Studying circuits for pca design

[CWNW]

I suppose the best way to study practical applications for analog circuits is to get a book with plenty of real world examples where it breaks down the circuit, as opposed to starting from the ground up with theory?

When designing the typical pca, whether for a complex PC motherboard, pcas for a printer, dvd player, and other electronics, what are the best types of circuits, devices and specifications to study?

 

[IRstuff]

All of them.

Would you only use a hammer to build a house?

Why would you forego the theory? It's the theory that explains why a particular circuit works for a particular application.

It's the examples, the prior art, that steers you to better ideas.

TTFN

FAQ731-376

 

[zappedagain]

If you really want to work from the top down, study reference designs from the various semiconductor manufacturers. They can give you something to 'play with' so you can then determine which areas to study in further detail.

Z

 

[OperaHouse]

I always look at the example circuit before I read the explanation. That is a great way to gain understanding. However my experience on message boards is very different. People want to black box a solution picking sections of circuits without a basic knowledge of how they function. Learning the basics doesn't mean you can't have fun along the way.

 

[CWNW]

Ok, having some fun going through the fundamentals again, but also want to go top down and break up more complicated circuits.