Book Description

Turn your enthusiasm into striking photographs! From composing the shot to applying special techniques and developing the film, this information-packed manual covers everything readers need to become successful black-and-white and/or color photographers. Ideal for first-year students, as well as anyone who wishes to explore the ins and outs of contemporary photography processes and state-of-the-art techniques, Photography: The Concise Guide is a fast-paced, all-around introduction to the technical aspects of making photographs. Lavishly illustrated, this full-color manual outlines essential information on film exposure and development, printing black-and-white photographs, plus methods for troubleshooting contrast, printing, sharpness, and other common problems. Clear, easy-to-follow instructions to help aspiring photographers see and compose better shots, and make creative use of light meters, shutter speeds, filters, and other special darkroom and digital photography processes. Assistance in choosing a camera, lenses, and accessories is also offered. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Perfect Balance
Easy to understand. Thorough. Artistic examples drawn from the canon of great photographers both historic and contemporary. Short enough to be affordable for beginning students; deep enough for advanced students. ... Read more

Book Description

Having trouble deciding what you're going to do after you graduate from school? Do you simply want to take your life to the next level? "The Student Success Manifesto" will help you leverage the entrepreneurial mindset to define and achieve success regardless of your career path.

Discover how to: (1) Make massive amounts of money and enjoy doing it(2) Find or make your dream job (3) Make yourself irresistible for prestigiousscholarships & awards(4) Get into your first choice school and make the most out of it(5) Meet and learn from mega role models(6) Start NOW without paying dues ... Read more

Reviews (9)

An Excellent Tactical and Philosophical Manual
Mr. Simmons' book provides higher-order-insight along with rubber-meets-the road applicability. Forward thinking people of all ages would benefit from this text. This book can help people with ownership of their own identity and lives and help them on their own road to personal fulfillment.

Sucess!!
I am so very fortunate to have been able to get my hands on this book while I am in my JR year at the University of Delaware. Had I not read this book, I would not have had my eyes opened to all the wonderful opportunities out there. Michael Simmons's Student Success Manifesto is a must read book, especially if you want to make the best of a bad situation, such as wanting to come out the rat race and becoming a successful entrepreneur. I recommend this book to everyone who is the slight bit interested in starting a successful business. Michael will open your eyes and change your life, he did mine. I wouldn't be surprised if this book was an Amazon best seller by the end of next month. Thank You Michael!!

Great Book!
This book is a great start for young entrepreneurs not only because it promotes the "extreme entrepreneurship" mindset but also because it provides the readers with tips on how to to make the best out of all the resources available and how to improve relationships with others including friends and family members. I strongly recommend this book, you will enjoy it.

Wonderful
I was fortunate to have received one of the first copies of this book while in Boston in July. I read it initially a year ago in ebook form and found it very valuable. I have put many of Michael's 'extreme entrepreneuer' tips to use in the mean time including shadowing and building my own business. It wouldn't surprise me if Michael ended up the next Covey, Kiyosaki, and Napoleon Hill combined. I would highly recommend this book to any person young or old, but especially those 15-25. 5 Stars!

"EXTREME"
This book is simply incredible. For a 21 year old mind to have so much insight, is simply remarkable. Anyone who is even considering an alternate future must read this book. Michael explores the different ways to achieve success by taking the road less traveled. He backs up his information with credible sources, exquisite detail, and a vast pool of personal accomplishments. This book will change lives, and is in line to be a best seller. ... Read more

Book Description

Designed to demystify the Motorola 68000 microprocessor -- its hardware and software -- this book leads readers on an in-depth, hands-on exploration of more than 75 different applications and then guides them through the construction and programming of their own working single-board 68000 system. KEY TOPICS: Covers software details of the 68000, exception processing, data structures, programming the 68000, hardware details of the 68000, memory system design, I/O system design, advanced programming using 68000 peripherals, building a working 68000 system, and the advanced 680x0 series microprocessors. Features a Troubleshooting Techniques section in each chapter -- with real-world tips, techniques, and suggestions on how to work with various hardware and software topics. Provides a companion diskette containing all programs found in the text plus additional software -- ASM68K and EMU68K -- for emulating 68000 code on IBM compatible personal computers.For anyone interested in the hardware and software aspects of the Motorola 68000 microprocessor. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Excellent Book !
I purchased this book about a year ago, and I have now read it pretty-much cover-to-cover. It is an excellent book. What I have found is that there are very few books on the market that cater to the individual who wants to build a microcomputer, starting from square one. This book caters to that market. If you are trying to build a Motorola 68000 system "from scratch", this book is for you. Be aware that there are a few pieces of information in the book that seem to be out of date. For instance, in the "working system" Mr. Antonakos describes how to build, he recommends an easier-to-use version of a UART that was apparently meant for the old Motorola 6800. The serial communications chip he recommends is now obsolete. However, as I have plowed my way through the morass of parts sellers and other charlatans, I have found that MANY parts are obsolete, even ones listed in the current catalogs of some of the biggest, most reputable IC distributors. Antonakos cannot be blamed for that. If you are interested in "building from scratch" with a Motorola 68000, also be aware of another data point : the 68000 seems to have an obituary written on it. My nose tells me Motorola is going to pull the carpet out from under it, maybe soon, or maybe not for another couple of years. In any case, it doesn't seem like the 68000 is going to be around for long. If you want to do it (build your own 68000 system), get this book and do it now !

outstanding "pratical" text on the 68000
This is a very good introduction about the 68000 from a pratical point of view,both at the assembly language level and at the hardware level.Only bad point is the accluded diskette which i found very tricky to use.The style of exposition of mr Antonakos is outstanding and very easy to follow.A great introduction to the 68000. ... Read more

