EEVblog #1270 - Electronics Textbook Shootout

[EEVblog]

What is the best electronics textbook?
A look at four very similar electronics device level texbooks:
Conclusion is at 40:35
Electronic Devices by Floyd: https://amzn.to/2s4BSnK
Electronic Principles by Malvino & Bates: https://amzn.to/2DX88f3
Microelectronic Circuits by Sedra & Smith: https://amzn.to/2s5nBXX
Electronic Devices and Circuit Theory by  Boylestad: https://amzn.to/33TF2rC

Also:
The Art of Electronics: https://amzn.to/2qv2j5p
Art of Electronics X Chapters pre-order: https://amzn.to/2qAmQWq
Digital Systems by Tocci: https://amzn.to/2Lvo8Jh

[johnlsenchak]

In my  humble opinion those  4 books  are university  text books  where  you  are forced  to take  mathematical  classes  like  algebra  and calculus  to understand the  theory  behind the   equations .   Those  books are  not for the novice, and are more  for advanced  electronic  classes

The best way to learn electronic  is to start  with  vacuum  tube   theory  with the supporting  components

These four  books  for  beginners  is how  I started . With  the advanced  AC   theory  you  will need    algebra  and trigonometry knowledge


Dave, Please no more  singing !   



Radio Shack DC Circuits Vol I + vol  2 Circuit Analysis Methods - Schematic , resistors +
https://www.amazon.com/DC-Circuits-Volumes-Vol-Electricity/dp/B001T7SR3A

AC Circuits - Basic Circuit Concepts (Radio Shack Basic Electricity Series) Vol.1 +2
https://www.amazon.com/Radio-Shack-Basic-Electricity-Circuits/dp/B000NLA1IM
https://www.amazon.com/AC-Circuits-Circuit-Concepts-Electricity/dp/B000EVNTA8
 

[nctnico]

Yeah. When I started tinkering with electronics (when the word internet didn't even exist) I used mostly books with circuits and the Philips experiments boxes. Just build something and then modify (or figure out why it doesn't work).

[johnlsenchak]

Yeah. When I started tinkering with electronics (when the word internet didn't even exist) I used mostly books with circuits and the Philips experiments boxes. Just build something and then modify (or figure out why it doesn't work).

I  learned  transistor/semiconductor  theory   in that  GE "Transistor  Manual" in the first  chapter   which went into serious detail  about the holes and electrons with those valance  bands. Those  Radio Shack    kits  where awesome ,  they  had everything to build circuits and learn  theory   

https://www.technicalaudio.com/pdf/GE/GE_Transistor_Manual_6thEd_ocr.pdf

[mcovington]

Around 6:59 in the video Dave addresses the fact that these books are not for beginners, nor for people whose approach is entirely hands-on.  These are academic textbooks for people who want to understand electronic theory and connect it to their knowledge of mathematics and physics.  He says he'd need to do another video about hands-on introductions for experimenters.

[johnlsenchak]

Around 6:59 in the video Dave addresses the fact that these books are not for beginners, nor for people whose approach is entirely hands-on.  These are academic textbooks for people who want to understand electronic theory

Which  I stated  above that you need   advanced  algebra  and calculus  to  complement  the theory  behind the electronics  engineering   that's  within those books

A beginner  to  electronics  , is not going to have that  in most cases. Advanced   AC  theory  blew  my mind   when I  learned  trigonometry ,  without that  I didn't have   a clue .


A  electronic  technician   job is not going to need  a lot of that deep theory  , learning   all those highly advanced  equations .

[mcovington]

I think the Sedra/Smith book is positioned for a different niche than the others.  It's one step more advanced.

[Fran_PSR]

Good morning, as David says it is not possible to define a book as the best but each of us has one that we like best. In my particular case I studied Malvino among others but my surprise was to discover "Modern Electronic Communication" (Jeffrey S. Beasley - Gary M. Miller) with which I was amazed; It is leased to telecommunications and as I mentioned, I consider it the bible of telecommunications. It is very structured, touches many themes and is so well designed that it is a pleasure to consult it (the paper version) ... I love this book ... ;-)

[ormaaj]

I've had better luck with more focused textbooks. E.g. a good analog CMOS design book gives better milage than the MOSFET coverage in any of those examples. These make better referance books than learning material for those wanting to deep dive, IMO.

