Author Topic: Rip-off of the uCurrent?  (Read 1314 times)

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Offline rs20Topic starter

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Rip-off of the uCurrent?
« on: September 19, 2017, 03:37:54 am »
I was surprised to see this suspiciously-named device mentioned in Jack Ganssle's newsletter, "The Embedded Muse":


http://www.cmicrotek.com/uCP.htm

Who had the name first? Did t'other not Google it?

The specifications site is also pretty terrible; absolutely no mention of bandwidth (only when you dig into the datasheet does it admit a bandwidth of 550kHz); only two ranges instead of the three offered by Dave's uCurrent, and a "zoom" mode that is advertised using the following description:

Quote
The "zoom in" amplifies the signal by 10X to allow use with oscilloscopes with 8-bit or 10-bit A/D converters without compromising measurement accuracy. The "zoom out" reduces the signal by 10X for increased dynamic range.

How does attenuating the signal 10x increase the dynamic range? Why not leave it in "10x" mode all the time and just use the vertical zoom of the oscilloscope, which has the added advantage of keeping measurements and cursors in a consistent state? What relevance does an ADC being 8 bit have when almost every oscilloscope in existence has its own programmable attenuators/amps?

I dunno, seems really dodge to me all around. Am I missing something?
 

Offline ataradov

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Re: Rip-off of the uCurrent?
« Reply #1 on: September 19, 2017, 04:17:53 am »
This was already discussed. I think those things came before uCurrent. EDIT: Although I can't find any references to it prior to 2014, which would put it 5 years after uCurrent.

/10 mode is to increase measurement range, same as 10x scope probes.
« Last Edit: September 19, 2017, 04:24:25 am by ataradov »
Alex
 

Offline EEVblog

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Re: Rip-off of the uCurrent?
« Reply #2 on: September 19, 2017, 04:22:49 am »
My uCurrent came out in April 2009
He claims  "µCurrent Probe" as a Trademark, and I claim simply "µCurrent", his was released in 2014 (it was an IGG campaign) and he claims to never have heard of mine before that date, even though it dominated Google results for that kind of thing.
He used to have a disclaimer on his page that said it wasn't affiliated with mine, but now seems gone?
« Last Edit: September 19, 2017, 04:27:34 am by EEVblog »
 
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Offline ataradov

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Re: Rip-off of the uCurrent?
« Reply #3 on: September 19, 2017, 04:24:06 am »
Yes, the whole domain is registered in 2013, so even if it existed before that, it was not at that address.
Alex
 


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