Book Description

For those wanting to develop or enhance their skills as a child care provider, Caring for School-Age Children is an ideal choice.The book introduces the reader to the people in child care; the children; the families; and then shows how caregivers can help children in various competencies throughout different stages of childhood. Suggestions for designing day-to-day activities, program planning, creating environments that contribute to each child's success, as well as how to implement them, are meaningfully presented. This edition gives insights on handling behavioral and social issues, and how to use community resources and national programs to reinforce center or school based goals for improving quality through accreditation, credentialing, and evaluation. Also new to this two-colored edition are caregiver profiles, helpful web site case studies, and expanded ... Read more

Book Description

Lavishly produced and illustrated, Cinematography covers the entire range of the profession. The book is not just a comprehensive guide to current professional practice; it goes beyond to explain the theory behind the practice, so you understand how the rules came about and when it's appropriate to break them. In addition, directors will benefit from the book's focus on the body of knowledge they should share with their Director of Photography.

Cinematography presents the basics and beyond, employing clear explanations of standard practice together with substantial illustrations and diagrams to reveal the real world of film production.
Recognizing that professionals know when to break the rules and when to abide by them, this book discusses many examples of fresh ideas and experiments in cinematography.Covering the most up-to-date information on the film/digital interface, new formats, the latest cranes and camera support and other equipment, it also illustrates the older tried and true methods.

*The definitive guide to cinematography

*Up-to-date coverage of technical topics, including High Definition and digital imaging

*Full color throughout brings issues of color and light to life ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Not sure what all the fuss is about...
...despite the hype, this book is NOT a "great reference book" of cinematography. Instead of a thorough explanation of the craft & art of cinematography, it is instead a slim text which cursorily navigates the dual topics of technical/hardware requirements, and then briefly gestures at some of the aesthetic decisions required of good cinematography.

If you want technicals, books which cover similar territory are "Matters of Light & Depth" (Lowell), "Cinematography" & "Film Lighting" (Malkiewicz), "Placing Shadows" (Gloman/Letourneau), or even "Bare-Bones Guide" (Schroeppel -- which includes a very practical description of the 'Rule of Thirds', ie. the "Golden Mean").

If you're on a 'classical' kick, you could do a whole lot worse than "5 C's" (Mascelli), "Painting with Light" (Alton), or even "The Visual Story" (Block), which explores new media thru the lens[sic] of Eisenstein. Actually, you probably should buy "5 C's" & "Painting" anyway; they're very old, & just-recently returned to print... & in this age of accelerated obsolescence, these books might vanish again, forever.

But if you are interested in the aesthetics of cinematography, you'd do *much* better with texts such as "Cinematography: Screencraft" (Ettedgui), or with the classic "Film Art: An Introduction" (Bordwell/Thompson). In fact, after all the great reviews for "Cinematography: Image Making", I was expecting some sort of full-color/high-quality updated version of "Film Art". Nope... not even close.

IMHO, the book which best combines both worlds (technical + aesthetic) is Viera's "Lighting for Film & Electronic Cinematography". He starts with basic principles, & then quickly moves to famous shots, breaking each one down in terms of what the cinematographer was thinking, what they were 'aiming' for, & how [specifically] to put your lights to duplicate that setup. Wow.

So perhaps the title ("Cinematography: Image Making") is a misnomer, & should be "Technical Image Making". No wait-- there are some shots of beautiful cinematography in the text, right? Um, yes, but... with one terrible caveat: the majority of the images in this book which do come from great films -- are DIGITAL SCREEN-CAPTURES FROM VIDEO(?!!!) Interlaced, blurry, artifacted, awful. Unconscionable.

What a waste of potential, & of good photo-stock paper. Save your $$ for Viera's book, or Lowell's. Or you could do a whole lot worse than "5 C's" or Alton's book... which are old, but classics, describing theory & techniques as appropriate today as they were 100 years ago.

"3 Stars" for "Not-Bad"; "1 Star" for "Crushing Disappointment".

COMPREHENSIVE
I bought this book because of the glowing review it received in American Cinematographer and then soon after it was the requred book for my cinematography course at USC Film School. I have dozens of books about cinematography, and this is the only one I've ever seen that covers every aspect of cinematography.

Most books are either sort of airy, light-weight musings about aesthetics and philosophy and the other kind is strictly technical: lenses, exposure, etc. This is the one book that covers just about everything you need to know in order to be a professional cinematographer (or an amateur who knows as much as a pro).

It covers everthing from the basics to very advanced stuff and the one thing that most of my camera assistant and camera apprentice friends really like is that it covers "professional practice": the way things are done on real sets, including things like what are the responsibilties of each person: the AC, the gaffer, the grip, etc.

It has a chapter on lighting and one on creating the "look" of a film, but the one thing it doesn't go into heavily is set lighting. That is, I guess, because this author has another book about lighting (which was also a textbook in a film school course I took.) He (or she?) also says in introduction that lighting is a vast subject and there is no way to fit it into one or two chapters - it has to have it's own book.

Anyway, this book is so good, I bought some to give as Christmas presents to friends. Even the ones who are already working professional DP's enjoyed it and said they loved it. I think it is also used in some of the directing courses here at USC. The first half of the book is about the kinds of things a director needs to know as well as the DP: coverage, editorial, crossing the line, that kind of stuff.

