Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread

[mansaxel]

The first thing he needs is a fork lift to move the pallets so that he can lay the concrete floor. Shortly followed by half a dozen friends, all nicknamed 'Björn'.

I bought the fork lift (just one of those "pallet movers"; it won't lift higher than say 80mm) before the lathe. It's in my neighbours garage, though.  My brother-in-law is named Björn.

[Neomys Sapiens]

Question:
If you have to choose between a

- Siglent SDG1025 (310 Euro)
- GW Instek AFG-2225 (300 Euro)

which one would you choose and why?
Both are in nearly new condition.

If I was forced towards this choice...
I would consider turning away from electronics.

[med6753]

More progress on the Type 3A74 Vertical plug-in. Now have all 4 channels accounted for with DC balances set and gains properly adjusted. But a new issue has come up. After about 15 minutes or so the scope loses all trigger. Can't get a stable waveform. And the issue is definitely in the trigger circuit in this plug-in and not the Type 3B3 Time Base because it works fine with the Type 3A3 Vertical plug-in. So additional troubleshooting is needed. Tomorrow's project.

[Saskia]

The GWInstek is sitting on my shelf, I just could not resist the urge, and I got it as a bargain.
@Mounty if you want to give it a test drive I could send it to you for a loaner, I do not need it right now.

[BU508A]

Did some work on the 6206b this morning. Checked out caps - all good. Calibrated and destickered half of the front. Other half still to go. Annoyed about the scratches from the previous idiot owner who used a screwdriver to get a cal label off.

Ugh! The screwdriver-wielding idiots are much too prevalent. I've passed on many TE because of them.

Welcome back, bitseeker. How's the catch-up going? 

[BU508A]

The GWInstek is sitting on my shelf, I just could not resist the urge, and I got it as a bargain.
@Mounty if you want to give it a test drive I could send it to you for a loaner, I do not need it right now.

Thank you for your kind offer, but I don't want to stress somebody because auf this.  

I just want to have a nice and relatively cheap AWG for daily average stuff.
I've seen the Siglent and the GW Instek in the German ebay Kleinanzeigen and they looked kind of interesting to me.
There is also another one which is looking interesting, a Wavetek 270 for 200 Euro.

The GW-Instek AFG-2225.

The Siglent SDG1025.

The Wavetek 270.

The thing with the GW-Instek 2225 is: One can get it new at Reichelt for 35.- Euro more. And it comes with all the guarantee stuff which the other don't.

Same goes for tautech's suggestion, the Siglent SDG-1032X.
One can get it at Welectron new for 300 Euro.

Must think over a bit about this.

Thanks for all your offers and reasoning.

[tautech]

Same goes for tautech's suggestion, the Siglent SDG-1032X.
One can get it at Welectron new for 300 Euro.

Must think over a bit about this.

If you've been watching these you should know they can be improved to 60 MHz. 

[BU508A]

Same goes for tautech's suggestion, the Siglent SDG-1032X.
One can get it at Welectron new for 300 Euro.

Must think over a bit about this.

If you've been watching these you should know they can be improved to 60 MHz. 

 
Yes I know and I'm aware of this. Will take it into account, of course. 

[tautech]

Same goes for tautech's suggestion, the Siglent SDG-1032X.
One can get it at Welectron new for 300 Euro.

Must think over a bit about this.

If you've been watching these you should know they can be improved to 60 MHz. 

 
Yes I know and I'm aware of this. Will take it into account, of course. 

Just looked up the EU pricing and it's €259.
https://www.siglenteu.com/waveform-generators/sdg1000x-series-functionarbitrary-waveform-generators/

Maybe you should look at other suppliers ?

[Specmaster]

Did some work on the 6206b this morning. Checked out caps - all good. Calibrated and destickered half of the front. Other half still to go. Annoyed about the scratches from the previous idiot owner who used a screwdriver to get a cal label off.

Ugh! The screwdriver-wielding idiots are much too prevalent. I've passed on many TE because of them.

That has never stopped me from buying something if the price is right and I needed it. I buy things to use, not look at or put on show 

[tonyalbus]

Bloody marriage, relocation to new home and corona....
Tonight I fired up the dragon device for the first time:

(Attachment Link)
(Attachment Link)

So I need to upgrade a few parts and download the prusa slicer and I will serve you soon a FU YOU octopus.

