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"Trigger box" for advanced/complex scope triggering?
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meretrix:
At work the other day, I was bashing my head against the limited triggering options available on our lab's scope, and I thought how nice it would be if a "pass-through box" type of thing existed that would collect data from your four analog channels and then allow you to create custom, possibly fairly complex triggers based on not just things like rising/falling edge, signal level, serial-decode, etc. but also from the results of math operations and channel measurements. For extra points, allow those results to be chained/combined to create very specific trigger conditions.

My question is, does this kind of thing already exist somewhere? And if not, is there some reason (like, "it's stupid and it won't work")? If it's stupid and it won't work, why not?  :P

And just cos I'm having an insomniac night and I couldn't think of anything better to do, I sketched out the basics of what I'm thinking. (I know, I left out the direct path from the analog inputs to the scope inputs, I'm a slow.) Comments/advice/questions/abuse welcomed! Thanks.
ogden:

--- Quote from: meretrix on December 04, 2018, 08:14:45 am ---At work the other day, I was bashing my head against the limited triggering options available on our lab's scope

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Which brand and model and options if any?


--- Quote ---and I thought how nice it would be if a "pass-through box" type of thing existed that would collect data from your four analog channels

--- End quote ---

Your pass-through box shall have all the functions of the scope except display :) Better just get proper scope. Together with zone trigger software RTO2000 or better R&S scope would give what you want and more. [disclaimer] I mention R&S just because had been using such. I am sure other manufacturers also offer sophisticated triggering.
DaJMasta:
I think the practical option is to just get a new scope... while it's certainly possible to make such a thing (though every new trigger is going to need some new holdoff delay), anything beyond analog triggers is just reinventing the wheel.  The hardware and systems you're describing are basically what's in a digital scope... so you want to make an external trigger box that is basically just a second scope channel for the express purpose of more complicated triggering?


If buying one wasn't an option, your time would probably be better served building a plugin or a hack for your current scope to get the software trigger features you want rather than also building a scope in addition to all the software...
meretrix:

--- Quote ---Which brand and model and options if any?
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LeCroy Teledyne T3DSO1204 (I think I have that right). So far the triggering has been my only complaint. I had to MacGyver up this horrible monitoring circuit with two transformers and a MCU to observe the signals and to send the trigger pulse (to energize a relay coil and switch between power supplies) at just the right moment. That was when I thought there really must be a better way...


--- Quote ---Your pass-through box shall have all the functions of the scope except display :) Better just get proper scope. Together with zone trigger software RTO2000 or better R&S scope would give what you want and more. [disclaimer] I mention R&S just because had been using such. I am sure other manufacturers also offer sophisticated triggering.
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That's sort of what I was thinking -- that I'd basically be making a scope without a display. I dunno -- I might go ahead and do it anyway just because it's caught my interest, but yeah, I guess I would be re-inventing the wheel a bit. Cheers!


--- Quote from: DaJMasta on December 04, 2018, 08:45:12 am ---... so you want to make an external trigger box that is basically just a second scope channel for the express purpose of more complicated triggering?

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Basically... yes.  ;)

ogden:

--- Quote from: meretrix on December 04, 2018, 09:02:22 am ---I dunno -- I might go ahead and do it anyway just because it's caught my interest, but yeah, I guess I would be re-inventing the wheel a bit.

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Just don't. Please listen to advice we are telling you and will not regret it. Spend your efforts/time building something really unique and useful, make sure it is not lab T&M equipment. I don't even want to spend internet ink explaining how outright wrong such scope add-on would be.
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