Well written, Great Book for the Beginner or Pro
As an amateur film maker I have found this to be very well written and easy to understand. I also can see why an experienced film maker would benefit from this book.
There is alot of information and many helpful pictures.

equipment & technical guide
It's much technical guide more than a visual-aesthetic course about cinematography. So much equipment & technical explanations but very brief knowledge for visual language and photodirection. Anyway this is nice book.
If you looking for step by step guide to shooting and directing, you better search for the books by Steven D. Katz

So, who edited this book?
Believe me, this is a great book. It's filled with some highly technical and aesthetically educational information. But whoever did the editing on this potentially superlative bit of course work was either a little over eager to make a certain word count, or deluded enough to think that they could just blast a myriad of small holes in Mr. Brown's writing and no one would notice.

The last two-thirds of the book is just wonderful, filled with all the information I had hoped would be there.

The first five chapters, however, and maybe I'm missing something here, it's possible, are indiscriminately missing thoughts and ideas. The concepts appear to be developing, and then, "poof!", part of the abstract has been lifted, and we are left to fill in the missing pieces for ourselves. I doubt this is a technique for adult learning. I found myself, at times, very frustrated.

That wouldn't be so bad, but then our little under-achieving editor seems to think that one illustration will serve the purpose for multiple examples. One reference was used three times. Due credit, however: usually one of the cited examples was used correctly.

And, lastly, when subjects are listed in the index by page, it really ought to be the correct page. I'm still looking for "SED".

On the upside, the chapter on video is just about the best I've ever read: tight and accurate. Ditto on "exposure", "color theory", "controlling color", "optics" and the balance of this beneficial book, with, of course, at times, lest we forget, the occasional misdirected clarification or glaring omission.

The book is printed on great stock, the cover and the binding will certainly hold up for years. Its just an irritating shame that these initial chapters are so marred. Maybe I purchased an early edition. Let's hope that Mr. Brown's work is wildly popular so that the publishers can go back and correct their errors for subsequent editions. ... Read more

Book Description

THE most widely acclaimed introduction to circuit analysis for more than three decades. Features exceptionally clear explanations and descriptions, step-by-step examples, more than 50 practical applications, over 2000 easy-to-challenging practice problems, and comprehensive coverage of essentials. PSpice, OrCAd version 9.2 Lite Edition, Multisims 2001 version of Electronics Workbench, and MathCad software references and examples are used throughout. Computer programs (C++, BASIC and PSpice) are printed in color, as they run, at the point in the book where they are discussed.Current and Voltage. Resistance. Ohm's Law, Power, and Energy. Series Circuits. Parallel Circuits. Series-Parallel Networks. Methods of Analysis & Selected Topics. Network Theorems. Capacitors. Magnetic Circuits. Inductors. Sinusodial Alternating Waveforms. The Basic Elements and Phasors. Series and Parallel ac Circuits. Series-Parallel ac Networks. Methods of Analysis and Related Topics. Network Theorems (ac). Power (ac). Resonance. Transformers. Polyphase Systems. Decibels, Filters, and Bode Points. Pulse Waveforms and the R-C Response. Nonsinusodial Circuits. System Analysis: An Introduction.For those working in electronic technology. ... Read more

Reviews (11)

Circuit Analysis, Not Electrodynamics
The Boylestad book is one of the best I have ever read in it's niche. Circuit analysis for engineers, as an introduction to practical circuit design, is not Electrodynamics. You neither expect nor want Calculus or derivation of equations. You want and need rough and ready formulae and rules of thumb for practical analysis. This book provides them.

Circuit Analysis- yes. presentation- no.
I used the 9th edition in beginning an AAS program. They only used Boylestads book for 2 years and then switched to Floyds book(blah).
They reason why this book could be considered hard to navigate, as stated by the previous reviewer, is the fact that Boylestad talks way too much! He is protraying himself to be some sort of technical literary genius, while sometimes talking down to you, which could be contradictory considering that fact this is suposed be an "Introductory" Circuit Analysis text. The spaces become filled up with the words "hence", therefore, refer to figure etc..., and the high color graphics( which arent that great I might add. If I want to see pictures of Ohm, Hertz, and Thevnin, i can find it elsewhere). Just state the portions of the problem, give the algebraic explanation, and move on!
The book is a good coverage of circuit analysis however and can be a decent reference down the road, but Im not huge on the combined presentation of the publisher and particularly the author ;). Although the material is thorough, they should streamline it a bit more for the modern age of electronics. Im am glad I got to use this book instead of Floyds book. Its great on Circuit Analysis, but not as good on presentation.

My Favourite Technical Book?
This is a fantastic book! All the issues and examples are very clear. They have done great work! The only bad thing is that some pictures has many "problems" to be solved, those tasks can be in different pages, so you have to look at two different pages. And when you have to check the formulas also, you may have to look at three or four different pages, that's difficult. Well, this is too large book, some things have been explained too hard!

John@home.com
First of all,this is the best introductory book I have ever read. Boylestadt does an excellent job of getting to the point on the subjects he talks about.The tools he explains in network theorems are very good for the ones who wish to bone up on their skills. You might want to have some other books that explain the subject a little simpler,but you have to work any way to get at that knowledge level.This is a good class room book where one is in a group and can communicate the thoughts they have leaned from the book.
This book is not about devices such as transistors and diodes but its about how accurately you can analyze the circuit. On top of that every mistake he makes in one edition,he corrects it in another edition. So you can guess that this book is pretty good.You don't necessarily have to have a TI-86,but it makes the work flow pretty easily.You need to know what an integrand sign means but for the most part it is a very readable book.
Boylestadt has books out on devices,too. If it's like this book
you know its very knowledgable.

