New angle? - on: What should I bye? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / beginners

author: FriedMule
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 02, 2018, 05:42:47 am
content: As so many other "youngplayers" I have to decide if product a or b, c, d are best, what do I need and so on.But in my search I stubled upon a question I think I can't find any answered on, here or on YouTube.If you bye a product from firm A are ther other products, that would be best to bye from same firm?I.e. You use an oscilloscope to record output from a transformer on an USB key and want to replay it from your arbitrary function generator. If both are from firm a, you can expect that you just have to move the USB key to the arbitrary function generator and that's about it. If you use an oscilloscope and a arbitrary function generator from two different firms, it may not be that easy?Therefore these products would be best to get from same firm?Am I wrong or just fare out? :-)

author: ataradov
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 02, 2018, 06:06:32 am
content: This does not work like this. It is better to research which instruments can output and input data in reasonable and documented formats (CSV) and expect to do the manipulation and transformation yourself.

author: FriedMule
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 02, 2018, 06:19:09 am
content: By manipulation and transformation, do you mean to rearrange / reprogram the CSV-file so that it can be read by the other device?If so, do you not avoid that if both are from same firm?

author: ataradov
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 02, 2018, 06:24:00 am
content: It is highly unlikely that you will want to play back exactly the captured signal with pre-trigger and post-trigger stuff. You would at least want to trim it. And the best way to do it is to import it into the PC and do it with good tools, instead of mocking around with equipment UI. If it will even allow anything like that in a first place.And while you are at it, you might as well clean up the signal and may be adjust the sampling rate, since most signal generators will have a limited memory for arbitrary signals.

author: FriedMule
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 02, 2018, 07:23:31 am
content: Thanks for your reply!So it does not matter who make a product, thinking of compatibility and cooperation between the gear?

author: ataradov
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 02, 2018, 07:26:00 am
content: Not at all. Pick whichever works best for you in each category regardless of the vendor.

author: tautech
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 02, 2018, 08:04:31 am
content: Quote from: FriedMule on April 02, 2018, 07:23:31 amYep, it does.Not at all simple to use a captured waveform and easily have it replicated on another brand AWG, or vise versa.

author: ataradov
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 02, 2018, 08:10:39 am
content: All instruments I worked with make and take CSV just fine. They may require some rearranging of columns and such, of course.So as I said, check that piece of equipment can work with documented formats. And disregard the ones that don't.

author: BrianHG
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 02, 2018, 09:49:10 am
content: Friedmule, what Ataradove is saying, a .cvs file is a standard ASCII text file spreadsheet format which any spreadsheet software, like Excel or OpenOffice Calc can import. Once you have the spreadsheet in these spreadsheet editors, you can re-arrange the columns, or remove & insert columns, cut/copy/paste rows, then export to a new .cvs file for the next piece of hardware like an arbitrary waveform generator. Since your waveform generator might only want 1 or 2 rows when your scope might have given you 4 channel rows. Having the ability to operate with .cvs means you can fix up/edit the from one device with Excel/OpenOffice_Calc/other so it can be either plotted on your screen or be used in other tools like Matlab/Home made Basic software code, or exported to other hardware.You can even edit a .cvs file with notepad.

author: FriedMule
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 02, 2018, 04:41:48 pm
content: Thanks all for your great answer!I am thinking about buying a Siglent SDS1204X-E scope and either a Siglent SDG2042X AFG or a Rigol MSO1104Z AFG:-)