FeelTech FY3224S 24MHz 2-Channel DDS AW Function Signal Generator

[bitseeker]

Thanks for the info on version 3.5, CCB. Sounds like fun stuff to tinker with. It'd be nice if they fixed the non-contiguous waveform during frequency changes.

[n8falke]

Hi community,
today my 3200S (24-MHz Version) arrived, but the cd can not be reed!
I want to download them from feel tech.net, but the website don't answer here in Germany.

Now, i need a driver & software packet to get them work on my PC.
Can every body send me a link to download them or has a information how to get?

Thank you very much.

PS: I download the manual from the website successfully but there is no DRIVER in it?
How to get the driver for Windows?!?

[r4ptor]

Hi community,
today my 3200S (24-MHz Version) arrived, but the cd can not be reed!
I want to download them from feel tech.net, but the website don't answer here in Germany.

Now, i need a driver & software packet to get them work on my PC.
Can every body send me a link to download them or has a information how to get?

Thank you very much.

PS: I download the manual from the website successfully but there is no DRIVER in it?
How to get the driver for Windows?!?

As I may quote GigaJoe who posted this earlier in this thread:

latest software version 2.2  + manual +  communication protocol spec ;  2016MAY11
http://en.feeltech.net/index.php?case=attachment&act=down&aid=47

CH 340 USB drivers
http://en.feeltech.net/index.php?case=attachment&act=down&aid=25

[Sredni]

Just ordered this little gizmo online, but I'm pretty sure it will arrive with firmware version 2.0.
Is there any way the user can update the firmware, or the one you get with the device is the one you are stuck with?

Well, whaddayaknow, it came with version 3.5.
My questions still stands, though, at least as a curiosity.

Also, I noted that the label on the bottom says: "o 12M  x 24M  o 25M". Mine is 24MHz.
Anybody has the 25 MHz version? What's the point of having 24 and 25 MHz versions?

[bitseeker]

I also noticed that 25 MHz version on the newer units, but have not seen one marked as such. Why the extra 1 MHz? A guess is to match the competing MHS-5200 at 25 MHz.

[cdev]

is it possible to calibrate the generator (by beating a 10, 15 MHz, etc. carrier against WWV ) Is there an adjustment pot or pad somewhere on the unit?

[electro_pt]

Was planning on getting one of these to help me continue learning more about electronics.  First thing on the list of MODs was the PSU improvement.  Reply #325 (https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/feeltech-fy3224s-24mhz-2-channel-dds-aw-function-signal-generator/msg964553/#msg964553)  has a simple and inexpensive solution to the PSU concern to isolate the BNC ground from any other ground (or semi-ground as in the as-received unit).  Since this floats the ground, would there be any issue with adding a switch to connect mains ground to the BNC ground as well?  In that way the generator could have a floating ground or mains ground.

Also, one of the previous posts mentioned a USB isolator (http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-USB-Isolator-Magnetic-Coupling-Isolation-ADUM4160-USB-to-USB-/141998972441?hash=item210fcc5e19:g:aVAAAOSwEa5XPrRb) as well.  Anyone tried this?  Would be simple way to fully isolate the device, albeit between the USB isolator and PSU isolator would almost double the unit's price.

[bitseeker]

is it possible to calibrate the generator (by beating a 10, 15 MHz, etc. carrier against WWV ) Is there an adjustment pot or pad somewhere on the unit?

No calibration that I'm aware of.

[bitseeker]

Since this floats the ground, would there be any issue with adding a switch to connect mains ground to the BNC ground as well?  In that way the generator could have a floating ground or mains ground.

Yes, it can and has been done. See reply #219.

Also, one of the previous posts mentioned a USB isolator (http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-USB-Isolator-Magnetic-Coupling-Isolation-ADUM4160-USB-to-USB-/141998972441?hash=item210fcc5e19:g:aVAAAOSwEa5XPrRb) as well.  Anyone tried this?  Would be simple way to fully isolate the device, albeit between the USB isolator and PSU isolator would almost double the unit's price.

SteveyG added USB isolation among other mods in a series of videos. The USB isolator is covered in the video in reply #321.

[icpart]

Now there is discount with -15% off at banggood with coupon code "EMRLSP" for 3224s.

[jcrubin]

Can anyone confirm that the new firmware does or does not have triggering for the sweep function, for the input of an oscope trigger

[icpart]

Power Supply - still has leakage the same as other versions.

Interesting there is new power supply pcb board with input connectors on input. In mine FG they are directly soldered wires on input which is ugly. Now I have some improvements about earth grounding and leakage with upgraded input power socket.