[mcovington]

Let me toss out a slightly different question.  What kind of book do you wish you had found when you first got seriously interested in electronics?  How would it have started and what would it have covered?

[13hm13]

I've already stated the below in another thread on the SAME vlog (1270 --- why are there two threads???)

Dave,
I think you've mixed both types of textbooks into the bunch... at least from the USA perspective....
Here in the U.S., Floyd is for community college (2-yr college,  Associates degree, ASEE), and Boylestad is for 4-yr degree (BSEE, university). Not sure what other countries' college/univ. systems use. I do recall that exchange students from non-US countries noted Floyd-like textbooks from their country's BSEE coursework (i.e., less mathy).

About Floyd ... there is a companion LAB Manual (author not Floyd: by Berlin) .


Also, Floyd had other texts, like Principles of Electric Circuits and Digital Fundamentals (both excellent!!).

[velomane]

I've already stated the below in another thread on the SAME vlog (1270 --- why are there two threads???)

Here in the U.S., Floyd is for community college (2-yr college,  Associates degree, ASEE),

About Floyd ... there is a companion LAB Manual (author not Floyd: by Berlin) .


Also, Floyd had other texts, like Principles of Electric Circuits and Digital Fundamentals (both excellent!!).

Would you say, then, that the Floyd text and companion lab manual would be more appropriate for a novice looking to get into the hobby?

[ormaaj]

Here in the U.S., Floyd is for community college (2-yr college,  Associates degree, ASEE)

Eh really? Mostly undergrad books get lumped into one category. Almost everybody that does community college at least aims for a bachelors.

Would you say, then, that the Floyd text and companion lab manual would be more appropriate for a novice looking to get into the hobby?

Doesen't matter IMO. A noob is a noob whether student or hobbyist. There are both ambitious hobbyists and students that just want a grade with minimum effort.

[flint]

To follow up on what Dave said about AoE at Harvard, Google offers a bit more data:

Harvard does use The Art of Electronics to teach an accelerated electrical engineering course.

The class is Physics 123, "Laboratory Electronics: Analog and Digital Circuit Design"
http://ipl.physics.harvard.edu/courses/physics-123/

The course is also available through their Summer School program (4 days a week, for 7 weeks).  It's an 8-credit course (roughly half a semester of credit) covering the basics of both analog and digital design.
https://www.summer.harvard.edu/course-catalog/courses/laboratory-electronics-analog-and-digital-circuit-design/34489

The class uses its own curriculum.  It uses AoE as a secondary reference, not necessarily as a textbook.

Non-students can also self-study the material using the "Learning the Art of Electronics" book by Thomas C. Hayes, although that book requires $100s of components and some home lab equipment.
https://www.amazon.com/Learning-Art-Electronics-Hands-Course/dp/0521177235/

Flint

[13hm13]

Electronics for Your Future
by Daniel L. Metzger

This little-known paperback from 1994 is one I highly recommend.

It looks a bit primitive and unassuming ... but its somewhat "comic book" approach is unique. And it's fun, like Horowitz AoE.

0963947109 (ISBN13: 9780963947109)
303 pages

[13hm13]

Here in the U.S., Floyd is for community college (2-yr college,  Associates degree, ASEE)

Eh really? Mostly undergrad books get lumped into one category. Almost everybody that does community college at least aims for a bachelors.

I'm aware of no 4-year US university "BSEE" program that uses Floyd. Any topical textbook at the univ. level "must" be pretty mathy and use a moderate level of calculus.
Some US colleges (but not most universities) do offer Bachelor's (4-year) degrees in "Electronics Technology" (BSET). Student's with ASEE (2-year) degrees can transfer to BSET programs ... but it's not as intense as BSEE. I.e., way less math, theory, electromagnetics, etc.

BTW: If you see the word "Theory" in the title of a US electronics course textbook, it's for BSEE.