Question about creating a synced two channel signal using an arbitrary generator - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / testgear

author: SCR
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: August 28, 2013, 06:34:51 am
content: I want to create a two channel test signal where the channels are synced to each other. Below is an example of the test signal, there is a single one shot sine wave on the first channel, and a sine wave with fourty cycles on the second channel. The area marked between the cursor will then be repeated to generate the test signs. The output frequency is relatively low, with a maximum of around 10KHz for the second channel.Could this be done with an arbitrary generator, do they support channel syncing (and maybe even setting the speed for both synced channels at once) to create such a signal? I got hold of an entry arbitrary generator (Siglent SDG1010) to try this, but it does not seem to support syncing channels to each other (at least i didn't manage to set it up that way).

author: macboy
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 28, 2013, 01:38:51 pm
content: I think what you would want to do is set up and sine wave burst on Ch1 with a single cycle output, and an appropriate frequency. Set up a sine burst on Ch2 with multiple cycles (looks like 40 or so?) and appropriate frequency. Then set up the trigger, the same trigger for both channels. Set the repetition rate for the trigger. This should be possible, but I am not familiar with your specific generator so I can't say exactly how to do it.

author: AndyC_772
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 28, 2013, 02:42:09 pm
content: The Rigol DG4062 can do this:The 'Align phase' button does what you want - it ensures that the phase relationship between channels 1 and 2 is set to a known value, and provided the period of one channel is an exact multiple of the other, they'll stay locked.

author: SCR
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: August 28, 2013, 04:33:35 pm
content: Guys, thanks for the quick response and the great input! I'll have a look at the burst and trigger capabilities of the SGD1010 then.If the SDG1010 fails to deliver i'll put the DG4062 on the top of the shopping list.

author: SCR
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: August 28, 2013, 09:50:02 pm
content: Very cool, thank youOutput signal from the SDG1010 below. Just at a fixed frequency now as there seems to be no common internal trigger and no align phase option with the SDG1010, so might end up with a DG4062 eventually.

author: SCR
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: October 28, 2013, 11:24:20 pm
content: Returned the Siglent and got hold of a DG4062 in the meantime. Now i have another question, would an arbitrary generator such as the DG4062 support (manually) changing the frequency of the sine on CH2 and have CH1 stay locked to it? (E.g. there are always forty cycles on CH2 before a burst on CH1 occurs, regardless of the sine frequency/period on CH2).This would require CH1 to automatically adjust the burst period based/sine frequency based on the current frequency/period setting of CH2, but i am not sure if this is supported?

author: AndyC_772
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 29, 2013, 07:46:00 am
content: I'm not aware of a way to make the DG4062 do this without changing both channels individually.Some other arbitrary wave generator might well be able to do this, though. Depends what you mean by "such as"!

author: SCR
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: October 29, 2013, 08:34:39 am
content: Andy, thanks for the quick reply. With 'such as' i meant the price/device range. I don't have experience yet with art generators so am not sure if this is a feature which would be supported by these.