[sdiy] beginner schematic book

[harrybissell]

Wow... "synth-lords"
sounds good... maybe like star wars
"the empire is secretly under the control
of a synth-lord...

anyway-

(Hi Johnny)

There was a book that radio shack used to publish, something
like an encyclopedia of electronics.  I'll try to find out the
name (a friend had it)

I recommend magazines... I used to read Popular Electronics
and Radio Electronics but they are long gone...

A favorite of mine is to read data books from various manufacturers
especially National Semiconductor...  AN-31 "op amp circuit collection"
from their Linear Applications book is a favorite.

The trick to schematics is to break them into functional blocks...

these components form a preamp (and what is that?) and these are
a filter (and what is that?) and these are the power supply.  Some of the
(teehee) synth-lords who have web sites will sometimes analyze their
own designs and publish what they did...

Another favorite is the Design Ideas from EDN magazine, or (iirc)
Design Notes from Electronic Design magazine.  These are trade
magazines that are free to those in the industry, and cost huge bucks
to those outside their 'criteria'... so be sure to call yourself a vice president
of engineering, give yourself a nice company name and say you specify
components regularly... and I bet you qualify. If you don't, apply again
They actually REFUSED me once... I laughed because I had been receiving their
mag for more than 20 years... funny... about a week after the refusal, the mags
arrived at my door.

Ideas for design are circuits sent in by readers, they pay them a nominal fee if they
are published.  Not to toot my own horn,  but a recent Idea for Design of mine...
for an envelope follower circuit... is there.  Our own (Lord :^) Mike Irwin has a few
VCA and oscillator circuits there, and there is a nice noise source by a guy named
Dick Cappels (I invited him to be a ~gasp~ synth-lord after reading that one... maybe
he's lurking right now)

My suggestion... find a simple circuit of something that you would like to build... or
just understand... and either post it or send a link to it... I (or any other volunteer) could
help you break it into blocks and understand each one a little at a time.  Plan on adding
to your knowledge forever though.....

H^) harry

Nrthrnsol at aol.com wrote:

> hey synth lords
> i am an absolute beginner
> i know little about schematics and have completed a few small projects
> i was wondering if you guys have any suggestions on a good book that will help me understand schematics and translating them so i can take the schematic and build off it
> any ideas
> thank you
> johnny