A student who is using this book for Circuits Analysis
Hello to everyone who reads my review of this book. First of all for those of you who will need a TI-86 calculator which this book calls for, dont worry about because doesnt even tell you how to use it for certain applications such as Super Mesh, Method Analysis and so on. I had to go to a student who was in a College Algebra class to learn how to use this calculator for this book! Second my professor shows better examples on solve the problems in the book which the book makes it so confusing. You have to ask the professor to show several examples to learn what the book is covering. I would suggest to professors and the Director/Chairman as a student, look for a book that you can use in the class other than this where students can learn from and not become so confused over the material to where almost every student in the class has to ask the professor several questions about the topic and meet with him one on one. I am speaking for other students by the way. I am also helping the professors also. Get a book that students can learn from instead of a one on one discusssion with the professor. Some thing else other than this book! Thanks for your time reading my review. ~Scott~ ... Read more

Book Description

* A much-needed clearinghouse for information on amateur and educational robotics, containing over 2,500 listings of robot suppliers, including mail order and local area businesses

* Contains resources for both common and hard-to-find parts and supplies

* Features dozens of "sidebars" to clarify essential robotics technologies

* Provides original articles on various robot-building topics ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Must Have Book
I agree that this book is a necessity for any robot builders and hobbyists.

A must have resource
Whether you're interested in robots, hobby electronics, or diy electronics, this is a great addition to your reference library. One of the best features is that McComb describes and explains the concepts for a lot of the category of parts that are in the book (for example, motors, gears, all sorts of sensors, materials, etc.) He also marks the vendors that he's used in the past, so it's easy to find a trustworthy vendor if you don't have time to look into all the vendors that he lists.
You will not be disappointed.

What a great reference book!
This book covers all aspects of technology for building robots, as well as any many other "inventions". I found this to be of exceptional value. The web site inventory is tremendous. If this book is updated every couple of years, I will be back for another. No doubt, this was a great investment in information. The cover is a bit cartoonish for such a great reference.

Not Just for Robotics
This book is a fantastic source for just about any hobby you can think of. One source alone was worth the price of the book to me. McComb has researched tons of stuff and presented it all in a very usable and unbiased format. If you love to tinker with things, I cannot reccomend this book highly enough. Not only does it present you with lots of good sources, but it is also filled with great tips in many different areas.

Great Resouce!!!!

A Robotic Combat Competitor's View
The Robot Builder's Sourcebook in many ways a must buy for those who are going to start off building their first Battlebot(TM). The skills to be resourceful and save money are very important in robotic combat, not to mention the ability to get those special custom parts to get your bot running. With Robot Builder's Sourcebook, you are provided with an Internet yellow pages of sorts to save valuable time wandering through links. Although unfortunately I have found that, due to the fast growing nature of the sport, not to mention the Internet, some valuable sites have inevitably been overlooked or outdated. But this is a small price to pay for its convenience in finding parts and great prices it provides.
The sourcebook also inserts several "mini-articles" that provides some basic information and tips that will certainly be useful to many types of robot builders. However I found that the articles and tips pages crowd the book and are impeding to the true purpose of its pages as a quick reference. This can be especially extraneous if you have specified interests concerning robotics, such as robotic combat. The articles can serve valuable purpose though and definitely are a must have for those who still need aid in implementing/buying the right parts for their robot. A choppy read, as expected, but well worth the money for its usefulness. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Good Mid to Entry Level Welding Book
As the previous reviewer said this book is laid out like text book, but, if you are looking for basic to intermediate information about the MIG and TIG welding processes you will find plenty of useful information that is easy to find and understand.

A course textbook
This book looks like it was done originally as a textbook or workbook for a welding course. I found the information to be fairly simplistic and out of date. ... Read more

Book Description

Creating healthy, productive indoor environments can be the greatest challenge facing those involved with the buildings.Whether you engineer, install, service, or operate heating, ventilating and air conditioning systems, Building Environments: HVAC Systems is for you. This comprehensive, easy-to-read text builds your understanding of HVAC systems and the controls that manage them.Through illustrations and realistic examples, Building Environments: HVAC Systems clearly and concisely explains how mechanical and control systems work together to create quality building environments.You'll learn the technical details behind these complex systems without being overwhelmed.Its unique style makes this fully illustrated text the best single reference if you are entering the HVAC industry or want to expand your knowledge of HVAC and control systems. ... Read more

Book Description

Unlike most books on filters, Analog and Digital Filter Design does not start from a position of mathematical complexity. It is written to show readers how to design effective and working electronic filters. The background information and equations from the first edition have been moved into an appendix to allow easier flow of the text while still providing the information for those who are interested.

The addition of questions at the end of each chapter as well as electronic simulation tools has allowed for a more practical, user-friendly text.

*Provides a practical design guide to both analog and digital electronic filters
*Includes electronic simulation tools
*Keeps heavy mathematics to a minimum ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Good filter design book...
Because many filters readers not understand this book, I recommend, for a good understand, to work with synthesis software like one at www.filterscad.com ... Read more

Book Description

THE AUDIOPHILE'S PROJECT SOURCEBOOK

Build audio projects that produce great sound for far less than they cost in the store, with audio hobbyists' favorite writer Randy Slone. In The Audiophile's Project Sourcebook, Slone gives you--

* Clear, illustrated schematics and instructions for high-quality, high-power electronic audio components that you can build at home

* Carefully constructed designs for virtually all standard high-end audio projects, backed by an author who answers his email

* 8 power-amp designs that suit virtually any need

* Instructions for making your own inexpensive testing equipment

* Comprehensible explanations of the electronics at work in the projects you want to construct, spiced with humor and insight into the electronics hobbyist's process

* Complete parts lists

"The Audiophile's Project Sourcebook" is devoid of the hype, superstition, myths, and expensive fanaticism often associated with 'high-end' audio systems. It provides straightforward help in building and understanding top quality audio electronic projects that are based on solid science and produce fantastic sound!

