Has anyone used their propscope as a signal generator?

[turbosupra]

I was considering getting a signal generator off of ebay (not sure which model would be best to get yet, but I would like to be able to go from 50hz to 500,000hz and from 0 to 15vDC) and I just realized that the prop scope has the ability to be a signal generator.

Do I need expansion hardware or can I do this within the software and just use the second set of probes? What are the capabilities of the prop scope signal generator? If anyone has used it, how well does it work?

Thanks!

[Hanno]

Do I count?
Yes, the PropScope's function generator should be very capable. You can output arbitrary waveforms (with easy presets for sine, square, sawtooth) at frequencies from .1Hz to 5MHz in .1Hz increments. You can adjust amplitude/offset to fit in either -1.5V..1.5V or 0..5V ranges. You can draw custom waveforms with your mouse or import from files.
I made some improvements in the v1.05beta floating on one of these threads- use that for best results...
Hanno

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Co-author of the official Propeller Guide- available at Amazon
Developer of ViewPort, the premier visual debugger for the Propeller (read the review here, thread here),
12Blocks, the block-based programming environment (thread here)
and PropScope, the multi-function USB oscilloscope/function generator/logic analyzer

[turbosupra]

Haha, you definitely count Hanno!

Do I have to buy additional hardware to use my prop scope as a sig gen?

Is there a way to go 0 to 15v with it? Maybe with an external power supply?

Hanno said...
Do I count?
Yes, the PropScope's function generator should be very capable. You can output arbitrary waveforms (with easy presets for sine, square, sawtooth) at frequencies from .1Hz to 5MHz in .1Hz increments. You can adjust amplitude/offset to fit in either -1.5V..1.5V or 0..5V ranges. You can draw custom waveforms with your mouse or import from files.
I made some improvements in the v1.05beta floating on one of these threads- use that for best results...
Hanno

[hover1]

Turbo,

The Signal Generation occurs on the DAC Card. The BNC connector closest to the PropScope is the output. See page 6: http://www.parallax.com/Portals/0/Do...tartedv1.0.pdf

5 volts is all you are going to get out of the DAC board. It is being powered by the USB cable, (USB= 5 volts). You could amplify the 5 volt signal later to get the voltage you need.

Jim

turbosupra said...

Haha, you definitely count Hanno!

Do I have to buy additional hardware to use my prop scope as a sig gen?

Is there a way to go 0 to 15v with it? Maybe with an external power supply?

Hanno said...
Do I count?
Yes, the PropScope's function generator should be very capable. You can output arbitrary waveforms (with easy presets for sine, square, sawtooth) at frequencies from .1Hz to 5MHz in .1Hz increments. You can adjust amplitude/offset to fit in either -1.5V..1.5V or 0..5V ranges. You can draw custom waveforms with your mouse or import from files.
I made some improvements in the v1.05beta floating on one of these threads- use that for best results...
Hanno

[Hanno]

Hi,
Sorry I forgot to address your hardware question- as usual, Hover1 is right- you only need to plug the included expansion card into your PropScope and connect signals to the inner BNC... These forums are wonderful!
Now, how about a new challenge to solve TS's problem:

Design a simple circuit that:
- scales the PropScope's analog output to a higher voltage range- for example, 0-5V becomes 0-15V
- supports frequencies between .1 and 5MHz without introducing artifacts
- uses as few commonly DIP parts as possible
Hanno

▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
Co-author of the official Propeller Guide- available at Amazon
Developer of ViewPort, the premier visual debugger for the Propeller (read the review here, thread here),
12Blocks, the block-based programming environment (thread here)
and PropScope, the multi-function USB oscilloscope/function generator/logic analyzer

[turbosupra]

Hi Hanno!

I don't remember ever seeing my expansion card? I'm guessing I received one though and it is in the box, I'll have to check.

So about this circuit, how would it work? And is 5mhz the highest the pscope will go?

Let me know if you've designed and built one of these, I'll buy it

Hanno said...
Hi,
Sorry I forgot to address your hardware question- as usual, Hover1 is right- you only need to plug the included expansion card into your PropScope and connect signals to the inner BNC... These forums are wonderful!
Now, how about a new challenge to solve TS's problem:

Design a simple circuit that:
- scales the PropScope's analog output to a higher voltage range- for example, 0-5V becomes 0-15V
- supports frequencies between .1 and 5MHz without introducing artifacts
- uses as few commonly DIP parts as possible
Hanno

[TonyF (spinvent.co.uk)]

- 10 to + 10 V amplitude range would be very nice for a general purpose signal gen.

[BradC]

TonyF (spinvent.co.uk) said...
- 10 to + 10 V amplitude range would be very nice for a general purpose signal gen.

So design a DAC board with a couple of small boost converters on it to give you the right rails and go for it.

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"Are you suggesting coconuts migrate?"