This 50 MHz pulse generator was built as solid as a rock. It's almost all metal. We take the unit completely apart and look at it from a system and board level. On a visit to the MIT swapfest in 2024, I came across an HP 8112A 50 MHz pulse … [Read More...] about Teardown: HP 8112A pulse generator
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FROM THE EDITORS
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Aimee Kalnoskas
Signal analyzer combines spectrum and vector network analysis in three models -
Martin Rowe
Swapfest May 2025: test equipment -
Rick Nelson
Understanding ADC specs and architectures: part 5 -
Emma Lutjen
Design World presents the 2024 LEAP Awards Winners: Test & Measurement -
Kenneth Wyatt
Characterize EMI from dc-dc converter ringing
FAQs
Understanding ADC specs and architectures: part 5
ENOB describes an analog-to-digital converter’s performance with respect to total noise and distortion. In the earlier parts of this series on analog-to-digital converters (ADCs), we looked at the basics (part 1); gain error, offset error, and differential nonlinearity (part 2); and integral … [Read More...] about Understanding ADC specs and architectures: part 5
How you can use smart design to enhance rare earths recycling
Rare earth elements (REEs) are important for society because they enhance the performance of a wide range of green energy, industrial, medical, aerospace, and consumer devices. They are rare because, while not uncommon, they are widely dispersed in the Earth’s crust and not generally found in high … [Read More...] about How you can use smart design to enhance rare earths recycling
Understanding ADC specs and architectures: part 4
The AC performance of an analog-to-digital converter depends on its architecture. In part 3 of this series, we discussed the integral nonlinearity (INL) error of an analog-to-digital converter (ADC), noting that gain, offset, and INL error all contribute to the total unadjusted error. This metric … [Read More...] about Understanding ADC specs and architectures: part 4
Understanding ADC specs and architectures: part 3
Integral nonlinearity tracks the cumulative effects of an ADC’s differential nonlinearity. In part 2 of this series, we discussed several sources of error in an analog-to-digital converter (ADC), including gain, offset, missing-code error, and differential nonlinearity (DNL). We concluded with an … [Read More...] about Understanding ADC specs and architectures: part 3
Understanding ADC specs and architectures: part 2
Specifications such as gain error, offset error, and differential nonlinearity help define an analog-to-digital converter’s performance. In part 1 of this series, we discussed an ideal analog-to-digital converter (ADC), noting that it would have infinite resolution and bandwidth. Then we looked … [Read More...] about Understanding ADC specs and architectures: part 2
Understanding ADC specs and architectures: part 1
Analog-to-digital converters are the heart of most test equipment, setting the stage for the digital processing of analog signals. Several posts over the past year or so have involved digital signal processing. For example, we have covered the fast Fourier transform (FFT), the inverse FFT, and … [Read More...] about Understanding ADC specs and architectures: part 1
Phone chargers produce EMI: We compared four
The switching power supplies that regulate output voltage produce radiated emissions. Our tests compare waveforms that give clues as to how the chargers operate. While evaluating the Uni-T UPO1202 oscilloscope, I used the Uni-T UTG962E Function/Arbitrary Waveform Generator and noticed some … [Read More...] about Phone chargers produce EMI: We compared four
Characterize EMI from dc-dc converter ringing
Switching power supplies produce radiated and conducted emissions caused by ringing. Oscilloscope and spectrum-analyzer measurements let you see them. DC-DC converters are ubiquitous in most electronic products. While more efficient than linear regulators, they can also produce considerable … [Read More...] about Characterize EMI from dc-dc converter ringing
Review: Micsig TO3004 tablet oscilloscope
If you're looking for a portable oscilloscope for field troubleshooting or for demonstrations, look at the Micsig TO series. Here's my take on the four-channel 300 MHz variant, TO3004. The Micsig TO3004 oscilloscope (Figure 1) is an 8-bit, four-channel, tablet-sized portable oscilloscope … [Read More...] about Review: Micsig TO3004 tablet oscilloscope
How to use convolution to implement filters: part 4
A windowed sinc function can implement a low-pass filter, and a two-dimensional convolutional filter can blur or sharpen images. In part 3 of this series, we introduced a low-pass filter based on the Sinc function and described the need for windowing to compensate for sampling and … [Read More...] about How to use convolution to implement filters: part 4
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What is the importance of resolution in an oscilloscope?
When looking at the oscilloscope feature of a multi-instrument device or when comparing two benchtop oscilloscopes, the first specifications that we look at are the bandwidth and sample rate. While these are incredibly important specs, often most design work is done well within the limits of most products and the more critical specification to consider is resolution. Did you know that while most […]
