The Art of Electronics
by Paul Horowitz, Winfield Hill
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Book Reviews of The Art of Electronics
Book Review: Not great, but still better than the rest....
Summary: 4 Stars
Most, if not all, general electronics textbooks start from basic principles such as circuit analysis and low-level components before briefly covering system design. Unfortunately, such texts drown readers in (mostly) useless theory and math that most engineers will never use.
Modern technology has progressed to the point that no one can know or possibly understand all of the details. In this day and age, when only a minority of design engineers actually design at the transistor-level and most engineers are system-engineers (designing at the IC datasheet level), a new approach is needed: ideally, a general electronics textbook should START by explaining electronic systems at the high, conceptual-level, before working down to the functional block and transistor-level. At minimum, it should explain how to interpret IC datasheet spec.s and how to properly "hook" chips together. (Instead, textbooks start with the gory details of pn junctions, etc. instead of first explaining the applications of a transistor as a switch/amplifier and then constrasting BJTs vs FETs; and only then going into the low-level device physics.)
AOE isn't that book, but it's certainly a good step in that direction. Unfortunately, AOE also starts from low-level details before working up to applications- however, even though the 2nd edition was published way back in 1989, it's still used today because it minimizes the math while emphasizing the practical aspects of electronic design. AOE isn't intuitive or conceptual enough for electronic newbies, but it deserves its reputation as one of the best electronics reference books/intermediate texts around. My main beef with AOE is that its encylopediac coverage means that basic concepts aren't emphasized as much. (In many ways, the Student Manual for AOE is better in this respect.) Also, due to its age, there are many obsolete sections and hot issues of today like signal integrity that are barely touched upon.
By the way, the long-awaited 3rd edition won't be available for at least a year (according to one of the authors) despite one of the reviews below.
Book Review: DD
Summary: 4 Stars
I generally like this book but it takes a great deal of work to really understand what they are talking about. They claim that load lines and small signal models are not necessary but then use elements of both. The book is much easier to understand if you include these concepts. It seems to me that these concepts were actually in the back of their minds when they wrote the book. Trying to visualize the path of operation of a transistor without using the output characteristic curves seems very frustrating. Their explanation of the input impedance of an emitter follower is very confusing unless you already have a very thorough understanding of Q-points and what this actually represents on the characteristic curves. If you use their book as a starting point after having a good understanding of analog electronics engineering, then it is a good book. Likewise, the chapters on digital electronics are good, but only if you already have a good grasp of digital electronics engineering. Not many electrical engineering textbooks explain the operation of a differential ampifier well and this one does not either. They do explain the design of constant current sources well, but it makes much more sense if a set of output characteristic curves are used along with their explanation. Not many textbooks really explain how a computer works as a sequential machine. This one does not either. They simply talk about the different circuits used in a computer, but not how they actually work to create a sequential machine. They give examples of circuits that do not work and I generally liked that idea. Their explanation of feedback and frequency response leaves a great deal of information out. Again, if you already have a solid grasp of these concepts, then these sections are good.Book Review: The 'Bible' for electronic design.
Summary: 5 Stars
This is my "desert isle" book for electronic design.
Everything about it is perfect.
I designed a whole 68000 based voltage calibrator just from
what I learned in one of the book's chapters.
The component selection tables have never failed to suggest
a part for my application, although they are getting dated.
The chapter on low power design is a must read. The index
is perfect. I once had a problem in one of my designs where
I saw "fuzz" on a signal. The system I was designing
was a high precision voltage calibrator which consisted of
several printed circuit boards plugged into connectors on a
motherboard. I couldn't figure out where the "fuzz" was
coming from, so I thought I might see what Horowitz and Hill
could offer as a possible explanation. I looked up the
word "fuzz" in the index and sure enough it pointed me to a
page which mentioned that modular systems sometimes suffer
from signals with "fuzz" on them due to the inductance of
the connectors causing a lousy ground return.
The chapter on op-amps is so, so simple, stressing the
fact that when dealing with op-amps the most important
things to remember are that no current flows into the input
terminals and that the two input terminals are always at the
same potential as long as you have negative feedback. You
can go a long way in designing with op-amps just by
remembering these two simple rules.
The chapter on precision design was particularly
applicable for me when I was designing for data acquistion.
Common mode rejection, signal integrity, offset voltage,
temperature affects are all explained.
The authors have a very, very readible style, and a
sense of humor too.Book Review: disappointing
Summary: 1 Stars
This book has one big plus, and that's its breadth. It coverseverything from basic RC networks to a complete mini-computer.
It's also full of tips, tricks and rules of thumb (or rule of
thumbs?).
However, this comes at a price. Most of what the explanations
in this book are woefully inadequate, if present at all. Very
often, you'd see a complicated circuit accompanied by a statement
such as "so and so circuit is good for doing this" and that's it!
And many of these circuits are not obviuos. Soemtimes a tip or
a circuit trick is introduced without explaining how exactly it
works. Some circuit symbols are used without every explaining
what they mean and to top it all off, I found out from one of
the authors recently that in some of the schematics they use
"real world" component values instead of theoretical ones. As
an example, they terminate 50ohm transmission lines with 51ohm
resistors in their schematics (theoretically, you use 50ohm
terminators). That would be fine if they pointed it out, but I had to
spend hours trying to figure out what the heck was going
on before i emailed Win Hill. Finally, the most confusing aspect
are jargon words thrown around without explaining what they
mean.
In outher words, this looks more like a set of notes one
experienced engineer would write for another when they both
know what they're talking about, and not at all like a teaching
book.
It could have been much better, but they chose to go for
quantity and sacrifice quality, so I can only give it 1 star.
Great circuit advice is worth nothing when you don't understand
the theory behind it.
Book Review: Generally Impressive and Useful; Highly Recommend
Summary: 5 Stars
This is an impressive and detailed book 1100 pages of electronics circuits, diagram, and tips. If you started at the beginning and worked your way through chapter by chapter it would be similar to taking a complete course on electronics. It has 15 chapters plus a large appendix.
For example the early chapters are basic introductions that quickly graduate to transistors and circuits progressing through to switches and linear circuits. By chapter 5 they proceed to filters then on to power supplies and regulators, and special amplifiers and shielding. Then they make a transition to digital circuits midway through the book, then again using that as a basis to make the next step to microcomputers by chapter 10. That continues to chapter 13 where the subject turns to RF and microwaves. The book ends with examples of measurement. So all in all it is a step by step review from simple voltage sources through computers to RF with many examples. It is all easy to read and quite clear. The book is not designed for a novice but probably better someone in the field and needs a refresher or one excellent reference source.
Having graduated EE more than a few years ago I need a quick reference in the office where I can refresh my memory or design something new, or see what if any new developments are available.
To make a long story short, as a user I do use the book but as a reference. When you first get the book do a quick read to get a general understanding and then go back to the book as required. The book is an excellent addition to any technical reference library. It is worth the cost, no brainer.
Four or five stars.
Industrial user.