Don't be left behind by modern developments in digital electronics! They
present a fascinating new world of achievement which can be easy to
understand, if you start at the beginning. Everyone is familiar with
digital displays on watches and clocks and calculators, for example.
Each number is formed from seven rectangular 'light bulbs', with the
correct number of bulbs switched on by a digital circuit to light up the
number required. Digital electronics, in fact, is based on devices which
work on an on/off basis, or 'count' in steps of 1 (i.e., in 'digits').
The basic devices are quite simple, but when interconnected with tens,
hundreds or even thousands of similar devices can perform a fantastic
range of calculations, store and give out information, solve problems
etc., all at fantastic speed. It is the number and complexity of
interconnections of such devices that can be bewildering - not how the
actual devices work. Their working can be studied in three different
ways. Mechanical equivalents in terms of switches and symbols (called
block logic), which anyone can understand because you can 'see' how it
works. Truth tables which display all possible conditions of a digital
device, from which you choose the one you want, e.g., the ten possible
states of a digital number display. Binary arithmetic for working out
solutions mathematically. Plus, of course, the basic digital circuits
involved which provide all the functions required. How digital
electronics works, with clear line drawings to illustrate circuits and
their applications, is what this book is all about. It starts from first
principles and works right through to 'talking' to computers. The author
has considerable experience in the field of practical electronics and is
noted for his ability to explain technicalities in language that is easy
to understand.
