FY3200S Arbitrary Function Generator Review. How does it work, how good is the sweep and how clean is the output. I take a look at this little $59 sweep generator.
Just got mine over the weekend. I have a + 0.03V offset. Not the end of the world but significant when working with 0.5V. There are all these mini spikes across my sine wave viewed on my digital oscilloscope. I looked at the wave form on FFT and it appears to be quite clean. I am very interested if your suggestion of an alternative power supply would help either.
I appreciate you taking the time to take a look at this unit. I had seen it and due to the very low price I had a hard time believing it could work very well at all. Interesting the way it allows you to draw the waveform, I imagine it might be easier if you had a graphics tablet to draw with but who knows how sensitive their input system is. I did like that you could input the points or alter the points after the fact. It would seem you could probably program something to output the format they required for the waveform and then just copy/paste it in there. Likewise, if you had a waveform saved somewhere you might be able to coax it out and massage it into the format they want and be able to reproduce it for testing. I've got an old Krohn-Hite 5910B Arbitrary/Function Generator which is huge compared to that FY3200S you got there. It's programmable via GPIB but I haven't gotten that far yet. What machine is it that you hooked the output of the FY3200S to to measure distortion? I'd be interested to learn more about that if you were up to making a video going over it.
Yeah, I know what you mean. I thought that at first too, how good can it be. But then I thought, Heck, I can spend that much on a weeks worth of Lattes so what do I have to lose. In all I would say it was a good deal. Would I use it in a production type environment, no, but for testing IF chains, frequency response of amplifiers and op amps and other non super critical applications it is great for the money. I forgot to mention in the review that it will also let you sweep the arbitrary waveform. That might come in handy. As for the machine I hooked it up to, that is an OLD EICO 902 tube type distortion analyser. I got it for free a while ago and changed the caps and did an alignment. It works a treat. It won't go down to .01% distortion like anything newer but I find I don't really need that kind of accuracy. I also have an HP332A which does the same thing except it will go down to .1% full scale but I actually like the EICO better. I guess us old folks have to stick together. But then the HP isn't that much newer. If I get any response I can do a video on how to use a distortion analyser as long as folks don't mind one antique teaching other people how to use another antique. Thanks for the response and keep watching.
I am a hobbiest and I bought FY322S it's its cost me around 60 US$... I am waiting for it... can you do a video with showing how to use external trigger input with this stuff using Input or use a speaker to see the hear the sounwdave
Thanks for doing a review of the software, did it allow copying and pasting the text in the text view window? If that was the case then writing certain signals up in excel would be nice and easy.
I checked it out and yes you can copy and paste into the text view window. I has to be in the format that all numbers are separated by 2 spaces and there has to be exactly 2048 of them. I do not know how you would do that in a spreadsheet.
There's more information here than in the website which sell the product. Thank you very much for the review. God bless China prices. God bless you for the informations.
Thank you. I do need to change out the power supply though since it is cheap and can cause devastating effects on some devices. I will do a video using something simple.
@@AERVBlog Do you mean the internal power supply ? Because I am trying to use a Vin=.2V@10kHz but on the oscilloscope I see A LOT of ripple! If I change the Vin to 1V everything looks ok.
@@AlessandroBoggiano I just tried mine at .2V at 10KHz and the output looks fine. My distortion meter reads about .1% distortion. I have not changed the internal power supply yet.
Hi, I would like to know how low the voltage output or amplitude could go. I would like to generate sine waves of around 455 Khz and in the order of microvolts to align radio receivers IF section.. Thanks.
Roberto Salazar unfortunately the voltage control is pretty course. It will go down to 0 but you can only control it in .01 (10mv) segments so no, you won't be able to use it that way easily. However it is a pretty easy build to make a variable 50 db pad at those frequencies.
