Skip to content

WHY IS IT CALLED VCC? The positive voltage symbol is…

“WHY IS IT CALLED VCC? The positive voltage symbol is called VCC because of old naming conventions. VCC was the voltage supplied to the collector side of a transistor in common transistor circuits, usually through a resistor or some other components. The collector is where the “CC” comes from…” quote by Oyvind Nydal Dahl
Download Open image
““WHY IS IT CALLED VCC? The positive voltage symbol is called VCC because of old naming conventions. VCC was the voltage supplied to the collector side of a transistor in common transistor circuits, usually through a resistor or some other components. The collector is where the “CC” comes from. You’ve used a bipolar junction transistor throughout this book, but there’s another type of transistor called a field-effect transistor (FET). The pin that equals the collector on this type of transistor is called the drain, so the voltage that was supplied to the drain side of the FET was called VDD.””

Oyvind Nydal Dahl

About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

VCC and VDD are historical labels for power supplies in transistor circuits, reflecting collector and drain connections.

In simple terms: VCC = collector power, VDD = drain power.

Key Takeaway

Know the naming conventions for circuit design.

Themes

electronics history design

Mood

technical educational

Type

instructional clarifying

When to use this quote

  • circuit design
  • education
  • documentation
  • troubleshooting

Key Concepts

electrical engineering nomenclature

Questions to Reflect On

  • Why retain legacy terms?
  • How can you explain them to beginners?
A Different Perspective

Older terms may confuse modern designers; ensure clarity.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet

More by Oyvind Nydal Dahl

Explore all 28 Oyvind Nydal Dahl quotes