Digital Electronics Fundamentals for the User: Basic Logic Gates and Broadcast Applications

John W. Wentworth

Much of the available literature on digital technology is oriented toward the equipment designer rather than the user or the maintenance technician. The literature is also largely concerned with applications primarily in the fields of computers, digital communications, or industrial control, and thus is not particularly relevant for specialists in either television or film. This short tutorial aims at correcting this situation by explaining the digital aspects of equipment designed by major manufacturers in the broadcast equipment field. (It should be noted that these principles have become increasingly significant to the film industry.) The major subjects covered include: basic characteristics of digital circuits and systems; the truly basic logic elements; the familiar relay as a logic element; typical broadcast applications of basic gate circuits; composite gates — NAND and NOR; prototype DTL circuits; levels of integration; DeMorgan's Theorems; logic with all NAND or all NOR gates; a typical pulse application of logic elements in broadcast equipment; and positive and negative logic. The major properties of several “families” of logic devices will be discussed in a sequel to this paper to be published soon in the Journal.

Print ISSN
Published
1977-08
Content type
Original Research
DOI
10.5594/J17869