Troubleshooting & Repairing Consumer Electronics Without a Schematic (Paperback)

~ Homer Davidson (Author), Homer Davidson (Author) "Many different electronic products are found within the consumer electronics field..." (more)
Key Phrases: external audio amp, critical voltage tests, defective capstan motor, Radio Shack, Sams Photofacts, Problem Procedure Actual (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

In this updated edition of his best-selling guide, Homer Davidson, master of consumer electronics, provides wizardly hands-on advice on troubleshooting and repairing a wide range of electronic devices -- without the benefit of schematic diagrams.

* Covers car stereos, cassette players, stereo audio circuits, radios, VCRs, TVs, speaker systems, CD-players, and more
* NEW coverage of DVD players and remote control units
* More than 400 detailed drawings and photos to illustrate the most efficient way to locate, test, and repair defective components

From the Back Cover

The author technicians trust solves one of electronics' most vexing challenges

In this completely updated new edition of his best-selling guide, Homer Davidson gives you hands-on illustrated guidance on how to troubleshoot and repair a wide range of electronic products -- when you can't get your hands on the schematic diagrams. One of the most respected names in consumer electronics, Davidson -- who actually ran his own successful radio and TV repair business for more than 40 years -- shows you how to diagnose and solve circuit and mechanical problems in car stereos, cassette players, CD players, VCRs, TVs and TV/VCR combos, DVD players, power supplies, remote controls, and more. Included are more than 400 detailed drawings and photographs that illustrate the most efficient methods for locating, testing, and repairing defective components. In addition, Davidson offers:

* A list of common problems that crop up in each type of electronic unit
* A corresponding chart that points out where to check for those problems
* An abundance of case histories that demonstrate how repairs were actually made
* Instruction on how to tackle "tough dog" problems

Indispensable to today's professional electronic repair technicians, this gold mine of practical guidance will also prove highly useful to electronic engineers, sophisticated hobbyists, and advanced students of electronics.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 461 pages
• Publisher: McGraw-Hill/TAB Electronics; 3 edition (January 15, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0071421815
• ISBN-13: 978-0071421812
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 7.2 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 2.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #312,994 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

34 of 35 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Full of Useful Information, August 22, 2004

By	SirGeorgeMartini "ElDorado" (Chihuahua Legs, Wyoming) - See all my reviews

I recommend this book as a good reference, but it helps if you aren't a novice. Sometimes schematics aren't available and you have to learn how to improvise. A person bitten by the electronics bug typically endures hours of frustration and failure before gaining enough experience to troubleshoot and repair electronic equipment. This book should guide you in the right direction and hopefully save you some time.

17 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful Aid in Troubleshooting, July 13, 2004

By	101science.com "101science.com" (Atlanta, GA USA) - See all my reviews

Well I don't know why Amazon let's reviews go through that are obviously not appropriate as the last one is. This book deserves the highest rating for a book in this class. I do not own this book yet but will soon. I have reviewed it in book stores and found it to be a valuable reference text. It provides basic typical schematics for the most often found circuits in consumer electronics and provides a clear and detailed narration on how to troublshoot problems. I can't wait to get my personal copy and put it on my reference shelf.

12 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Disappointing, old info, Not very helpful, March 9, 2005

By	Russ Lavergne (Lompoc, CA United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I do have this book and it is a disappointment. It list some problems you may have and some steps to try. But if your problem is not listed in the examples your kind of stuck. Trying to list the problems and steps to take that can come up with the millions of consumer electronics devices is not going to work. I don't know what is, but this book doesn't really do what the title says. I have some other H.Davidson books and they are not that helpfull. There seems to be a bag of tricks you can try when repairing things. i.e. ESR meter, flowcharts, curver tracer, overheating chip, call the manufacture, etc. But when those don't work I think you have to study how the circuit works and understand what is happening and what happens when certain parts fail. This can take a long time. Maybe there is a better system, but it is not in this book.