Recent Posts

1

Test Equipment / Re: Decent modern Signal/waveform Generator here in early 2024

« Last post by Aldo22 on Today at 08:52:15 am »

otherwise after some time you will start to kick yourself

...or you can use presets, the Windows software, or write your own Linux software.

The FY3224S is cheap and serves many purposes. Of course it leaves a lot to be desired, but in combination with other cheap devices it can become a useful hobby equipment for little money.
In my case, for example:
FY3224S: 2 channels, 20Vpp, phase, sweep etc.
Hantek DSO2000 built-in AWG: Adds much better rise times, shorter pulses and AM/FM modulation with selectable waveforms (But only 1ch and limited Vpp).
TinySA: Provides much higher bandwidth (350MHz sine, less stepped signal than 12bit) and AM/FM (stepped sine only, 1ch and very limited Vpp).

You can test and learn a lot with these. All of course only hobby/beginner quality. A "decent" signal generator still costs quite a bit of money.

2

Test Equipment / Re: SDS800X HD Bug Reports + Firmware

« Last post by ebastler on Today at 08:50:03 am »

From eTobey's side, it might feel like he is doing work for Siglent?

Actually, some kind of "bug bounty" program would be a nice touch. Users who find and characterize bugs are providing a service to Siglent and to the user community, after all.

Dear Siglent -- I would settle for an SLA1016 logic probe, ideally with an extra set of the better grabbers! 

3

Repair / Re: Rigol DP712 Output Shorted; Fuse? / I Screwed Up

« Last post by Harry_22 on Today at 08:46:18 am »

Many thanks for photos. They make the conversation more meaningful.

So you connected battery correctly.
The PS is working. It provides current 0.5 A to some short circuit "load". And we can calculate it 0.58V / 0.5A = 1.16 Ohm

You see the capacitor at output. If you put PS off this capacitor have to be discharged. Correct?
I guess that it is discharged by this thyristor.
You connected the battery to PS which was switched off and all the possible current passed to this thyristor.
Also your PS has OVP as well as OCP functionality. This somewhat complicates the logic of work, especially with the battery.
I can see other powerful parts at output. Seems they are also involved in PS protection.

What should be done is to eliminate the short circuit. You put out S12M15 thyristor and check the PS.

4

Test Equipment / Re: SDS800X HD Bug Reports + Firmware

« Last post by electronics hobbyist on Today at 08:45:59 am »

#14 Edge trigger setting affects Qualified trigger operation
I could not reproduce this one at all.

When the edge is alternating, switching to interval also causes the trigger to have two lines. So the culprit is the edge alternating trigger. Before the new version is released, the only way is not to set the edge alternation.

5

Projects, Designs, and Technical Stuff / more modern version of tl494?

« Last post by 2strokeforever on Today at 08:40:44 am »

Hello, I am looking for a more modern and capable version of the tl494 or sg3525 that is still reasonably simple to use.

I would like to hear if there are better options, or should I stick with the tried and true.

Big picture im trying to settle on a PWM IC to be powered from pretty much any voltage over 10v (with dc dc isolator if needed)

The output of the IC is only to power an isolated gate driver, or 2, any current measuring will be done with an acs758 hall sensor.

Frequency will be below 100khz

Depending on the project the power level will be from 1kw to 20kw

Heres the wants:

Reasonably sized IC, dont like the vqfn style/ leadless case that is difficult to solder.
Single ended or push pull outputs
Access to both inverting and non inverting pins of the error amplifiers

Something with a few examples out there would be nice too since I am not an expert.

Let me know what you think.

6

General Technical Chat / Re: Post a picture of a cat!

« Last post by BU508A on Today at 08:32:07 am »

cat video from NASA:



Background:
https://www.nasa.gov/missions/psyche-mission/nasas-optical-comms-demo-transmits-data-over-140-million-miles/

7

Test Equipment / Re: Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread

« Last post by dazz1 on Today at 08:28:40 am »

Well it will work for what you were doing but there are some issues.

The loading on the GPIB bus will be much higher. About 10k plus a fair bit of capacitance instead of 100k and <10pF
The logic thresholds will be incorrect.
It's technically exceeding the input voltage specification of the 'scope. The specification is +_40V at the probe tip. As the probe network is a 10:1 divider that is +_ 4V at the 'scope digital input. Now 5V is unlikely to cause damage but any overshoot, ringing or higher logic levels than TTL could damage the comparators in the 'scope.

Adding a pair of 100k 8 way resistor packages is not too much extra work.

Robert.

All good points. I didn't spot it was a 10:1 divider.   I am going to revisit the design.  I suspect it will be easier and less work to insert discrete smd resistors to the existing track layout. 

8

Test Equipment / Re: SDS800X HD Bug Reports + Firmware

« Last post by ebastler on Today at 08:26:10 am »

As suggested yesterday, I checked which of the "modern" triggers (Qualified, Delay, Nth Edge, Setup/Hold) are affected by the recently found trigger-related bugs, to get a complete picture. Results are mixed:

#17 Wrong trigger threshold displayed in zoom mode
Qualified, Delay, Setup/Hold are affected
Nth Edge is OK

#16 Trigger settings are lost upon reboot
Qualified, Delay, Setup/Hold, Nth Edge all forget their complete setup:
Assigned channels, thresholds, delay/timeout settings, edge count setting are lost.

#15 Normal trigger does no resume after wrong threshold is corrected
Delay trigger is the only one affected.
(Clarification: Only change of a Source A threshold in the dialog causes this.
Change of Source B threshold via trigger level knob is OK.)

Qualified, Nth Edge, Setup/Hold are OK.

#14 Edge trigger setting affects Qualified trigger operation
I could not reproduce this one at all.
More information about the settings is needed. @eTobey?

9

Test Equipment / Re: New 2ch pocket DSO+SG - Zeeweii DSO2512G

« Last post by Sham73 on Today at 08:19:59 am »

I wanted to find out whether it is possible to determine details using such a digital 2-channel device or not.

I'm not an expert, but I don't see why there should be a difference between digital and analog in this case. They just measure voltages.
The problem is probably more with the "stimulus" and the probes.
Perhaps an SMD tester like the Mastech MS8911 would be suitable?

I also think that there should be no difference between analog and two-channel digital in this regard. As for the Mastech MS8911, it is an ordinary multimeter made in a pliers form factor, and therefore it will not be able to determine parts in-circuit.
In a word, I purchased Zeeweii DSO2512G (V9.15). I liked it - a fairly high-quality device. But I had a couple of questions: 1) What does “RTAuto” mean in the upper right corner of the screen, which appears when you long press the Auto button.
P.S. I wanted to send images of my board and "RTAuto", but I couldn't. How can I send an image here when replying to a post?

10

Test Equipment / Re: Siglent SDS3000X HD and upgraded SDS1000X HD

« Last post by Performa01 on Today at 08:10:31 am »

I have been wondering whether Performa01 might have had a hand in some parts of the SDS800X HD manual (and prior manuals for the same platform). There are some chapters which are a touch above the rest -- say the FFT chapter, and some paragraphs in the Math/Filter section.

Anybody able to offer insights? Just curious... 

I think I'm the best person to answer this: no, I've never consciously contributed to any Siglent manual, I've not even ever reviewed one.

I've always tried to use the instruments intuitively, and only if that failed took a look at the manual - which were very rare cases. Of course, if I found the information there to be incorrect or missing, then I've reported it.

Why did I write "consciously" in the paragraph above? No, I'm not a somnambulist, but I've published a lot of things in this forum, including a deep review of the SDS1004X-E, which might have had some influence one way or the other.