THE PROJECTS YOU WANT, FOR LESS

Balanced input driver/receiver circuits

Signal conditioning techniques

Voltage amplifiers

Preamps for home and stage

Tone controls

Passive and active filters

Parametric filters

Graphic equalizers

Bi-amping and tri-amping filters

Headphone amplifiers

Power amplifiers

Speaker protection systems

Clip detection circuits

Power supplies

Delay circuits

Level indicators

Homemade test equipment ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Amplifier projects but not good design: a cookbook
This is a smaller and more project-oriented version of this author's earlier book on building solid-state audio amplifiers. The amplifiers in this book are "plain vanilla" Class B direct-coupled transistor amplifiers, which will provide reasonable performance for utility or musical instrument use, but due to the lack of precision-matching of semiconductors and the "more-is-better" approach to using NFB, these are not going to compete in sound with Krell or Threshold. It's delusional to think otherwise.

Rather than a clean sheet of paper engineering effort walking the reader through all aspects of these designs, this is basically a presentation of a completed design as "the one true amp". I believe this author basically cookbooked these himself from works by Hood and others.

More effort is made in this volume to explain the etching of printed circuit boards. It's my belief that this is inherently an unpleasant and messy task and that the PCB era coincided with the near-death of hobby electronics in the U.S. for precisely that reason: much of the renaissance in audio hobbyist equipment building is soley due to the re-popularization of vacuum tube amplifiers built using 1950s techniques. (No ferric chloride involved.)

Personally, I think this type of amplifier is more effectively bought than built today, but if what he has is what you want, it will probably work reasonably well and is at least built from common parts. Don't delude yourself that these are truly a high-end product: compare them to mass-production amplifiers costing a little more than the retail price of all the parts and you won't be disappointed.

Best source of audio related projects
This book really sets the standard for other books dealing with building audio equipment.
The projects listed are straight forward with operational description and pcb layouts as well as the schematics.

The author clearly sets what the goals of an ideal amplifier should be (debunking any predominant myths that come along with such bold statements) and leads the reader to various designs and projects following the goals.

The numerous projects listed are all described very well (some with pcb layouts), and Randy provides many options to choose from building your ideal audio system.

I built his opti-mos design and the sound is pure harmony, like nothing else I've ever heard before (I had a couple bumps along the way but Randy is extremely helpful providing answers via email).

You can be sure that if you have a design question regarding an audio equipment, you'll find the answer in this book.

I built my own amplifiers using this book and...
I found the entire experience to be fantastic. Using Randy's books I built two OPTI-Mos designs from the ground up using only the books and a little email advice from Randy. I consider myself to be an audiophile and the two 200W mono block amplifiers I built based on Randy's topology sound as good as any B-class amplifier I've ever listened to. And that includes amplifiers costing up to as much as [a lot of money]. I honestly did not expect that to be the case.

Randy, was great help both on the phone and via e-mail when I experienced difficulties. You can also buy kits through his website if you are not confident with designing your own amplifiers from the ground up. I highly recommend this book to any one who wants to experience premier audio quality on a fixed budget.

Note that the book concentrates primarily on signal processing equipment between the source and the speakers. There are many designs for Amplifiers, Preamplifiers, Tone Controls, Equalizers, etc... But there isn't really anything on how to build CD players or other source equipment. If Mr. Sloane ever publishes such a book. I will most certainly absolutely buy it.

A great DIY audio publication
I have purchased three books by Randy Slone and have found all of them to be fascinating reading. Even though I am a novice with respect to amplifier design and construction, I feel that I will now be able to attempt one of the designs in the books. I did read all three of the books a few times though before feeling competent. Some of the technical books I have read are way over the top for a novice like me, these are not. Although I have not spoken with Randy Slone personally, I have sent a few E-mail messages. Randy has always responded and is keen to give any further information.
If you are not sure what a resistor colour code is you may need to do some more reading/research before wading in at the deep end.
In summary .... Easy to understand, good overview of the basics/advanced, nice construction tips, diagnostics (important) and some circuits at the end of the books to keep you amused.
You could end up with a nice high quality amp and have saved money as well !!

Lovely coverage of top-end DIY analog audio
First, my background as a reviewer. I love listening to music, and I like
dabbling with electronics kits and a soldering iron. I have an engineering
education, but I understand the bare minimum basic electronics. And the
only test equipment I own is a digital multimeter. My review of this book
should be seen in the context of my background. This book is not "right
for everyone;" you need to know at least as much basic electronics as
I do. Another contextual factor is that this book is only one part of
"what you get." What you also get is the author's constant email-based
guidance, and his Website from where you can buy PCBs and components.

The author assumes you know what a transistor or an opamp is, for
instance. The book also expects you to have _built_ some circuits
before. The book discusses many opamp-based circuits, all the time
expecting that you can recognize an opamp-based unity-gain inverting
buffer when you see one. It _never_ gives you IC pinouts of the
ICs it uses in its circuits.

The author has strong opinions, something I really value. I've always
learnt the most from people with strong opinions, provided they show me
how they have arrived at those opinions. Randy Slone's opinions about
potentiometers and tone controls in preamplifiers (pages 77 to 80),
or on "valve sound" on page 126, are worth passing around to all
brand-conscious audiophiles with more money than good sense (plenty
of them around).

The book's standards of good performance are superlative, i.e. the "good"
designs here are probably comparable to the best designs commercially
available, in terms of raw audio quality.

