We aren’t sure that a PDF with 100 pages in it qualifies as a pocket reference, but TI’s Analog Engineer’s Pocket Reference is certainly a good read. You do have to register with TI (use a disposable address if you are too paranoid to do that), but the free download is well worth the effort. The document’s been around for awhile, but TI recently released a new 4th edition.
The first few pages might underwhelm you. You probably know the standard decimal prefixes and are more likely to ask Google to convert circular mils to square millimeters, for example. The second part, though, gets more into electronics. There’s standard values for resistors and quick reminders about the difference between X7R and Y5V ceramic in capacitors, for example.
Things get progressively more interesting, covering measurements and phase shifts, and then amplifiers. The little circuits are pithy but cover the bases including things like frequency response.
You have to build that amplifier on something, so the next section covers PCBs and wires. If you can’t remember how far apart traces need to be to handle 50V, the pocket guide will remind you. The section includes references to standard packages and loads of other data about PCBs and wire (including coax).
The last few chapters cover sensors and A/D conversion. We guess these days even an analog pocket reference has to have some digital thrown in. Even if you mostly do digital designs, a lot of the information about basic components is still relevant.
The book is concise, detailed, and free. What more do you want? If you crave a hard copy, they do sell printed versions. We found ourselves wishing the online version was a Wiki instead of a PDF, but then again that would be harder to publish as a book, and we like that, too.
If you are more into wall hangings than pockets, you might like this poster. Our own [Mike Szczys] also has a resistor reference card that’s handy.
bad link
I was sure I checked that link! Anyway, new link updated, plus several commenters were kind enough to jump in. Sorry about that.
Thanks for letting us know about this. And it is an excellent reference…even digital designs often have analog interfaces to the real world, so this is very useful.
Can’t get the linky to work, even though the same link is mentioned in the guide. For anyone with the same problems:
https://www.ti.com/lsds/ti/amplifiers-linear/precision-amplifier-support-community.page#pocketref
Any chance to download it without signing up to yet-another-throwaway-account(tm)?
There is no information on deleting all held information, which is against EU data protection laws.
bugmenot.com, problem solv’d
Did it work for you? All bugmenot accounts are not working here.
the top bugmenot login worked for me ;)
Why throwaway? They have my account and data anyway to send me all those countless free samples per year, or do you need a hardware-guideline and not actually design circuits with actual hardware? Or do you like to enter a shipping adress every time you order another sample because you only use throwaway accounts?
+1 TI has been very generous with free samples of their products. And it works for them, products I have designed have used a bunch of their chips. I don’t think they have any way of knowing the link back.
Or maybe I would just like to read the damn file to see if there’s anything interesting in terms of design tips and tricks without setting up yet another user account which I most likely will not use again, and even if I do I will have completely forgotten that I have it, and have to essentially re-make it.
I’m currently not ordering samples from TI or buying directly off of them, so why would I want to make an account? I might in the future, but not before I read the paper to see if there’s any reason I would like to.
Sounds like you’re exactly the kind of person TI wouldn’t want as a customer. Win-win for everyone.
This is excellent. Just ordered a hard copy.
Just bought the physical one. Just because i like the idea to send a piece of paper half way round the world.
It is currently just $5 + shipping!
Damn. Reported your comment instead of replying. Sorry.
Yeah, I’ve got the printed version a few weeks ago. It comes in an ESD bag with a “Lead free RoHS” sticker on it – pretty nice. And the book itself is pretty nice, too. With a fancy thumb index
i just googled “Analog Engineer’s Pocket Reference” and result number 1 was a pdf file ;)
Direct link, no signing required:
https://www.ti.com/seclit/ug/slyw038b/slyw038b.pdf
Thanks!
No need to register:
https://www.ti.com/seclit/ug/slyw038b/slyw038b.pdf
Thanks for the heads up on that. I don’t visit my TI account much these days snce they stopped giving away dev kit.
Downloaded it and bought a copy. I much prefer paper for reference when working on electronics.
http://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&source=web&cd=4&rct=j&q=Analog%20Engineer's%20Pocket%20Reference&ved=0ahUKEwj_8JK4lOHJAhUCwxQKHcCKC8gQFggmMAM&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.avnet.co.za%2Fdownload%2Fnews%2Fanalog-engineer-pocket-ref.pdf&usg=AFQjCNF7ez6HVrdkcBU_P-XkiVSLcLZhjw
“(use a disposable address if you are too paranoid to do that)”
God bless mailinator.com like services. No hassle creating a disposable email address, but still being able to read the mail for activating account to “whatever” site.
THANK YOU MAILINATOR, YOU ARE MY HERO FOR A LONG TIME NOW.
Dammit, I just bought the 3rd edition! I wonder if I email them and ask if they’ll send me the new one.
A little more background on the history of this “pocket” reference:
https://e2e.ti.com/blogs_/b/precisionhub/archive/2015/03/02/doing-the-math-the-inside-story-of-the-analog-engineer-s-pocket-reference