Excellent! Many thanks for your response. Highly appreciated. I may use or build a small device similar to the Elecraft AT1 41 dB HF/VHF Switched Attenuator to bring the signal level down so I can properly adjust the IF tank circuits on radio receivers. By the way, I just bought via ebay, a chinese "0.5Mhz-470Mhz RF Signal Generator Meter Tester For FM Radio Walkie-Talkie debug" of similar construction and quality to this FeelTech. Is not an Arbitrary Waveform Generator but works pretty well to align radio receivers for HF/VHF/UHF (above 0.5 Mhz). It only produces -70dBm max which is good enough to simulate an S9 signal so is useful for my purposes. Is very accurate and easy to use. This generator I mention at first didn't work. It came with one IC SMD badly soldered with a big drop of solder short circuiting the IC. I fixed it and surface solder it correctly. Is working fine now. Highly recommended. Now, back to the Feeltech... I will buy this Arbitrary waveform thanks to your video and thanks to your response to my question. Now I know it will serve my purposes; so I can take care of the Radio IF section alignment (usually around 455 Khz., below my generator range) on my workbench without having to spend US$1K+ to 3K for a high end unit. At present I am using an old Heathkit vacuum tube signal generator that is heavy and takes a lot of space. This one is analog and its output has to be checked and adjusted with a Frequency Counter (another Heathkit) so I end up with a lot of big equipment on the bench to align a simple radio. Hope mine comes working fine right on the first time, without having to fix it like I did with my signal Generator. Thanks a lot. 73 es Roberto, YS1RS
And just what is wrong with boat anchor test equipment? They do a fine job of keeping your bench from floating away and they have the added ability of keeping the shop warm on those cold winter months. I will look into that RF Signal Generator, thanks. Thanks for watching and if you have any more questions feel free to ask.
I lack space. I use 3 big heathkits to do alignment. Now will use only 2 small thins to do same. Since I lack space i must bring and later store the heavy stuff equipment to clean my dinner table so we can eat. Less problems with the wife. That explains it all. Once one the boys gets married i will have a room for a decent workshop.
i bought this unit to help me with antique radio repair. I need a 455Khz modulated sine wave and a10.7Mhz modulated sine wave for FM . I do not see a way to get those waveforms. Is it possible?
Thanks. That works fine. I pressed the SYS button and then pressed the control knob in when the screen said SAVE P_ON FREQ. Now it starts up at .6 volts. Great.
Mario Azzolini you can download the manual. I don't remember where but it is available. I am not at a computer right now. Just do a Google search FY3200S manual.
Hello! i purchased this model. although i like it for the price, however i am unable to send waveform to the function generator. all the control works as described in this video. it even says send successful but if i select ARB1, it still shows the old waveform not the new one. how do i determine in where is this waveform sent and stored?
Make sure you are sending it to the correct storage slot on the device. I remember I did not look closely at where the program was saving the waveform on the generator and it confused me for a while. I will take a look at it tonight when I have time so I can maybe give you a little more information. Thanks for watching.
@@AERVBlog Thanks for the tip! after fiddling around a bit, we have to select from the menu, MEMORY AREA>FIRST ROM/SECOND/THIRD/FOURTH ROM for ARB1/ARB2/ARB3/ARB4. Then we have to select the appropriate waveform from the Contrl Window Arbitrary Wave 1/2/3/4 based on which ROM we stored the waveform. Interestingly, the software ecg/pulse/am/fm etc for which the lcd on the function generator shows pre1/2/3 etc... I was interested in stairstep waveform to plot transistor (npn bjt curve according to this, wiki.analog.com/university/courses/electronics/electronics-lab-4 ) on the rigol 1054z 4 channel scope. unfortunately this rigol can't do X-Y for math waveforms in x-y mode. although i have studied electrical engineering a decade back in india (every fourth person is an engineer here and since there aren't enough engineering jobs, some have even become lawyers!) but i was an average student and now work in other field but this cheap function generator and the scope rekindled my interest in the analog electronics. hopefully, i will be able to make cheap but working circuits!!! thanks for the video. yours is the only video on this function generator which shows the software. it says, it can load waveform from NI function creator but i guess it is not free to use.