The author comes from the Scientific School of Audio System Performance
Analysis (SSoASPA). He believes that if two amps with similar specs sound
different, it doesn't indicate the presence of subjective, unmeasurable
attributes --- it merely means that we are not performing the right tests
for the right parameters.

The author's writing style is conversational, laced with humour, and easy
to read. From page 49: "Some audiopiles ... believe the least number of
components (and the greatest percentage of gold plating) in the signal
path will ultimately provide the highest quality of undiluted sonics."

I'll touch upon a few specific chapters --- the reader can always
get the actual Table of Contents from Amazon's Webpage. Chapter 2,
"Beginning at the beginning", focuses on balanced to unbalanced signal
connections, and then discusses stepped attenuators. Both these are
among the latest "purist" fads, with questionable benefits in most
cases. The chapter concludes with an ultra-brief discussion on digitally
controlled potentiometers. Chapter 5 is a short chapter dedicated to
headphone amplifiers, both opamp-based and fully discrete. Chapter 6
is a long chapter on power amplifiers, with some very high-performance
ready-to-build designs. Chapter 10, "General construction information,"
is an excellent coverage of hum, grounding, and such other obscure issues
which often ruin the performance of actual amps built from flawless
circuit designs. The other sections of the chapter covers PCB fabrication
and heatsinks.

Where the book ends, the author's personal interaction begins. Over
the last few months, I've asked the author dozens of questions, and
have been rewarded with insightful, courteous, and friendly replies
each time. This follow-up "service" from someone so knowledgeable adds
enormously to the value of the book.

Could I have asked for anything more from a book which wants to cover
all aspects of the audio home-building scene?

1. The book does not touch even the "D" of digital audio. The issue of a
super-stable clock alone is worthy of a few circuits and a
fair amount of experimentation; Randy Slone's no-nonsense fad-busting
exploratory style would have suited it well.

The amateur constructor might need DACs, ADCs, sampling rate
converters, digital audio level meters, an input selection circuit
for switching among digital inputs, or an SCMS copy-bit modifier.
The absence of digital audio is the biggest gap in the book.

2. There are no super-quiet high-gain signal amplifier circuits
of the kind needed for MC turntable cartridges. A good pre-preamp amplifying
sub-milliVolt signals would have plugged a gap for vinyl lovers on
a budget.

3. Cabinet construction, front panel design and building, fitting of
jacks and connectors, selection of passive components like reed
relays and rotary switches, etc, all have subtle issues. A better
coverage of these issues would have been very useful.

4. Some circuits for testing audio equipment, e.g. a sine wave generator,
a high-Q notch filter for harmonic distortion analysis, a capacitor
meter, etc., would have been useful.

5. I would have liked an entire chapter devoted to control circuits for
controlling the controls of a preamp, e.g. the input selection,
volume, balance controls, etc. Designing very low-noise,
low-distortion solid-state signal switches and super-clean electronic
potentiometers is tricky.

All said and done, would I buy this book again, knowing all these gaps?
Answer: YES! In fact, I'm buying a couple of copies to gift to friends.

All in all, an excellent book, and a must for any amateur or professional
designing or building audio systems. And if Randy Slone chooses to write
the "Audiophile's Digital Audio and Controls Projects Sourcebook" someday,
I'll be waiting, cheque in hand! ... Read more

Book Description

Packed full of real circuits to build and test, Hands-on Electronics is an unique introduction to analog and digital electronics theory and practice. Ideal for teaching and self-study, the book's friendly style, clear illustrations and construction details encourage rapid and effective learning of analog and digital circuit design theory. All the major topics are covered including RC circuits, diodes, transistors, op-amps, oscillators, TTL logic, counters, D/A converters and more. It explains how to use the equipment needed for the examples (oscilloscope, multimeter and breadboard) together with pin-out diagrams and manufacturers' specifications for all the key components referred to in the book. ... Read more

Book Description

Praised by experts for its clarity and topical breadth, this visually appealing, one-stop source on PCs uses an easy-to-understand, step-by-step approach to teaching the fundamentals of 80x86 assembly language programming and PC architecture. Offering users a fun, hands-on learning experience, it uses the Debug utility to show what action the instruction performs, then provides a sample program to show its application.Reinforcing concepts with numerous examples and review questions, its oversized pages delve into dozens of related subjects, including DOS memory map, BIOS, microprocessor architecture, supporting chips, buses, interfacing techniques, system programming, memory hierarchy, DOS memory management, tables of instruction timings, hard disk characteristics, and more.For learners ready to master PC system programming. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

a work of art.
most definately not a book for the beginning assembly language programmer. that said, this is one of the most detailed and informative books on the subject i have every had the pleasure of finding, purchasing, and reading.

the book travels deep into the electronic architecture of the humble pc and teaches you how to do things you never even knew could be done. it covers parallel port and serial port interfacing, memory architecture, graphics programming, and just about every other facet of the pc that there is in a very comprehensive and satisfying manner.

i have purchased 9 books so far published by prentice hall, and all were superb. i whole heartedly recommend to EVERYONE that if you ever need to know about something and want a book, see what prentice hall has on the subject FIRST. the quality and quantity of information and the layout and design in their publications are second to none.

if assembly language programming were a religion then this is my bible, and the authors and publishers are my gods. ... Read more

Book Description

This book explores the world of Visual Basic 6 programming with respect to real-world interfacing and control on a beginner to intermediate level, with a home automation system.Includes HVAC systems, water pumps, temperature controls and more. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Just a copy of AB manual
After reading the authors review I bought this book. It has nothing just a copy of DF1 protocol for Allen Bradley PLC (Unprotected Reads and Write). This book is a basic book not for advanced users.

