, how to harness it and put it to work, what tools you need to build circuits, what you can make with them, and how to do it safely.
- Mystery solved – understand what makes your iPod, remote control, and computer work
- Essential stuff – outfit your electronics lab with all the necessary tools, including some that will surprise you
- Schematic road maps – learn to read schematics and understand how they help your project get where it’s going
- Symbols of power – recognize all the identifiers for power sources, grounds, and components
- Tools of the trade – discover how to use a multimeter, logic probe, oscilloscope, and solderless breadboard
- Break it down – get to know the ins and outs of components such as resistors, capacitors ,diodes and transistors
- Getting it together – find out how integrated circuits make all the rest possible and learn to work with them
- & Analyze it – understand the rules that govern current and voltage and learn how to apply them
Open the book and find:
- The difference between electronics and electricity
- A list of essential tools
- Cool projects you can build quickly
- Great places to find parts
- Important safety tips
- What a sine wave is
- Interesting stuff about speakers, buzzers, and DC motors
- Ohm’s Law and how to use it
Synopsis
- Features lots of new projects--including over 20 breadboard projects that can be done in 10 minutes or less
- Contains eight pages of all-new full-color photos illustrating techniques and finished projects
- Thoroughly updated with all the latest information on tools and safety, multimeters, oscilloscopes, logic probes, resistors, capacitors, transistors, breadboard circuits, printed circuit boards, and microcontroller implementation and programming
Synopsis
The leading beginner's guide to electronics--now completely updated!
Now revised to cover the latest developments and trends and expanded with new projects and new full-color illustrations, this fun and easy guide is just what students and would-be hobbyists need to take the plunge into the world of electronics. This new edition features over 20 breadboard projects that can be done in ten minutes or less, along with the latest information on tools and safety, multimeters, oscilloscopes, logic probes, resistors, capacitors, transistors, breadboard circuits, printed circuit boards, and microcontroller implementation and programming.
Gordon McComb (Oceanside, CA) is the "Robotics Resources" columnist for SERVO Magazine and the bestselling author of more than 60 electronics and robotics books. Earl Boysen (Port Townsend, WA) is a veteran computer chip engineer and the coauthor of Electronics Projects For Dummies (978-0-470-00968-0).
Synopsis
A complete update that covers the latest advancements in the field of electronics
As the go-to guide for electronics fundamentals, this new edition has been completely updated to cover all the latest topics in the areas of circuitry, wiring, robotics, transmitters, hardware, microcontrollers, amplifiers, and more. Packed with exciting new projects, technical updates, and updated examples, this beginner guide to electronics debunks and demystifies the world of electronics.
Everyone from hobbyists and do-it yourselfers to people who need to troubleshoot and make electronic repairs will find this guide extraordinarily helpful. The friendly tone used throughout lends itself to a more approachable tone for even the trickiest topics. Offers a brief overview of the science of electronics Reviews the various tools of the trade (oscilloscope, logic probe, etc.) Features numerous new projects, including more than 20 breadboard projects that you can do in ten minutes or less Includes some extremely helpful beginner-level information based on reader feedback from the previous edition
Jolt into action and get started on your electronics project with this easy-to-understand guide
About the Author
Cathleen Shamieh is a high-tech writer with extensive engineering and consulting experience in the fields of medical electronics, speech processing, and telecommunications. Gordon McComb writes the Robotics Resources column for SERVO Magazine, the leading hobby electronics magazine in the US.
Table of Contents
Introduction 1Part I: Understanding the Fundamentals of Electronics 7
Chapter 1: What Is Electronics and What Can It Do for You? 9
Chapter 2: Manipulating Electricity to Make Something Happen 21
Chapter 3: Meeting Up with Resistance 39
Chapter 4: Getting a Charge Out of Capacitors 65
Chapter 5: Curling Up with Coils and Crystals 91
Chapter 6: The Wide World of Semiconductors 111
Chapter 7: Packing Parts Together on Integrated Circuits 143
Chapter 8: Rounding Out Your Parts List 169
Part II: Getting Your Hands Dirty 191
Chapter 9: Setting Up Shop and Ensuring Your Safety 193
Chapter 10: Reading Schematics219
Chapter 11: Constructing Circuits 239
Chapter 12: Measuring and Analyzing Circuits 259
Chapter 13: Getting Down with Logic Probes and Oscilloscopes 281
Part III: Putting Theory into Practice 301
Chapter 14: Exploring Some Learning Circuits 303
Chapter 15: Great Projects You Can Build in 30 Minutes or Less327
Part IV: The Part of Tens 351
Chapter 16: Ten (Or So) Terrific Tips to Help You Succeed 353
Chapter 17: Ten (Or So) Great Electronics Parts Sources 363
Appendix: Internet Resources 369
Glossary 375
Index 387