@@dd0356 Very good for you. The little FG is limited but for $50 US it is not too bad. Mine developed a problem however. It is now 400HZ at 1KHz which makes it less usefull. I did do some distortion measurements on the thing. It seems to be about .1% is the best I can get out of it using an HP 331 distortion analyzer. That is ok for me but I am looking into building or buying something with .001% (not that anybody could hear the difference). Maybe you could design something as a project?? ;-)
@@AERVBlog HAHA right now i am struggling to get the bias in a bjt right! i managed to put it in "active mode" after i saw it on the oscilloscope but still figuring out how to see the current...I was an average student for a reason, i did not like the math of non-linear electronics. and they don't teach any electronics in colleges they only teach math. worst of all was power electronics because it only had all such parameters like thd and what not. i don't like anything when they say 3rd harmonic !! The only cut and paste idea i have for the function generator is to use a dds module (www.aliexpress.com/item/AD9850-DDS-Signal-Generator-Module-0-40MHz-2-Sine-Wave-and-2-Square-Low-pass-Filter/32847153218.html? )from china and plug it in an arduino (made in china) and feed to it from github (github.com/F4GOJ/AD9850 ) The only grudge i have is that such tools were not available when i was in college for cheap china prices. i did not understand anything when i had time. now i have some tools but don't have much time! but it is a fun activity for me and others get an impression i am doing something serious ;-)
Yes. This thing leaks current. For most things it does not matter. The current measures in the micro amps. Much ado about nothing. I use this as a sound source for audio components and it works fine. I must say though that now it is off frequency. At 1000 Hz it is 400 Hz low. That is appreciable and not what I expected. Also I measured the output and I could never get better than .3% distortion. It is a a nice little cheap function generator but you can do better for the same price on eBay. I may visit this thing again. Thanks for watching and the comment.
@@AERVBlog The instructions say you can calibrate the unit by holding down the left arrow and PARM buttons while turning the machine on. Then use the rotary knob to set the unit to 10.0Khz. Finally press down the rotary knob to save the setting.
Hello guys, I'm an Electronic Engineering student and electronics enthusiast and beginner. I had in mind to buy this model, as a friend of mine has the 2 MHz version and works pretty well, also because it costs just 53 euros on Amazon. Is this a fair model to begin with? Or there are other competing products on this price level?
My unit has some problems now, besides the well documented leaking power supply. Mine is off frequency by 400Hz at 1000Hz. This does not seem to be a common problem though. I still say that for the price it is a great little device.
Yes there is. You can get it from here en.feeltech.net/index.php?case=archive&act=list&catid=6&page=2 It is the CH340 driver. Use 7Zip to extract the .rar file then you have to get rid of the Chinese characters in the file names and the directory names or the driver will not install. Once that is done you will have to reboot and connect the FY3200S. in Windows open the menu and type: Device Manager Open Com and LPT ports Find the CH340 com port Run the FS3200 software and if it does not connect automatically select: : Port Connect and select the port number you found in device manager. Hope that helps. Thanks for watching.
David Price I have learned quite a bit more about mine in the past year. I may have to do another video on it. My counter works pretty well too but the meter does have some limitations.
Sorry it took so long to get back to you. There are several purposes for using a square wave. Probably the most used in radio is to produce harmonics. Since a square wave produces basically an infinite number of odd integer harmonic frequencies it is used to measure how well a device can reject spurious frequencies. In audio they are used to check amplifier response. Also they are used to measure the turn on/off time of everything from tubes to ICs to microprocessors. A good clean square wave with a fast rise time, the time it takes for it to go from 0 to full on, and a good fall time, the time it takes to go from full on to 0, is invaluable when designing and trouble shooting digital circuits. Another use is in switching power supplies, like the one in your computer. Basically they control amount of time the voltage is applied to the circuit which corresponds to the output voltage. This are called Pulse Width Modulation, a square wave that varies in duration. Sometimes the square top part stays on longer than others. The whole world of computers works on them too. All those bits and bytes are just a series of square waves turning on and off logic gates producing a string of 0s and 1s. At least for now. Quantum computers are really different, and weird.
AERVBlog i hot a behringer cable tester that has a kinda square wave output ...but seem slightly distorted. ....which is better sine or square wave for checkin amplifiers??