Home Automation for people with too much money
This book will leave you scratching your head. Do not pay too much for it and you won't be disappointed. When it gets right down to it you might as well look for a plc with o.e. software because that's what you will need. Nice discussions on electrical basics and interfacing but just not practical or user friendly.There are just too many different devices to chase down and no real guidance as to where to get them. Writers should have non-technical people read their material before they publish.

Great Book and reference
I've read a lot of books on VB and PLC's but the book that I think about most and use as handy reference is Tom Leonik's --Home Automation Basics - Pratical apps using VB6. This book is fun and to the point. The example of a home monitor is cool and the material presented in the book can easily be applied to many different applications.

The one reviewer who stated that you needed PLC software... obviously did not read the book. PLC software is only needed to program the PLC. The PLC in this application performs conditioning of inputs and stores key information in non-volatile ram. The book creates a driver to communicate with the PLC in VB no other software is required. This is an amazing task and it works.

Awesome Book
This is an awesome book. It shows how to render external events into a Visual Basic window. It even implements a communication link to an Allen-Bradley micro plc using only VB. There's nothing like it. Great Job, Tom Leonik. I even adapted the software to communicate with an AB micrologix 1200 and it worked great.

Just use the softeware which comes with the PLC
I was very excited when I found this book and read the reviews. Chapter one was a small intro to visual basic. The first half of chapter two explained how to input and output with the serial port, great. Then I get to the second half of chapter two and I read that all I need to do is go and get a PLC interface. Why bother with the book then. If I'm going to spend hundreds of dollars on a PLC interface, just buy one which has software, and use the software which comes with it. Don't get me wrong, I'm sure for someone who already has a PLC and needs to revise their programs, this book would be valuable, however for the person who is interested in using the serial port to acquire ideas and tips for simple input/output application around the home, it is frustrating. Maybe the title should be Programming for the PLC in Visual Basic 6. That would be much more appropriate. ... Read more

Book Description

This comprehensive textbook offers a real world approach to hotel sales and operations.It goes beyond the theoretical information found in most other textbooks and offers real-world case studies that reinforce the theory.In addition, it includes background information on hotel operations and marketing to better prepare students to master the art of hotel sales. It introduces the concept of the sales triangle (room sales, catering sales, and outlet/ancillary sales) and illustrates the importance of each to the overall sales success of the hotel.This book outlines the important information and strategies students need to succeed in hotel sales and operations. ... Read more

Book Description

700 PATHS TO A JOB YOU LOVE

Are you established in a career but feeling the need for a change? Interested in starting your own business and looking for an alternative to the more traditional enterprises? Graduating from college (or high school) and wondering what to do now? If you are searching for an offbeat, soul-satisfying profession that offers more than just a paycheck, enrolling in a certification program could be the perfect first step to finding the job that is made for you.

You're Certifiable is packed with more than 700 ideas for alternative careers as well as all the information that you need to embark on your chosen field, such as:

* Holistic health: from acupressure to hypnotherapy
* Crafts: From violin making to glassblowing
* Art and design: from museum studies to Feng Shui
* Working with animals: from horse training to pet grooming
* Outdoor pursuits: from diving to hot-air balloon piloting
* Food and drink: from beer brewing to cake decorating

The first-ever comprehensive directory of certification programs throughout the country, You're Certifiable provides the essentials on how to get certified in the career of your choice, how long it will take, how much it costs, and what to expect once you start working. Lee and Joel Naftali have gathered all the tools you need to find your perfect niche in the professional world. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Better information than I expected
Ok, so this book wasn't a life changer; but it did in providing me with useful information. The book begins by warning you that it can be easily dated, because programs come and go. I think as long as you maintain that reference, a lot of information can be gathered.

Re-title this book!
This book should have been titled "You're Certifiable....Job Opportunities IF YOU LIVE IN CALIFORNIA". I thought it was a fabulous book, but truly, it's not much use if you don't live on the West Coast.

For someone looking for a personally fulfilling career
I bought this book for the 21 year old daughter of a friend. She had dropped out of college, complaining that nothing there really interested her. I discovered this book while browsing amazon.com, ordered it, and decided it was perfect for her. After she looked through it, she decided to apply for a school that taught animal massage (she's been crazy about animals since she was a child). She completed the program and is now happily working at a local kennel offering massages to companion animals.

The book lists about 700 other alternative career programs, covering 10 other areas ranging from crafts, arts, outdoors interests, healing, etc. The programs are described succinctly and information is provided on how to follow up. In the beginning of the book, the authors provide a nice introduction to the whole concept of alternative careers (how to find what interests someone, etc.)

Really, it would be a worthwile gift for someone who is looking for a way to make a living that is a little "different", but personally gratifying. ... Read more

Book Description

"...Ben has been the world-wide guru of this technology, providing support to applications of all types. His genius lies in handling the extremely complex mathematics, while at the same time seeing the practical matters involved in applying the results. As this book clearly shows, Ben is able to relate to novices interested in using frequency selective surfaces and to explain technical details in an understandable way, liberally spiced with his special brand of humor... Ben Munk has written a book that represents the epitome of practical understanding of Frequency Selective Surfaces. He deserves all honors that might befall him for this achievement." -William F. Bahret.

Mr. W. Bahret was with the United States Air Force but is now retired. From the early 50s he sponsored numerous projects concerning Radar Cross Section of airborne platforms in particular antennas and absorbers. Under his leadership grew many of the concepts used extensively today, as for example the metallic radome. In fact, he is by many considered to be the father of stealth technology.

