Pop Quiz: Whats This?

[Mechatrommer]

time to answer: 48 hours, correct answer wins. the 2nd correct answer if its more than 60% copied content from the former disqualified, so be creative. dont be afraid to be "off topic" as long as it wont hurt others. the answer is already fix so this quiz is no cheating

1st prize: none expiry $20 discount voucher
2nd prize: none expiry $10 discount voucher
3rd prize: none expiry $5 discount voucher
4th and so forth: your name will be remembered
special prizes: 3X none expiry $2.50 discount vouchers (will be randomly selected)

you may post questions but it will be answered at the end of this quiz. you must be 8 years old and above, no qualification needed.
quiz starting.... NOW!

[robrenz]

Its your new FG board

[FenderBender]

It looks like that AD9850 function generator from your thread in Projects you have.

[SeanB]

General purpose differential amplifier board, with wide range voltage input and output to scope.

[robrenz]

General purpose differential amplifier board, with wide range voltage input and output to scope.

I think you are right, thats what I get for guessing instead of looking at the layout.

Edit:  Having a Tek 7A22, Tek 7a13, and a Preamble 1855, I am the last person who should get a discount on one of Mechatrommers DiffAmps anyway.

I realy think you are right

[FenderBender]

Is there a specific use for this module (assuming it's a differential amp?).  It does look like two channels of something being compared. You guys are right.

[Mechatrommer]

24 hours bump! today's hint?... "keep guessing"

[ftransform]

control board for your hydroponic marijuana grow operation

[robrenz]

There are 7 places with + - grnd headers?  It looks like a single coax output like the silk screen says.

[firewalker]

An unpopulated PCB.

Alexander.

[krish2487]

@firewalker

A much apt description is

"A picture of a red unpopulated PCB"
:-)

[jancumps]

a pcb or schematic that can increase the carrier magnitude ?

[robrenz]

Ok I am really, really sure SeanB is right.

Edit: from the number of holes in the new pcb I think we are going to have 1x 10x 100x now.  Those two edges with all the header connections are not part of the final board they will be cut off leaving the pads for the bnc inputs accessible on the left side.  Those areas were left on this board to throw us off track.

[orbiter]

Hydroponics controller board?

[NiHaoMike]

It's a high frequency instrumentation amplifier, along with two adapter PCBs that haven't been cut off yet.

[Psi]

It's an electrocardiogram, shows your heartbeat on a scope

[TorqueRanger]

Video amplifier

[Mechatrommer]

48 hours bump... times up! today's theme... "get used to dissapointment" - Crystal (her agent told her that) RE4 - After Life.

judging... technically speaking, NiHaoMike gave the greatest details in simplest description form of what the pcb is (although Robrenz may got it first). functionally, SeanB gave the most accurate answer of what the final product is. but unfortunately, that is not the answer this quiz is looking for. for those who followed my earlier thread(s) in the year they must already been hinted. SeanB, Robrenz, NiHaoMike et al, here's the related thread... High Voltage 10-100MHz Differential Probe Investigated. so i'm not going to make it that easy for you guys dont you think? with $20 discount as a prize? even to most dedicated "Computer Hackers"? the "preset" answer is... "My First Properly Made PCB" so there's no winner, as expected.

though out of generousity, i will give everyone who posted here $5 none expiry discount voucher for every item purchased in "SoaSystem Mall", but then if you look hard enough there's no such thing as that, hence its none expiring and will be notified sometime in the future (when future? possibly 1, or 10, or 100 years i dont know) this thread will be recorded and bookmarked since this quiz is expired, there will be no further purpose or discussion needed, hence it will be locked for good. thanks everybody for participating. cheers and have good days

Abstract:

the pcb is for my simple differential probe prototype and further "R&D". since i'm sick of drilling holes and stitching vias for my diy homebrew pcb, i decided to send it to pcb house itead. i have to fix to the 4cm x 9cm board since i've made the purchase for the casings from earlier version k some months back, so i had to work on that limitation for this latest ver m. version m was motivated by our good friend Mr. Robrenz by giving some materials to me, so credit to him.

since itead limit is 5cm x 10cm for the pcb package order i choosed, i got 1cm extra on both pcb dimension so i thought i'm not going to waste that, hence (for testing and learning) the few adapters panels as Robrenz and NiHaoMike spotted. 5 for my "standard type bipolar psu" adapters (used in this project), and extra 2 isp programming adapters for other projects (avr and pic compatible), since i hit 300 pins limit in diptrace i cannot make more adapters so i decided to make keychain on unused area. every single one of them will be manually cut out, there will be 9 pieces alltogether, what a chore?!.

Q&A:

1)

Is there a specific use for this module (assuming it's a differential amp?)

its been answered quite accurately in the thread...

General purpose differential amplifier board, with wide range voltage input and output to scope.

but the real intention for this device was to probe offline smps psu design. whether it will be a success or failure is another story. its still a progressing R&D.

2)

There are 7 places with + - grnd headers?

answered in abstract above.

3)

I think we are going to have 1x 10x 100x now.

no, still 2 settings only as before. 100X and 10X (or maybe 1X), the difference is in ver k i used SPDT for each channel, but in ver m i used DPDT/channel. so for both channels its 4PDT (12 pins switch). its ammended based on Lecroy's material you gave.

4)

Those areas were left on this board to throw us off track.

really? the board just arrived in the afternoon the same day i posted this thread, so i had not done anything to the board yet. it got nothing to do with throwing you offtrack but the "truth" is... its an "unintentional plot" so you will think i tried to throw you offtrack from the real answer, so you'll have greater "faith" that the answer is that ie diff_probe, but in fact the real answer is entirely different its not a trick, but a "higher multiple dimension" level "plot"

Finalle:

just for the fun and FWIW, this is how its going to look like (attached images)...
1) bottom layer of the fresh out of the factory pcb.
2) partly populated cut out board so far.
3) how it should looks like fully assembled (3d simulation).