Raj Dann I depends on what you want to discover. If you are just looking for response across the audio band sine wave is fine. If you are looking to see the actual response of an amp at given frequencies then a square wave passed through a low pass filter into the amp will let you see the boost or attenuation at any given frequency on a scope. The square wave has to be pretty good because any distortion in the square wave will show up at the output of the amp and you won't know what is real amp and what is from the square wave. Usually a quick sweep from 60Hz to 10KHz with a sine wave will do the trick though unless you think there is something wrong with the amp. Did that help at all?
These look to be ok at first. BUT they can be equipment killers or worse do harm to your self. This is a common issue with these as found on the internet. There is high ish voltage present on the outputs as can be measured with a DVM. Caused by the cheap switch mode power supply not being earthed. Iam not being funny but I read a lot and wouldn't want anyone to get injured or expensive equipment ruined. 73s.
worldradio456 uk you are right. That is a problem with these. I have not done anything to mine and have since gotten a better generator. In fact my cheap gen is now 400 hz of at 1000 Hz so it isn't of much use anymore except for just a noise machine. Remember, I am old enough to have grownup with equipment that was always grounded on the chassis, or not, so I take precautions automatically. I am going to make a new video on this thing. We will see what I say then. Thanks for the comment.
Наука
Nice Review Congrats on the new camera as well
Just got mine over the weekend. I have a + 0.03V offset. Not the end of the world but significant when working with 0.5V. There are all these mini spikes across my sine wave viewed on my digital oscilloscope. I looked at the wave form on FFT and it appears to be quite clean. I am very interested if your suggestion of an alternative power supply would help either.
I appreciate you taking the time to take a look at this unit. I had seen it and due to the very low price I had a hard time believing it could work very well at all. Interesting the way it allows you to draw the waveform, I imagine it might be easier if you had a graphics tablet to draw with but who knows how sensitive their input system is.
I did like that you could input the points or alter the points after the fact. It would seem you could probably program something to output the format they required for the waveform and then just copy/paste it in there. Likewise, if you had a waveform saved somewhere you might be able to coax it out and massage it into the format they want and be able to reproduce it for testing. I've got an old Krohn-Hite 5910B Arbitrary/Function Generator which is huge compared to that FY3200S you got there. It's programmable via GPIB but I haven't gotten that far yet.
What machine is it that you hooked the output of the FY3200S to to measure distortion? I'd be interested to learn more about that if you were up to making a video going over it.
Yeah, I know what you mean. I thought that at first too, how good can it be. But then I thought, Heck, I can spend that much on a weeks worth of Lattes so what do I have to lose. In all I would say it was a good deal. Would I use it in a production type environment, no, but for testing IF chains, frequency response of amplifiers and op amps and other non super critical applications it is great for the money. I forgot to mention in the review that it will also let you sweep the arbitrary waveform. That might come in handy.
As for the machine I hooked it up to, that is an OLD EICO 902 tube type distortion analyser. I got it for free a while ago and changed the caps and did an alignment. It works a treat. It won't go down to .01% distortion like anything newer but I find I don't really need that kind of accuracy. I also have an HP332A which does the same thing except it will go down to .1% full scale but I actually like the EICO better. I guess us old folks have to stick together. But then the HP isn't that much newer. If I get any response I can do a video on how to use a distortion analyser as long as folks don't mind one antique teaching other people how to use another antique.
Thanks for the response and keep watching.
I am a hobbiest and I bought FY322S it's its cost me around 60 US$... I am waiting for it... can you do a video with showing how to use external trigger input with this stuff using Input or use a speaker to see the hear the sounwdave
Thanks for doing a review of the software, did it allow copying and pasting the text in the text view window? If that was the case then writing certain signals up in excel would be nice and easy.
I checked it out and yes you can copy and paste into the text view window. I has to be in the format that all numbers are separated by 2 spaces and there has to be exactly 2048 of them. I do not know how you would do that in a spreadsheet.
There's more information here than in the website which sell the product.
Thank you very much for the review.
God bless China prices. God bless you for the informations.
Thank you. I do need to change out the power supply though since it is cheap and can cause devastating effects on some devices. I will do a video using something simple.
