The Encyclopedia of Electronic Circuits , edited by Rudolf F. Graf and William Sheets, is a multi-volume reference series providing schematics and descriptions of thousands of analog and digital circuits. Volume 7 (published by TAB Books / McGraw-Hill) continues this tradition, covering circuits from the late 1980s through mid-1990s. This paper evaluates Volume 7’s organization, technical depth, component sourcing challenges for legacy designs, and its ongoing relevance for hobbyists, students, and engineers. We also discuss the legal and ethical issues surrounding PDF distribution of copyrighted technical books. Finally, we propose a methodology for legally obtaining out-of-print technical references, including interlibrary loans, used book marketplaces, and publisher permissions. While the volume remains a valuable historical repository of circuit topologies (oscillators, amplifiers, power supplies, filters, etc.), modern designers must adapt the designs to contemporary components and simulation tools. This review concludes that Volume 7 is best used as an idea generator and educational tool rather than a direct source of production-ready schematics.
: Includes schematics for power supplies, amplifiers, filters, frequency meters, and infrared devices.
, is a massive reference work containing over 1,000 circuit designs. Published in September 1998
Here is the uncomfortable truth: The is still under copyright. The original publisher, McGraw-Hill, holds the rights. While some volumes have fallen out of print, making used physical copies scarce, the digital PDF is not legally available for free on any official platform.
New and used copies of the physical book are available through several retailers:
, though these may sometimes be restricted to earlier volumes. Physical Copies : The book is still found through retailers like Barnes & Noble specific circuit type
Elias sat in his basement, the air thick with the smell of rosin and old dust. Spread across his workbench was a weathered copy of Volume 7 . He wasn't looking for a simple power supply or a radio flasher; he was looking for something the index called "The Resonant Echo."