Vertical Amplification Output from DSO Scopes (specifically the Rigol 1052) - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / projects

author: sacherjj
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 13, 2011, 03:16:42 pm
content: I've been looking around for this and haven't been able to find it. From what I've been reading, there is a pass/fail connection on the back of the Rigol with a BNC connector. The only functionality I'm seeing is testing if a waveform meets a predefined test.Is there any way of doing a "Vertical Amplification" output on the back of DSOs and the 1052 in specific? Back when I was doing electronics more and had access to a nice analog scope, I would route the vert amp output from the back of the scope to the back input on the Signal Tracer. This was great to be listening to what you were probing at times.

author: Simon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: April 13, 2011, 04:54:30 pm
content: the rear output on the rigol scope is just an optocoupler output, it will trigger if the waveform goes out of set limits of a sample waveform stored on the scope. You can also set your own waveforms i think but don't know how

author: tecman
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 13, 2011, 05:57:46 pm
content: Given that most of the world within is digital, it is unlikely to have a "vertical output" like you would see in and analog device.paul

author: sacherjj
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 13, 2011, 07:33:27 pm
content: This is what I expected. I was hoping, but not expecting, that there was some type of buffered output of the input signal, as it is very hard to sample along with the probe without affecting the signal.Wish the answer was different, but thanks for the confirmation.

author: Unknown
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: April 13, 2011, 10:36:43 pm
content: You could probably use an old analog scope as a buffer amplifier in front of both your DSO and signal tracer. It would require you to change vertical attenuator settings on the analog scope, though.Some of the higher-end DSO's have a signal out, one example is the Tek TDS5000 series, but these kind of features are often skimped on with the low-end, bottom of the barrel instruments like the Rigol, and even the low-end instruments from brands like Agilent, Lecroy and Tek. There's nothing preventing a digital scope from having an analog output, it's not like the signal is digitized before attenuation/amplification.

author: tinhead
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 23, 2011, 10:54:49 am
content: well, you can DIY.Attached picture of Rigol input stage, blue lines are signals used by 500MSs/1GSs relays and trigger circuit, red arrows areunused resistors in the resistor array. There you can get the vertical amp output. A good idea is to solder a small pcbwith buffer op-amp (can be diff opamp, but not necessarily. It need only act as buffer and line driver) and piece of cable out toadditional out bnc connector.

author: tekfan
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 23, 2011, 12:40:44 pm
content: I wouldn't try this unless the scope is meant to be used for frequencies below 1MHz or so. Even slight modification of the circuit can cause noticable abberations. A high speed opamp (>100MHz) can be a solution but even this can cause problems.Even a good analog scope has a severely degraded analog output. If the scope bandwidth is 100MHz you can expect the analog out to be somewhere on the 30MHz range.

author: tinhead
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 23, 2011, 03:19:02 pm
content: Quote from: tekfan on April 23, 2011, 12:40:44 pmnonsense, with proper designed circuit there is almost no influence,the rest can be fixed via DSO internal self-calibration.All you have to know is thatBOTHchannels need exact the same "load"or the self-calibration will be unable to match the data (just because of how the ADCs are used).Quote from: tekfan on April 23, 2011, 12:40:44 pmi used OPA659 set to match 50Ohm impendanze (output), this worked without any issues.