In this new video can you talk about the TTL output? I'm really curious about it and till now I couldn't find out what is for.
I just bought mine too. I hope in two months It has arrived. Here in Brazil (I live here) takes about months to arrive things from China. :(
@@AERVBlog Do you mean the internal power supply ? Because I am trying to use a Vin=.2V@10kHz but on the oscilloscope I see A LOT of ripple!
If I change the Vin to 1V everything looks ok.
@@AlessandroBoggiano I just tried mine at .2V at 10KHz and the output looks fine. My distortion meter reads about .1% distortion. I have not changed the internal power supply yet.
Hi, I would like to know how low the voltage output or amplitude could go.
I would like to generate sine waves of around 455 Khz and in the order of microvolts to align radio receivers IF section..
Thanks.
Roberto Salazar unfortunately the voltage control is pretty course. It will go down to 0 but you can only control it in .01 (10mv) segments so no, you won't be able to use it that way easily. However it is a pretty easy build to make a variable 50 db pad at those frequencies.
Excellent! Many thanks for your response. Highly appreciated. I may use or build a small device similar to the Elecraft AT1 41 dB HF/VHF Switched Attenuator to bring the signal level down so I can properly adjust the IF tank circuits on radio receivers.
By the way, I just bought via ebay, a chinese "0.5Mhz-470Mhz RF Signal Generator Meter Tester For FM Radio Walkie-Talkie debug" of similar construction and quality to this FeelTech. Is not an Arbitrary Waveform Generator but works pretty well to align radio receivers for HF/VHF/UHF (above 0.5 Mhz). It only produces -70dBm max which is good enough to simulate an S9 signal so is useful for my purposes. Is very accurate and easy to use. This generator I mention at first didn't work. It came with one IC SMD badly soldered with a big drop of solder short circuiting the IC. I fixed it and surface solder it correctly. Is working fine now. Highly recommended.
Now, back to the Feeltech... I will buy this Arbitrary waveform thanks to your video and thanks to your response to my question. Now I know it will serve my purposes; so I can take care of the Radio IF section alignment (usually around 455 Khz., below my generator range) on my workbench without having to spend US$1K+ to 3K for a high end unit. At present I am using an old Heathkit vacuum tube signal generator that is heavy and takes a lot of space. This one is analog and its output has to be checked and adjusted with a Frequency Counter (another Heathkit) so I end up with a lot of big equipment on the bench to align a simple radio.
Hope mine comes working fine right on the first time, without having to fix it like I did with my signal Generator. Thanks a lot. 73 es Roberto, YS1RS
And just what is wrong with boat anchor test equipment? They do a fine job of keeping your bench from floating away and they have the added ability of keeping the shop warm on those cold winter months. I will look into that RF Signal Generator, thanks. Thanks for watching and if you have any more questions feel free to ask.
I lack space. I use 3 big heathkits to do alignment. Now will use only 2 small thins to do same. Since I lack space i must bring and later store the heavy stuff equipment to clean my dinner table so we can eat. Less problems with the wife. That explains it all. Once one the boys gets married i will have a room for a decent workshop.
i bought this unit to help me with antique radio repair. I need a 455Khz modulated sine wave and a10.7Mhz modulated sine wave for FM . I do not see a way to get those waveforms. Is it possible?
Not really. It does not have a modulation input. There are AM and FM presets but I have never looked into how they work.
you can set the unit to start at .5 volt. just click save on the software control window.
Thanks. That works fine. I pressed the SYS button and then pressed the control knob in when the screen said SAVE P_ON FREQ. Now it starts up at .6 volts. Great.
Do you know if this unit can generate a modulated signal?
Mario Azzolini yes it can. Either through the input or via the arbitrary waveform. It can do AM, FM and sort of phase modulation.
Thank you for the quick response. Do you know where can I find instructions or procedures on how to do it?
Mario Azzolini you can download the manual. I don't remember where but it is available. I am not at a computer right now. Just do a Google search FY3200S manual.