"This book compiles under one cover most of Munk's research over the past three decades. It is woven with the physical insight that he has gained and further developed as his career has grown. Ben uses mathematics to whatever extent is needed, and only as needed. This material is written so that it should be useful to engineers with a background in electromagnetics. I strongly recommend this book to any engineer with any interest in phased arrays and/or frequency selective surfaces. The physical insight that may be gained from this book will enhance their ability to treat additional array problems of their own." -Leon Peters, Jr.

Professor Leon Peters, Jr., was a professor at the Ohio State University but is now retired. From the early sixties he worked on, among many other things, RCS problems involving antennas and absorbers.

This book presents the complete derivation of the Periodic Method of Moments, which enables the reader to calculate quickly and efficiently the transmission and reflection properties of multi-layered Frequency Selective Surfaces comprised of either wire and/or slot elements of arbitrary shape and located in a stratified medium. However, it also gives the reader the tools to analyze multi-layered FSS's leading to specific designs of the very important Hybrid Radome, which is characterized by constant band width with angle of incidence and polarization. Further, it investigates in great detail bandstop filters with large as well as narrow bandwidth (dichroic surfaces). It also discusses for the first time, lossy elements used in producing Circuit Analog absorbers. Finally, the last chapter deals with power breakdown of FSS's when exposed to pulsed signals with high peak power.

The approach followed by most other presentations simply consists of expanding the fields around the FSS, matching the boundary conditions and writing a computer program. While this enables the user to obtain calculated results, it gives very little physical insight and no help in how to design actual multi-layered FSS's. In contrast, the approach used in this title analyzes all curves of desired shapes. In particular, it discusses in great detail how to produce radomes made of FSS's located in a stratified medium (Hybrid Radomes), with constant band width for all angles of incidence and polarizations. Numerous examples are given of great practical interest. More specifically, Chapter 7 deals with the theory and design of bandpass radomes with constant bandwidth and flat tops. Examples are given for mono-, bi- and tri-planar designs. Chapter 8 deals with bandstop filters with broad as well as narrow bandwidth. Chapter 9 deals with multi-layered FSS of lossy elements, namely the so-called Circuit Analog Absorbers, designed to yield outstanding absorption with more than a decade of bandwidth.

Features material previously labeled as classified by the United States Air Force. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

wow... I paid for this.
I am disturbed that my university forces this on students when even the staff discusses its many and varied faults. This book is much better as a door stop.

Very helpful for beginners
I find the book very helpful because:
1. It introduces the topics in a lucid way through examples.
2. It has lots of practice problems with solutions.
3. It teaches one how to delve into the Motorola data book. Some important pages of the data book have been reproduced in the appendix of this book, and there are practice problems that tell you how to use those pages to find relevant info.

There are unfortunately a few not-too-good points:
1. Typos. Yes, there are quite a few of them. BUT, the author's webpage has an errata list for both the 2nd as well as the 3rd edition.
2. Some of the listings are incomplete, eg one listing uses the line

STAA TCTL2,X

yet nowhere in or around the listing it is mentioned what value TCTL2 really stands for, and what is currently stored in X. The lines

TCTL2 EQU $21
REGBAS EQU $1000
LDX #REGBAS

are omited from the listing without any mention! All these left out things are summed up in an appendix, but you will notice that only when you get familiar with the book. The symbols like
REGBAS or TCTL2 that are defined in one chapter and used in more than one chapters , are not clearly cross-referenced. They do not even appear in the index! But once you get used to the book, it is only a minor flaw.

Finally, if you are a beginner then you should better make sure that you have an assembler that understands the assembly language used in the book. It would have been wonderful if the book provided its own assembler and debugger, but it doesn't. Getting the first assembly program to run is not always easy. I personally used the software that came with another book:
Embedded microcomputer systems by Valvano. Spasov's book and Valvano's software make a wonderful team to assist a beginning student.

Good 68hc11 Book
This is by far one of the best books ever written for the 68hc11. I don't know what the others are talking about. Have you ever tryed to read Motorola's (Pink Book ) data book and reference book? They are pretty confusioning, not enough detail. In my option the author does an excellent job of presenting the 6811 with enough examples. The 6811 is the best 8 bit processor invented. This book is a must buy for quick reference.

Get the Data Book
I found this book to be very long and drawn out. It is very hard to follow and easily confuses the reader. I have found the Motorola 68HC11 Data and Technical books to be a much better resource for information. They are much easier to follow and understand. Save your money for another book, this one is overpriced.

Excellent Introduction to Microcontrollers and the 68HC11
This book is a well written and a well organized intorduction to microcontrollers and contains a very extensive coverage of the Motorola 68HC11 in particular. As an engineer who has worked with microprocessors since the first one (the Intel 4004), I find this book to be a good mix of basic material and more detailed info for someone wanting to use the 68HC11. Anyone of average intelligence and a basic background in computers and math should have no problem understanding it. There are a few typos (as in most complex books of this type) but they are rather easy to resolve from the context in most cases. For example in one of the early chapters, he is talking about a code example that does a 16-bit addition and refers to the LDD instruction instead of the ADD instruction as the one doing the addition. These are minor compared to the extensive and detailed coverage given of this popular microcontroller. Many useful charts are also included that make the book a great reference source when writing programs. The only omission that bothered me was no mention of the Microchip PIC family of microcontrollers in the chapter describing other popular families. The PIC is a big competitor of the 68HC11. They are both very capable and widely used. Overall, I think you would be hard pressed to find a better book with such extensive coverage of the 68HC11 as well as a lot of hardware interfacing details and application examples. This 2nd edition has made a lot of improvements of the previous edition and is well worth the investment. ... Read more