[mcmusic]

added 3wire power socket, but, instead short connection of central ground power wire and the device ground I use a 2.2mf 250V capacitor (110V wall power) voltage drop to 0.1V , did I made it right ?

still some noise at range 10-20 mV in the output signal, some 10-20 MHz

Hi everybody,
I also got one of these marvels. I wonder why GigaJoe in post #215 never got a suffucient answer (at least I found none) to the idea of using a capacitor between central ground power wire and the device ground. He measured a very small voltage of 0.1V between the 2 grounds, which should be harmless to any circuit the generator is attached to. And the outputs are still kind of "floating", aren't they? I am thinking about using a switch which selects A) a direct connection between central ground power wire and the device ground (the solution most people use) or B) the 2.2µF capacitor between central ground power wire and the device ground that GigaJoe has proposed.
BTW, I think it was a 2.2 µF =microFarad what he meant, not 2.2mf = milliFarad as he wrote.
My results, measured with an elderly Metex M-3640-D True RMS meter:
AC Voltage without Cap: 54.8V. With 2.2µF: 0.047V
AC Current without Cap: 785µA. With 2.2µF: 38 µA

Greetings,
mcmusic

[bitseeker]

It's possible that GigaJoe's post was simply missed. Sorry, Joe.

Using a capacitor from the power connector's ground lead to the chassis ground will help reduce noise, but will not provide the same level of protection as connecting them directly. It's floating to a degree. So, it depends what your goals/requirements are. I supposed you could use a switch to be able to choose one of three configurations: grounded, filtered, floating.

[ntoobe]

Would it be wrong to just connect siggen's socket to something grounded, like scope instead adding IEC socket and switch?

[bitseeker]

The reason for grounding the device is to prevent the leakage from potentially blowing sensitive circuits. If you're connecting to something that doesn't mind the voltage levels, then there's no issue. But you'd have to remember that the potential is always there (pun intended, of course ).

[mcmusic]

Would it be wrong to just connect siggen's socket to something grounded, like scope instead adding IEC socket and switch?

ntoobe,
electrically this is sufficient (in the cases bitseeker described). However, I would not use it as this. Very easily one of the clips can come off.

You could use a less wiggly BNC cable and connect it between one of the often unused TTL-Outputs in the back of the 3224 and another grounded BNC connector.

Greetings,
mcmusic

[rad400]

I have been looking to low cost freq Gen and was looking at both the Feetech FY3224s and the HM Instek HM5400 which are very similar to each other for price and Freq range.  Initially was going with the Feeltech but after reading the leakage/power supply issues, not sure now.   Any thoughts of which would be a better one to purchase.

Thanks,
RAD400

[cdev]

It's such a good deal, relative to its competitors, though, and grounding it well through a three wire cord is easy, and eliminates the voltage issue.

[pascal_sweden]

It's such a good deal, relative to its competitors, though, and grounding it well through a three wire cord is easy, and eliminates the voltage issue.

If it's that easy and cheap to solve the grounding issue, why does the Chinese manufacturer not do it themselves already in the factory? Stupidity and/or stubbornness?

[bitseeker]

It's such a good deal, relative to its competitors, though, and grounding it well through a three wire cord is easy, and eliminates the voltage issue.

If it's that easy and cheap to solve the grounding issue, why does the Chinese manufacturer not do it themselves already in the factory? Stupidity and/or stubbornness?

They probably sell plenty without making the change.

[s1ig0]

Hi guys, just received my new FY3200 24MHz FG today and I've noticed that the frequency is off by approximately 5%.  So, when the FG is set to 1k the hardware counter on my DSO reads 952Hz and at 10k it reads 9.52k.  My DMM has a basic counter and it gives the same reading as the DSO.  There's no offset; function=sine.  Have I done something wrong?    Is this a common problem?

[s1ig0]

I should also have mentioned that the FGs own counter is also off by 5%.  So, when I feed the 1k signal back to the FG it reads 1k.  If I feed an external 1k signal (calibrated by my DSOs hardware counter) the FG reports that it's off by 5%.  So, this issue affects the signal generation *and* the counter by the looks of it.

[SaabFAN]

Can anyone check if they have the same amount of distortion at frequencies higher than 18,2MHz?

I am beginning to suspect that I got a faulty unit.
Signal-Settings: Sine-Wave, 1V Amplitude, 0% DC-Offset.
Measured with an Advantest R3131A Spectrum Analyzer.

[bitseeker]

I should also have mentioned that the FGs own counter is also off by 5%.  So, when I feed the 1k signal back to the FG it reads 1k.  If I feed an external 1k signal (calibrated by my DSOs hardware counter) the FG reports that it's off by 5%.  So, this issue affects the signal generation *and* the counter by the looks of it.

They're both based on the same internal clock, so they'll both be affected.

I haven't heard of one of these being that far off, not that I've seen a large number of these generators. However, if you have access to a GPSDO, Rubidium, or other high-stability oscillator or a counter with one as its external clock, that'd be a better basis for verifying your signal generator's accuracy.

If you're using an oscillator directly, use your scope to compare its output signal to that of the 3224 at the same frequency. You'll see how much drift there is between them. Alternatively, if your scope can accept the oscillator's signal as an external clock, then that'll improve the scope's accuracy for measuring the generator.

With a universal/frequency counter that has a highly stable external oscillator, you can directly measure the generator's output frequency.