Hello! i purchased this model. although i like it for the price, however i am unable to send waveform to the function generator. all the control works as described in this video. it even says send successful but if i select ARB1, it still shows the old waveform not the new one. how do i determine in where is this waveform sent and stored?
Make sure you are sending it to the correct storage slot on the device. I remember I did not look closely at where the program was saving the waveform on the generator and it confused me for a while. I will take a look at it tonight when I have time so I can maybe give you a little more information. Thanks for watching.
@@AERVBlog Thanks for the tip! after fiddling around a bit, we have to select from the menu, MEMORY AREA>FIRST ROM/SECOND/THIRD/FOURTH ROM for ARB1/ARB2/ARB3/ARB4. Then we have to select the appropriate waveform from the Contrl Window Arbitrary Wave 1/2/3/4 based on which ROM we stored the waveform. Interestingly, the software ecg/pulse/am/fm etc for which the lcd on the function generator shows pre1/2/3 etc... I was interested in stairstep waveform to plot transistor (npn bjt curve according to this, wiki.analog.com/university/courses/electronics/electronics-lab-4 ) on the rigol 1054z 4 channel scope. unfortunately this rigol can't do X-Y for math waveforms in x-y mode. although i have studied electrical engineering a decade back in india (every fourth person is an engineer here and since there aren't enough engineering jobs, some have even become lawyers!) but i was an average student and now work in other field but this cheap function generator and the scope rekindled my interest in the analog electronics. hopefully, i will be able to make cheap but working circuits!!!
thanks for the video. yours is the only video on this function generator which shows the software. it says, it can load waveform from NI function creator but i guess it is not free to use.
@@dd0356 Very good for you. The little FG is limited but for $50 US it is not too bad. Mine developed a problem however. It is now 400HZ at 1KHz which makes it less usefull. I did do some distortion measurements on the thing. It seems to be about .1% is the best I can get out of it using an HP 331 distortion analyzer. That is ok for me but I am looking into building or buying something with .001% (not that anybody could hear the difference). Maybe you could design something as a project?? ;-)
@@AERVBlog HAHA right now i am struggling to get the bias in a bjt right! i managed to put it in "active mode" after i saw it on the oscilloscope but still figuring out how to see the current...I was an average student for a reason, i did not like the math of non-linear electronics. and they don't teach any electronics in colleges they only teach math. worst of all was power electronics because it only had all such parameters like thd and what not. i don't like anything when they say 3rd harmonic !! The only cut and paste idea i have for the function generator is to use a dds module (www.aliexpress.com/item/AD9850-DDS-Signal-Generator-Module-0-40MHz-2-Sine-Wave-and-2-Square-Low-pass-Filter/32847153218.html? )from china and plug it in an arduino (made in china) and feed to it from github (github.com/F4GOJ/AD9850 )
The only grudge i have is that such tools were not available when i was in college for cheap china prices. i did not understand anything when i had time. now i have some tools but don't have much time! but it is a fun activity for me and others get an impression i am doing something serious ;-)
Did you do anything about a "live" output and possible leakage current being that it's not grounded?
Yes. This thing leaks current. For most things it does not matter. The current measures in the micro amps. Much ado about nothing. I use this as a sound source for audio components and it works fine. I must say though that now it is off frequency. At 1000 Hz it is 400 Hz low. That is appreciable and not what I expected. Also I measured the output and I could never get better than .3% distortion. It is a a nice little cheap function generator but you can do better for the same price on eBay. I may visit this thing again. Thanks for watching and the comment.
@@AERVBlog The instructions say you can calibrate the unit by holding down the left arrow and PARM buttons while turning the machine on. Then use the rotary knob to set the unit to 10.0Khz. Finally press down the rotary knob to save the setting.
@@banjax66 thanks. I will give that a try.
@@banjax66 that worked perfectly. Wonder what happened to it. Thanks for the tip.
@@AERVBlog Glad I could help mate.
I hope other people find it useful too.
Hello guys, I'm an Electronic Engineering student and electronics enthusiast and beginner. I had in mind to buy this model, as a friend of mine has the 2 MHz version and works pretty well, also because it costs just 53 euros on Amazon. Is this a fair model to begin with? Or there are other competing products on this price level?
