Electronics Portable Handbook Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)This 672 pages book seems to have everything imaginable to do with electronics. Its format is about the size of a paperbook novel, but has a very nice durable cover. It has been a joy, just to pick up and start reading about different subjects. The only part of this year 2000 copyrighted book, which might be outdated is the analog/digital television and cell phone information. The bright side is having a ready reference to the past. I was able to get this book for much less than its $54.95 cover price, but I believe it to be worth at least 75% today.
I have been buying Stan's books for over 15 years, on many different technical subjects. I have never been disappointed! His books are always a great buy for the present and future reference!

Click Here to see more reviews about: Electronics Portable Handbook

24/7 electronics quick answers atyour fingertips!Imagine an easy-access electronics database that weighs a mere 19 oz.— yet delivers "pounds" of must-know standards, formulas, techniques, and more! Electronics Portable Handbook, by Stan Gibilisco, packs literally hundreds of answers-at-a-glance tables, checklists, schematics and drawings that help you solve "showstopping" problems and get back to work. Turn to this guide to get the answers you need to:*Design circuits, oscillators, amplifiers and antenna systems*Set up a satellite television receiving system*Interface computers with electronic devices*Choose a communications frequency and mode*Install a home entertainment system*Work with transistors, microwaves, satellites, or HDTV*Reference the principles behind television, cell phones, pagers, and beepers*Optimize shortwave, CB and ham radio rigs*Implement privacy and security devices — from data encryption to tone squelching and scrambling *Understand robotics, motion detectors,and other sensor-based technologies*And much, much more

Click here for more information about Electronics Portable Handbook

Read More...

Kickin' Bot: An Illustrated Guide to Building Combat Robots (ExtremeTech) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I knew of the author from watching BattleBots on TV (he built Deadblow http://www.battlebots.com/battlebots_detail.asp?ID=60) so I pre-ordered this before it even came out.
The thing that sets this one apart from some of the other books is the illustrations - they are absolutely beautiful, and really add to the clarity and readability of the book, although I wish they were in color.
Regardless, this is a brilliant book on robotics. I imagine this is a great place to start if you are just getting into robots, and if you are like me and know some basics after building a few kits, this is a great guide to doing it all from scratch. It provides a great deal of detail, and I'll bet that even veterans are sure to pick up a few tricks here and there.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Kickin' Bot: An Illustrated Guide to Building Combat Robots (ExtremeTech)

Enter the arena of the metal gladiators
Do you have what it takes to build a battle-ready robot? You do now. Here are the plans, step-by-step directions, and expert advice that will put you in competition-while you have a heck of a lot of fun getting there.
Grant Imahara, the creator of the popular BattleBot Deadblow, shares everything he's learned about robot design, tools and techniques for metal working, the parts you need and where to get them, and plenty of tips to keep you off the ropes. When you're finished, you'll be ready to rumble.
Just a few of the topics you'll learn:
Robot design 101
Chemicals and power tools
Popular materials compared
Cutting your armor
Things to know about screws
Top ten drive motors
Bearings, casters, couplers, and U-joints
Roller chains and sprockets
Better traction through chemistry
Choosing speeding controls
Batteries and wiring
The driving test
Rammers, hammers and crushers

Click here for more information about Kickin' Bot: An Illustrated Guide to Building Combat Robots (ExtremeTech)

Read More...

Guidelines for Developing Instructions Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I purchased this book to help me make the transition between my engineering & graphic design backgrounds to my new career as a technical writer/illustrator. I gave it two stars because the price isn't equal to the quality of the book or the knowledge gleaned. If it were a simple hard back at $15, it'd be 4 stars easy.
Pros:
- Short, only ~160 pages
- Direct, some of the steps are well crafted obvious statements
- Well researched, writers have worked with many groups over many years
- Some nice technical illustrations
Cons:
- Price, price, price. It's a small 8x10, thin paperback monochrome book that I'd expect to see on a bargain table for $5, but $50? After some thought, I think this book might be a left over textbook; it's that college bookstore kind of mark-up.
- Preface is painful to read. Maybe the author was so burned out on writing simple easy to follow instructions that maybe they felt this was really the time to shine. If you are crunched for time, just skip it as it can unfairly color the rest of the text.
- Be weary of reading this book before working with ex-military engineers.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Guidelines for Developing Instructions

Confusing, inadequate instructions for setting up and using consumer products are not only unhelpful, but potentially dangerous. They may contain wrong information, poor warnings, and no pictures or illustrations. Standards are either non-existent or little known, even though the U.S. government has developed and tested standards for the past thirty years. This book presents a set of guidelines written by The Human Factors and Ergonomics Society that have been tested by human factor specialists. This expert advice is applicable to writing assembly procedures, operational procedures, and user, shop, and repair manuals.

Click here for more information about Guidelines for Developing Instructions

Read More...

Troubleshooting and Repairing Diesel Engines Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)This book is an excellent intro to Diesel engines, suitable for students of auto-mechanics, and do-it -yourselfers. It begins from basics, and goes all the way to the new electronic-controlled diesels. It shows systems from the major manufacturers, and includes small block designs. One drawback is the lack of color photos, but there are diagrams on every page. The book is worth its price.

Click Here to see more reviews about: Troubleshooting and Repairing Diesel Engines

Make even the most stubborn diesel engine purr! This book is updated to cover computerized maintenance programs. Hearing the sound of an engine you have just repaired is especially satisfying when you consider how costly it can be to pay for professional help. In this easy-to-use guide, author Paul Dempsey demystifies diesel technology, explaining everything you need to know to troubleshoot and fix problems with engines found in farm and lawn equipment, boats, air compression, and generators. Packed with hundreds of illustrations, schematics, and photographs, this Third Edition of "Troubleshooting and Repairing Diesel Engines" includes essential information on: planned maintenance; diagnostic techniques; fuel systems; starting and generating systems; air and cooling systems; emission control strategies; and cylinder heads and valves. Whether you're a mechanic making the transition from gasoline to diesel engines or a diesel owner interested in learning how to do your own repairs, you'll want this book near your toolbox.

Click here for more information about Troubleshooting and Repairing Diesel Engines

Read More...