How to Diagnose and Fix Everything Electronic, Second Edition

I saw several people criticizing how the author tells a lot of stories about things he has fixed. THE POINT of doing what he is doing is to get YOU to think like a technician. I AM a tech. I read schematics, troubleshoot, design, etc. I found his style to be spot-on for getting YOU to think like US. For a person who is totally green, this is a great way to introduce someone to the craft. For the seasoned pro, they will already know most of what is being said. For the person in between, Again, a great way to get you thinking correctly. (I) am glad I bought it. One last point: IF you think you're going to read this book and be able to fix whatever, You are WRONG. One book is not going to magically transform you into a tech. You ALSO stand a reasonable chance of electrocution if you're about to work on a A/C powered device. And finally: DO NOT attempt to repair a microwave or a switching power supply. Both are quite capable of providing you with a Harp and Wings. Leave those to a pro.

I have the first edition and don’t detect a lot of difference – a chapter on tracking down less-common parts including automotive, some additional information on ‘breaking into’ AC Adaptors, consolidation in the table of contents, perhaps some updated/additional images (still all black and white)

Regardless I love this book and Geier’s entire approach. He still lives and dies by his oscilloscope (and I’m still checking out deals online). But this is about hands-on, in-the-trenches repair work that emphasizes safety (Geier’s formulated his approach in the new edition as ATE – Always Test Everything).

Geier has a great sense of humor and the writing is lively and fun. He keeps the schematics and graphs to a minimum and emphasizes common-sense observation and developing a diagnostic mindset.

The layout of the book is logical and its real strength: Geier first describes tools of the trade and setting up a workspace, safety, and developing a philosophy of diagnosing problems. He delves into using test equipment (leaning heavily on his favorite oscilloscope) followed by informative walkthroughs of components that various electronics devices are made of: op-amps, resistors, caps, circuit boards, jacks and controls, etc...

Geier spends considerable time describing how to safely ‘break into’ and disassemble repair items, rather than assuming, like other books, you can figure that part out. As someone who always seems to wind up with leftover screws after reassembling, I appreciate that a lot.

The bulk of the book teaches how to trace signals, how to isolate components and how to repair once you’ve found the root cause.

Geier first teaches you principles and techniques that apply to any device. Only afterwards does his drill down into specifics of DVD Players, VCRs, Earphones, Hard Drives, LCD panels, turntables, smartphones, mp3 players and more. Some of these are more practical than others (hard drives?) but if you can handle what Geier presents in this book you should feel comfortable with consumer electronics devices across the board.

I wouldn’t recommend Geier’s book to absolute electronics beginners. If you’ve never held a soldering iron and have no clue how electricity and electronic devices work you’re better off going elsewhere for the basics.

Recently purchased this book and already had a chance to read thru it. Will be re-reading it, so may adjust my rating and review after my second read. Unlike most dry and boring technical books, this book reads quite easily, and has some nice humor injected here and there. The fact that I've already read thru it once a couple weeks in is a testament to it's readability.

Overall this is a decent book with a lot of useful information. For the sake of context, I should state that I'm fairly new to electronics and electronics repair. It's an interest that started a couple years ago along with my interest in vintage music gear and a desire to know how to repair simple issues. That said, it feels like the ideal target audience for this book seems to be individuals with at least an intermediate skill level in electronics. If you're a junior repair technician, this book will probably be exactly what you are looking for. For beginners and novices this book will be still useful but you will likely be lost in places. Fortunately there is a useful glossary that helps in some instances. Overall, most of the topics covered assume the reader has a reasonable foundation in electronics.

While no one book is going to come even remotely close to teaching a person how to diagnose and fix "everything electronic," the friendly, informed writing style of Michael Geier makes this book a valuable reference and an easy read. Even experienced technicians can benefit from the thought processes the author uses, and those who are thinking about getting into electronic repair as a hobby or pastime should probably get this book and read it through before proceeding to do so. Definitely recommended.

For a beginner (like me) venturing into the field of electrical engineering can be scary and down right overwhelming. This book has opened my eyes more than any other resource I've come across so far. Very practical tips and useful hints that save a novice time of learning the hard way (i.e. shocks and broken circuits). For more advanced electronics aficionados this book will be too simplistic. however, for my entry level skill set I found this book to be an engaging page turner. Despite the internet being an awesome resource - it simply can't compare to having a book at my fingertips with all the expert experience collected in one spot.

This prodigy author included excellent photos, schematics and used philosophy throughout the book in presenting troubleshooting skills.
A good book for those looking to repair most home electronic devices. This book is a bit technical, so its good for those who truly feel comfortable with electronics.
Whether you are a beginner, hobbyist, experimenter, or you troubleshoot for a living you will get valuable knowledge from this book.

I hope my review was helpful to you.

This book is superb! More information in one book than I ever expected. I've even used it during on-the-job training at work. Had the employee, "go to the index and look up ESR". He did and read up on it and how it can be measured; my life got much easier. That index in the back is key.

Perfect for my use

WOW~This guy has spent a lot of time fixing things. He is a true Pro. I got this book looking for some help to fix a guitar amp..what I got was a lot more. He has an easy style for a 'tech' book, and he DOES cover everything. Makes you think about trying to fix something you might normally just throw out.

My son loves this book and has helped him fix his gaming systems. He has never done electronics before.