Designed for engineers and scientists who need to simultaneously generate multiple electronic test signals, Spectrum Instrumentation’s latest line of Arbitrary Waveform Generators offers 24 to 48 synchronous channels in a single rack-unit with an economic cost-per-channel. The eight different variants achieve full remote control through a simple Ethernet connection to any PC or local area […]
arbitrary waveform generators
Software speeds double-pulse testing with AFGs
A new software plugin for the AFG31000 Arbitrary/Function Generator makes it possible to perform crucial double pulse testing in less than a minute, saving a significant amount of time when compared to alternative methods. With the new Double Pulse Test software, engineers can quickly define pulse parameters from a single window on the AFG31000’s large […]
The difference between a pulse generator, a signal generator, an AFG, and an AWG
There are a variety of instruments available to generate electronic signals these days. They go by different names and provide different kinds of outputs. Differences between the various kinds of instrumentation aren’t always obvious, so here is a short primer. Signal generators make available at their outputs sinusoidal waveforms with a settable frequency or amplitude. […]
Working with the Tektronix AFG31000 Series arbitrary function generator
The Tektronix AFG31000 Series Function Generator can be used in conjunction with an oscilloscope to display the generated signals in one or two analog channels on a large LCD. Alternately, the AFG has smaller waveform displays with reduced resolution, nonetheless adequate for demonstrating the functionality of this powerful instrument. When initially powered up, the AFG […]
Portable AWG allows signal-generation for up to 16 channels
A new line of Arbitrary Waveform Generators (AWGs) is based on the LXI instrumentation standard and has been created for engineers and scientists that need to simultaneously generate up to 16 precise electronic signals. Small and compact, the units are candidates for automated testing or remote-control type applications. With six new instruments being released, users […]
PCIe-cards provide 80 synchronized AWG-channels in one PC
A single PCIe card carries eight AWB channels and measures just 168 mm in length. The addition of the two new 8-channel-cards to Spectrum’s latest “65” series of PCIe Arbitrary waveform generators means that, using Spectrum’s Star-Hub, up to 80 channels can be fully synchronized in a single PC. As standard, all cards of the […]
User review: Tektronix AFG31000 arbitrary function generator
If you see the word “arbitrary” in conjunction with a function generator, it signifies the instrument’s capability to customize waveforms at the user’s discretion. The new Tektronix AFG31000 Series arbitrary function generator incorporates this technology on top of its traditional library of a dozen basic waveforms: sine, square, ramp, pulse, noise, sin (x)/x, dc, Gaussian, […]
User review: Connecting the Tektronix AFG 31000 AWG to the MDO3000 oscilloscope
The new Tektronix AFG 31000 Arbitrary Function Generator is noteworthy in that the Home screen, accessed by pressing the Home button on the front panel, permits the user to choose a Basic or Advanced mode. The Basic mode resembles a traditional AFG, with a library of internal waveforms and menus that permit the user to […]
AWGs offer fast PCIe x4 interface and up to 125 MS/sec
Six new Arbitrary Waveform Generators (AWGs) are optimized for signal quality, size and cost. The new “65” series AWGs offer the latest 16-bit Digital-Analog-Converters, a fast PCIe x4 interface with up to 700 MByte/s streaming speed and a card length of only 168 mm to fit into nearly every PC. With 40 or 125 MS/sec […]
Basics of signal jamming
Discussions of signal jamming were once largely confined to electronic warfare forums. But with the rise of autonomous vehicle technology, jamming has become a mainstream topic. It now pays to know a few basics about both the test setups necessary to gauge resistance to jamming techniques and the principles of signal propagation. Many of the […]