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Open Circuits is a photographic exploration of the beautiful design inside everyday electronics. Its stunning cross-section photography unlocks a hidden world full of elegance, subtle complexity, and wonder.
Our phones, computers, and appliances are made of hundreds of internal components, each precisely engineered to perform a certain function, but none intended to actually be seen. Through painstakingly executed, vividly detailed cross-section photography, Open Circuits reveals the surprising—and often accidental—beauty hiding inside the electronic components that drive our everyday devices.
From resistors to LEDs, USB cables to headphone jacks, stepper motors to nixie tubes, the book’s arresting imagery transforms more than 130 components into delightful works of art. As you visually dissect the components’ insides, you’ll learn about how they work and how they were made. Open Circuits has something for everyone to appreciate, whether you’re a seasoned electrical engineer, an amateur tinkerer, or simply a lover of art and photography.
Ich habe mich schon immer für Platinen interessiert und habe mich bei vielen Bauteilen gewundert wie sie aufgebaut sind und funktioniert.
In dem Buch werden zahlreiche Bauteile erklärt und die Bilder dazu sind fantastisch.
Endlich kann man mal sehen wie das alles funktioniert und aufgebaut ist.
Ich kann das Buch jedem nur ans Herz legen der sich für die Thematik begeistert.
Macht sich auch sehr gut als Geschenk.
I was reminded of my younger days when I played with the parts myself… great fun, and in a quality package. Recommended!
I really like the Description and Pictures in the book, it really gives you a completely new understanding of how much planning and knowledge is even in the tiniest components of a circuit board.
If you're curious about the tiny world of electrical components, this is a great book.
On reste ébahi par la technicité et la finesse de fabrication des composants électroniques. Ce livre geâce à son iconographie très riche et très précise apporte une lumière nouvelle à la magie de l’électronique; Livre à posséder absolument dans sa bibliothèque,même des personnes non motivées par l’électronique ne seront pas indifférentes à la beauté des clichés.
Die Bilder sind hervorragend, die erklären hätten jedoch an manchen Stellen detaillierter sein können.
Nun verwende ich dieses Produkt, um Schülern und Studenten zu zeigen, wie elektrische/elektromechanische Bauteile intern aufgebaut sind und funktionieren. Die Fotoaufnahmen sind fantastisch und zeigen die faszinierende Welt der Elektronik.
In Zukunft kaufe ich mir sicherlich noch weitere Exemplare, um diese weiterzugeben.
Kleiner Tipp: Schaut euch das HDMI-Kabel an ;) Die vielen einzelnen Leitungen und Abschirmungselemente sind faszinierend!
Really nice visuals.
Each part have explanation on the built and functionality, its keep at high level some anyone can enjoy.
After decades of working with electronics, I can honestly say I have never seen anything like this book. The photography is absolutely AMAZING, and captures the intrinsic beauty of a broad array of electronic and electro-mechanical components.
My one purchase is quickly turning into three - I wound up gifting it to my one of my physics professor (an "Art of Electronics" type, into the more fundamentals of how things actually work), and will need to get another copy for myself.
A think copy is headed for the University's physics undergraduate electronics lab, for the kiddos. It explains certain things in a way that really cannot be duplicated, with actual pictures (close ups, cutaways) of real objects, showing the natural elegance of the design.
Highly, highly recommended!
Seul bémol : le livre est arrivé écorné au niveau des coins et de la couverture avant.
Je ne l'ai pas retourné car c'était le dernier exemplaire en stock, mais emballage clairement à revoir.
Quality of the images are perfect and there is an abstract about the component.
I have many times sat down with a cup of coffee and found myself idly reading and paging through with fascination until something pulls me away.
Great idea as an educational tool or gift for a curious youngster that like me may love taking things apart and exploring how they work.
The descriptions add a new perspective too that one wouldn't have previously though about.
It uses gorgeous photographs to show closeup and inside components; each accompanied with an easy to understand paragraph or two covering how they work and what they’re generally used for, in a relaxed tone.
Perfect for anyone who is casually interested in how electronics and technology work but doesn’t already have years of formal training or background in the area. That includes adults trained in other areas or kids in middle school and up.
Fantastic book, thanks to Eric Schlaepfer and Windell H. Oskay.
The pictures in the book are well illustrated and have really helped grab the attention of my 8yo who loves to take things apart to see how it works.
If your debating to buy this book for a child then debate no longer, my only advice would be to say it's better read with an adult to help explain some of the less familiar words they will encounter while reading this book
Ce livre s’adresse autant pour les mordus d’électronique que pour les curieux qui souhaitent comprendre les composants de nos appareils qui sont des prouesses nanométriques aujourd’hui.
J’en ai acheté un premier puis deux supplémentaires pour offrir tellement j’étais impressionnés par le contenu du livre.
Tous sont arrivés sans aucun dégât
This book explores many common (and not so common) components in great detail. E.g. I thought a DIP switch was a very simple design, but peeking inside reveals a little more complexity than I had anticipated.
De verpakking was wel gebrekkig. Het was meer geluk dan wijsheid dat het boek onbeschadigd is gearriveerd.
Also the pictures are perfectly done.
In top of that you get explanations of how everything works!!
You can't miss this one if you are into electronics or you want to learn more about it.
On over 300 pages, the book combines high quality photographs exposing what's inside resistors, cables, microchips etc with a few words of additional infos. It's not to be seen as a technical reference but as a work of art, revealing the hidden beauty slumbering inside everything carrying electrons around you.
Until now, every friend of mine has been fascinated about it, regardless of technical background. I loved it so much, I couldn't resist gifting a second one to my former teacher to present his students in class :)
This book is pure gold!
As a kid I had a rocks and Minerals book and I would sit for hours and reading through it, looking at all the close up pictures. I'd , mentally take journeys to the rocks native location and imagining how they were created over time, the chemical composition and bonds that formed the shapes and absolutely enjoyed those adventures over TV.
Fast forward and now I have a new book that fits more into my other hobby, Electronics. The book shows clear and detailed explanations with pictures of components I have used many times over the years, even the older versions. The cut away view of each component shows the internal connections or materials and how they are made is really fascinating to see. The pictures even show the inner workings of some of the more advances yet common components used in every day electronics. Well worth the read. For sure to offer a young person that final spark to make a choice into a long term career path. Would recommend getting one for a office waiting room, a coffee table as a conversation piece, or one just to have in that how does it work collection of books. So happy I purchased this book.
My cats even like to curl up and read the book with me but I suspect it's for other reasons... Amazon packed the book to me un-wrapped and without a protective bag in a box with two 15lbs bags of cat food. By the time I received the order the book corners had ripped open one of the bags of cat food and the food was smashed all over the box leaving a oil residue on the book. Luckily the oil was thin and wiped off the face of the book relatively easily. The corners of the book received some rounding and have minor damage but nothing that regular use over time would also produce.
I guess this was a happy little accident as now my cats are always sitting on my lap reading with me, waiting for me to leave the book un attended... as it does smell like a giant bag of cat food...
High quality print with some great cross-section photographs and some explanations/conversation on how each item is used. A great coffee table book for anyone curious, and not too complex to jump in at any point.
I would've loved an edition twice as thick, with more text description, diagrams and deep-diving into the subject matter, but the book is more about the beauty, the build, and seeing how it works in a more basic sense.
Very good, and a great book to have, no matter who you are.