My unit has some problems now, besides the well documented leaking power supply. Mine is off frequency by 400Hz at 1000Hz. This does not seem to be a common problem though. I still say that for the price it is a great little device.
@@AERVBlog thank you for the advice sir
hi sir, is there any driver for usb because mine shows port not connected in the pc software.
Yes there is. You can get it from here
en.feeltech.net/index.php?case=archive&act=list&catid=6&page=2
It is the CH340 driver. Use 7Zip to extract the .rar file then you have to get rid of the Chinese characters in the file names and the directory names or the driver will not install. Once that is done you will have to reboot and connect the FY3200S. in Windows open the menu and type:
Device Manager
Open Com and LPT ports
Find the CH340 com port
Run the FS3200 software and if it does not connect automatically select:
:
Port Connect and select the port number you found in device manager.
Hope that helps.
Thanks for watching.
Power supply module blew out on mine, I can't find where to buy a replacement, anyone know ??
I think you can buy a little one made by Mean Well. They are cheap and not bad. Just match up the voltages needed.
Input counter works on mine. Tiny signal from dmm.
David Price I have learned quite a bit more about mine in the past year. I may have to do another video on it. My counter works pretty well too but the meter does have some limitations.
whats the purpose of a squave wave?
Sorry it took so long to get back to you. There are several purposes for using a square wave. Probably the most used in radio is to produce harmonics. Since a square wave produces basically an infinite number of odd integer harmonic frequencies it is used to measure how well a device can reject spurious frequencies. In audio they are used to check amplifier response. Also they are used to measure the turn on/off time of everything from tubes to ICs to microprocessors. A good clean square wave with a fast rise time, the time it takes for it to go from 0 to full on, and a good fall time, the time it takes to go from full on to 0, is invaluable when designing and trouble shooting digital circuits. Another use is in switching power supplies, like the one in your computer. Basically they control amount of time the voltage is applied to the circuit which corresponds to the output voltage. This are called Pulse Width Modulation, a square wave that varies in duration. Sometimes the square top part stays on longer than others. The whole world of computers works on them too. All those bits and bytes are just a series of square waves turning on and off logic gates producing a string of 0s and 1s. At least for now. Quantum computers are really different, and weird.
AERVBlog i hot a behringer cable tester that has a kinda square wave output ...but seem slightly distorted. ....which is better sine or square wave for checkin amplifiers??
Raj Dann I depends on what you want to discover. If you are just looking for response across the audio band sine wave is fine. If you are looking to see the actual response of an amp at given frequencies then a square wave passed through a low pass filter into the amp will let you see the boost or attenuation at any given frequency on a scope. The square wave has to be pretty good because any distortion in the square wave will show up at the output of the amp and you won't know what is real amp and what is from the square wave. Usually a quick sweep from 60Hz to 10KHz with a sine wave will do the trick though unless you think there is something wrong with the amp. Did that help at all?
AERVBlog ...yes thx. ...i do amp repairs....only recently i start usin a scope a velleman hps 50......
Raj Dann great! The world needs more component level techs. Good luck.
@aervblog I have a few questions would you be willing to possibly email me?
Please email me
Aervblog@gmail.com
hello can you give me the software by internet link
thank you
I think it is here
en.feeltech.net/index.php?case=archive&act=list&catid=6
@@AERVBlog thanks you
These look to be ok at first. BUT they can be equipment killers or worse do harm to your self. This is a common issue with these as found on the internet. There is high ish voltage present on the outputs as can be measured with a DVM. Caused by the cheap switch mode power supply not being earthed. Iam not being funny but I read a lot and wouldn't want anyone to get injured or expensive equipment ruined. 73s.
worldradio456 uk you are right. That is a problem with these. I have not done anything to mine and have since gotten a better generator. In fact my cheap gen is now 400 hz of at 1000 Hz so it isn't of much use anymore except for just a noise machine. Remember, I am old enough to have grownup with equipment that was always grounded on the chassis, or not, so I take precautions automatically. I am going to make a new video on this thing. We will see what I say then. Thanks for the comment.