Want to Design and Build Your Own Circuits? Any Book Suggestions?

Click For Summary

Discussion Overview

The discussion centers around recommendations for books on electronics, specifically aimed at individuals with a basic understanding seeking to design and build their own circuits. Participants express interest in both theoretical knowledge and practical application, including integrated circuits and circuit design techniques.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Homework-related

Main Points Raised

  • One participant, an M.E., seeks book recommendations to deepen their understanding of electronics, mentioning a basic background in opamps, transistors, diodes, and transformers.
  • Another participant suggests that hands-on experience through building projects is more effective than reading, recommending hobby sites and starter kits.
  • A participant expresses a desire to learn more about circuit elements and integrated circuits, emphasizing the need for theoretical knowledge about concepts like saturation and response delay.
  • Several participants recommend "The Art of Electronics" by Horowitz and Hill as a suitable resource for self-study, noting its effectiveness in providing a foundational understanding of circuit assembly.
  • One participant mentions having previously used a breadboard and expresses a need for more theoretical knowledge before proceeding with building circuits.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally agree on the value of "The Art of Electronics" as a resource, but there is no consensus on the best approach to learning electronics, with differing views on the balance between theoretical study and practical application.

Contextual Notes

Some participants highlight the importance of understanding specific circuit behaviors and characteristics, indicating that there may be gaps in knowledge that need to be addressed before effective circuit design can occur.

Curl
Messages
756
Reaction score
0
I'm an M.E. and I want to learn about electronics to the point where I can design and build circuits that do what I want. Right now I have only a very basic background from undergrad EE courses, I know a bit about opamps and transistors and diodes and transformers and the E&M physics theory and that's about it.
I need to learn the tricks and details about circuits, so is there any book that is suitable for this? I also want to learn about the integrated circuits out there that are common and useful, and how to use them. Are Schaum's outline books a good bet?
Thanks for the suggestions.
 
Engineering news on Phys.org
You'll learn 100X faster by doing than by reading.

Look into some hobby sites.

Buy a "solderless breadboard" and build something for fun, or perhaps an electronic hobby kit.

"Big Ear" kit plus an old satellite dish makes a fun first project..

http://www.rainbowkits.com/kits/instructions/AA1.pdf
 
  • Like
Likes   Reactions: scottdave
I have a breadboard and I made a few projects in the past, but what I feel I'm lacking is more knowledge about how the circuit elements and ICs work. Before I can build anything I have to draw it out first - so I need to learn more theory, e.g. such things as saturation, response delay, breakdown... I don't really know what I'm talking about but hopefully you understand what I'm asking.
 
Curl said:
I'm an M.E. and I want to learn about electronics to the point where I can design and build circuits that do what I want. Right now I have only a very basic background from undergrad EE courses, I know a bit about opamps and transistors and diodes and transformers and the E&M physics theory and that's about it.
I need to learn the tricks and details about circuits, so is there any book that is suitable for this? I also want to learn about the integrated circuits out there that are common and useful, and how to use them. Are Schaum's outline books a good bet?
Thanks for the suggestions.

I like the book "The Art of Electronics" by Horowitz and Hill:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/0521370957/?tag=pfamazon01-20

You can take a look at it at your local university library or technical bookstore. It's pretty good for self study, and if you read it cover to cover, you will have a good basic understanding about how to put circuits together.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
berkeman said:
I like the book "The Art of Electronics" by Horowitz and Hill:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/0521370957/?tag=pfamazon01-20

You can take a look at it at your local university library or technical bookstore. It's pretty good for self study, and if you read it cover to cover, you will have a good basic understanding about how to put circuits together.

Got it, awesome book. Precisely what I was looking for. Thanks a lot.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Curl said:
Got it, awesome book. Precisely what I was looking for. Thanks a lot.

Great! :smile:

BTW -- We had a fun thread here in the EE forum a while back that was based on one of the features of the AoE book:

https://www.physicsforums.com/showthread.php?t=178516

Check it out when you get a chance...
 

Similar threads

Where to Learn how to Design Circuits?
  • · Replies 7 ·
Replies
7
Views
2K
Where Can I Learn to Build Electronic Circuits By Hand?
  • · Replies 5 ·
Replies
5
Views
2K
Purely passive RC Phase Shift Oscillator?
  • · Replies 27 ·
Replies
27
Views
3K
How does AM broadcasting/receiving work + a project for HS students?
  • · Replies 20 ·
Replies
20
Views
3K
Studying Is the suggestion for self-learning mathematics from books wrong?
  • · Replies 1 ·
Replies
1
Views
2K
How do I learn to design and make my own electronics
  • · Replies 3 ·
Replies
3
Views
2K
How do I build simple circuits?
  • · Replies 33 ·
2
Replies
33
Views
6K
Circuit Board Design: Basics of Designing a PCB
  • · Replies 11 ·
Replies
11
Views
4K
Build a H-Bridge Circuit: Tips & Info
  • · Replies 10 ·
Replies
10
Views
8K
EE courses for designing audio amplifiers and speakers?
  • · Replies 3 ·
Replies
3
Views
4K