EDIT: I just realized jet every time I print I need to load the gcode on a card? Are we in 2020? 

octopi

[BU508A]

Same goes for tautech's suggestion, the Siglent SDG-1032X.
One can get it at Welectron new for 300 Euro.

Must think over a bit about this.

If you've been watching these you should know they can be improved to 60 MHz. 

 
Yes I know and I'm aware of this. Will take it into account, of course. 

Just looked up the EU pricing and it's €259.
https://www.siglenteu.com/waveform-generators/sdg1000x-series-functionarbitrary-waveform-generators/

Maybe you should look at other suppliers ?

When I'm clicking on your link and then clicking on "buy it now" then I'm getting an overview where to buy in Europe.
For Germany it is Welectron and your 259.- Euro are excluding the VAT ("Märchensteuer" in German  ).
Including VAT it is 300.- Euro.

[Robert763]

The GWInstek is sitting on my shelf, I just could not resist the urge, and I got it as a bargain.
@Mounty if you want to give it a test drive I could send it to you for a loaner, I do not need it right now.

Thank you for your kind offer, but I don't want to stress somebody because auf this.  

I just want to have a nice and relatively cheap AWG for daily average stuff.
I've seen the Siglent and the GW Instek in the German ebay Kleinanzeigen and they looked kind of interesting to me.
There is also another one which is looking interesting, a Wavetek 270 for 200 Euro.

The GW-Instek AFG-2225.

The Siglent SDG1025.

The Wavetek 270.

The thing with the GW-Instek 2225 is: One can get it new at Reichelt for 35.- Euro more. And it comes with all the guarantee stuff which the other don't.

Same goes for tautech's suggestion, the Siglent SDG-1032X.
One can get it at Welectron new for 300 Euro.

Must think over a bit about this.

Thanks for all your offers and reasoning.

Note that the Wavetek 270 is not an AWG, just  programmable function (sine, square, triangle) generator. Quite nice (I have one) but power hungry by modern standards
https://82fai3h5wg8220a0l3ilfiz1-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads//2015/09/WAVET_270102943.pdf

[bd139]

Buy a broken 4 channel DSO. That’s a larger challenge these days 

Okay. But just 'cuz you sed to. 

mnem
Fine, fine, fine... I'll get it's brother too so I can make 4 channels.

Worst case you can strip it for bits and make a lot more than that 

Currently realised I'm screwed on a project. Need to probulate 4 partially analogue, partially digital non repetitive rare events at the same time which are very far apart. Only have a 2 channel scope with 2.5kpts non-segmented memory

The question is as always, how much money do I want to spend to fix this measurement gap 

[BU508A]

Buy a broken 4 channel DSO. That’s a larger challenge these days 

Okay. But just 'cuz you sed to. 

mnem
Fine, fine, fine... I'll get it's brother too so I can make 4 channels.

Worst case you can strip it for bits and make a lot more than that 

Currently realised I'm screwed on a project. Need to probulate 4 partially analogue, partially digital non repetitive rare events at the same time which are very far apart. Only have a 2 channel scope with 2.5kpts non-segmented memory

The question is as always, how much money do I want to spend to fix this measurement gap 

If you'd live next to me I'd lend you my R&S
But perhaps as a second option: How about to rent a scope for a few days?

[tggzzz]

Buy a broken 4 channel DSO. That’s a larger challenge these days 

Okay. But just 'cuz you sed to. 

mnem
Fine, fine, fine... I'll get it's brother too so I can make 4 channels.

Worst case you can strip it for bits and make a lot more than that 

Currently realised I'm screwed on a project. Need to probulate 4 partially analogue, partially digital non repetitive rare events at the same time which are very far apart. Only have a 2 channel scope with 2.5kpts non-segmented memory

The question is as always, how much money do I want to spend to fix this measurement gap 

What do you mean by "partially analogue, partially digital"? That will give some info that might allow imagination to save the day.

[bd139]

What do you mean by "partially analogue, partially digital"? That will give some info that might allow imagination to save the day.

Well I need to measure two current ramps using voltage sampling on a series resistor (relative to ground) because I can't afford two current probes. And a voltage ramp. And an inbound trigger pulse. Need to measure rise time of the current ramps, leading time from the trigger pulse and the lag to the voltage ramp.

