Shamieh - Electronics For Dummies

Electronics For Dummies 2nd Edition

by Cathleen Shamieh and Gordon McComb

Electronics For Dummies, 2nd Edition

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Copyright 2009 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Indianapolis, Indiana

Published by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Indianapolis, Indiana

Published simultaneously in Canada

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Library of Congress Control Number: 2009933743

ISBN: 978-0-470-28697-5

Manufactured in the United States of America

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About the Authors

Cathleen Shamieh is a writer with an engineering background who specializes in creating communication materials focused on the business benefits of technology. She received an outstanding education in electrical engineering at Manhattan College and MIT, and worked as an engineer in the medical electronics and telecommunications industries before shifting her career into marketing communications and business consulting for high-tech companies. Cathleen enjoys leveraging her technical and business background to create white papers and other materials for not-so-technical audiences.

Gordon McComb has penned more than 60 books and over 1,000 magazine articles. More than a million copies of his books are in print, in over a dozen languages. For 13 years, Gordon wrote a weekly syndicated newspaper column on personal computers. When not writing about hobby electronics and other fun topics, he serves as a consultant on digital cinema to several notable Hollywood clients.

Dedication

To my parents, Beth and Jim Corbett, who taught me that I can do anything I put my mind to; to Sister Eustelle, who made a writer out of me; to my wonderful husband, Bill, whos always there to support me; and to my four fantastic sons, Kevin, Peter, Brendan, and Patrick, who make life a fun, loving adventure every single day.

C. S.

To my father, Wally McComb, who instilled in me a fascination with electronics; and to Forrest Mims, who taught me a thing or two about it.

G. M.

Authors' Acknowledgments

Cathleen Shamieh extends her thanks to the excellent editors at Wiley, especially Katie Feltman and Christopher Morris, for their hard work, support, and gentle reminders, and to Kirk Kleinschmidt, for his intense technical scrutiny of the material. She is also grateful to Linda Hammer and Ken Donoghue, who kindly recommended her work to Wiley. Finally, Cathleen thanks her family and friends, whose support, assistance, and understanding helped make her goal of becoming a For Dummies author a reality.

Author Gordon wishes to thank his family, who once again put their lives on hold while he finished another book.

Publishers Acknowledgments

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Some of the people who helped bring this book to market include the following:

Acquisitions, Editorial

Sr. Project Editor: Christopher Morris

Acquisitions Editor: Katie Feltman

Sr. Copy Editor: Barry Childs-Helton

Technical Editor: Kirk Kleinschmidt

Editorial Manager: Kevin Kirschner

Sr. Editorial Assistant: Cherie Case

Cartoons: Rich Tennant (www.the5thwave.com)

Composition Services

Project Coordinator: Katie Crocker

Layout and Graphics: Karl Brandt, Shawn Frazier, SDJumper

Proofreader: John Greenough

Indexer: Potomac Indexing

Publishing and Editorial for Technology Dummies

Richard Swadley, Vice President and Executive Group Publisher

Andy Cummings, Vice President and Publisher

Mary Bednarek, Executive Acquisitions Director

Mary C. Corder, Editorial Director

Publishing for Consumer Dummies

Diane Graves Steele, Vice President and Publisher

Composition Services

Debbie Stailey , Director of Composition Services

Introduction

A re you curious to know what makes your iPod tick? How about your cellphone, laptop, stereo system, digital camera, 46-inch plasma TV well, just about every other electronic thing you use to entertain yourself and enrich your life?

If youve ever wondered how transistors, capacitors, and other building blocks of electronics work, or if youve been tempted to try building your own electronic devices, youve come to the right place!