Current sampling, I'm looking to measure saturation of inductors.

I'm sure you can guess where this is going 

[bd139]

If you'd live next to me I'd lend you my R&S
But perhaps as a second option: How about to rent a scope for a few days?

I'm moving to Germany 

By the time I've paid to rent for a month I'm half way to an SDS1104X-E which I can sell again for a lower net loss

[tggzzz]

What do you mean by "partially analogue, partially digital"? That will give some info that might allow imagination to save the day.

Well I need to measure two current ramps using voltage sampling on a series resistor (relative to ground) because I can't afford two current probes. And a voltage ramp. And an inbound trigger pulse. Need to measure rise time of the current ramps, leading time from the trigger pulse and the lag to the voltage ramp.

Current sampling, I'm looking to measure saturation of inductors.

I'm sure you can guess where this is going 

Could you:

• use scope's capture+measure functions to determine the risetime
• logic analyser or counter/timer to measure the intervals between scope's trigger out and trigger pulse

[med6753]

What do you mean by "partially analogue, partially digital"? That will give some info that might allow imagination to save the day.

Well I need to measure two current ramps using voltage sampling on a series resistor (relative to ground) because I can't afford two current probes. And a voltage ramp. And an inbound trigger pulse. Need to measure rise time of the current ramps, leading time from the trigger pulse and the lag to the voltage ramp.

Current sampling, I'm looking to measure saturation of inductors.

I'm sure you can guess where this is going 

Could you:

• use scope's capture+measure functions to determine the risetime
• logic analyser or counter/timer to measure the intervals between scope's trigger out and trigger pulse

Could you:

Stop before you kill yourself or loved ones. 

[bd139]

What do you mean by "partially analogue, partially digital"? That will give some info that might allow imagination to save the day.

Well I need to measure two current ramps using voltage sampling on a series resistor (relative to ground) because I can't afford two current probes. And a voltage ramp. And an inbound trigger pulse. Need to measure rise time of the current ramps, leading time from the trigger pulse and the lag to the voltage ramp.

Current sampling, I'm looking to measure saturation of inductors.

I'm sure you can guess where this is going 

Could you:

• use scope's capture+measure functions to determine the risetime
• logic analyser or counter/timer to measure the intervals between scope's trigger out and trigger pulse

Interesting. Will see if I can wangle that. The bugger is I need to do this for 20-30 things and work out the distribution.

[tggzzz]

What do you mean by "partially analogue, partially digital"? That will give some info that might allow imagination to save the day.

Well I need to measure two current ramps using voltage sampling on a series resistor (relative to ground) because I can't afford two current probes. And a voltage ramp. And an inbound trigger pulse. Need to measure rise time of the current ramps, leading time from the trigger pulse and the lag to the voltage ramp.

Current sampling, I'm looking to measure saturation of inductors.

I'm sure you can guess where this is going 

Could you:

• use scope's capture+measure functions to determine the risetime
• logic analyser or counter/timer to measure the intervals between scope's trigger out and trigger pulse

Interesting. Will see if I can wangle that. The bugger is I need to do this for 20-30 things and work out the distribution.

Are the signals really non-repetitive? Could you use a scope to measure the risetime after flicking a switch, then subsequently use the scope to measure intervals when you flick the switch a second time?

To me non-repetitive either involves explosions, or at least fractions of a day between being able to repeat the experiment

[bd139]

Repetitive they can be made but this increases complexity considerably

I'm going to look at it from the top down again. I might have overcomplicated this

[Specmaster]

Ebay have now giving them a ultimatum, send me a prepaid label within 5 days or they will find in my favour, refund me and I get to keep this 2L one, so lets see what happens now. 

OK, in the sweepstake I take "Specmaster gets a free 2L one". I presume that if I win I get the classic Stan Lee prize?

Sorry but you have lost the sweepstake, the seller has sent me the postage costs direct to my PayPal account, so I won't be getting a free one (not that I wanted it) nor will I be getting the correct item, they are refunding my money.

So now I'm back with my little plastic one, like you until I can find another suitable unit at a realistic price.

Once eBay get notification that it has been delivered they are going to refund me in full. 

[bd139]

Now piss on it before you throw it back in the box