Equipment with computer connectivity (for hobby) - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: fls
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: March 09, 2014, 01:46:21 pm
content: Hi,I have played with several measurement equipment with some sort of computer connectivity.This was all work-related (creating test-setups etc) and worked ok.I wonder, however, how valid this computer connectivity is for hobby purposes?Take the Korad power supply KA3005D and KA3005P. Well discussed here in the forum…There is about a 20% difference between the non-usb and usb version in price. (80 Euro for the ‘D’ model 100 for the ‘P’ model).Now, why would you prefer the USB version over the non-USB version? The software works, but not state of the art…The system is low-speed regarding voltage changes, so no ‘digital emulation’ or PWM of some sort is possible...A scope with front usb connector for your usbkey to save the screen... Yes, I get that!Are you willing to pay an x amount to connect it via ethernet, just for the comfort, or are you controlling the scope by using the PC?Is it just a gimmick? Does anyone here on the forum uses pc-connectivity?Please, share your opinion or experience…!Regards,Fred

author: lapm
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 09, 2014, 05:09:41 pm
content: For me it would be question of answerring question: Do i need to make long automated measurement series often enough that computer connected equipment is worth it.Havent done any where mcu + usb connection + serial terminal software would not have been sufficient. Of course if you need to make very very fast measuerement series... yes you need the speed.

author: Harvs
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 10, 2014, 12:43:59 am
content: $20 difference is not much really.If I were buying one would I get the serial/USB controllable version (my understanding is the D version has no connectivity at all, whereas the P version has both USB and Serial)?Definatly. The number of times where I've built up a circuits and want to test things like current draw vs input voltage, DC-DC converter efficiency vs input voltage so on and so forth. In fact I'm probably going to go buy a Rigol PSU just for this purpose, despite having quite a nice Tek analog psu on my bench.Yes you can do this stuff by hand. But when you're changing parameters in the circuit to optimise something and want to redo these types of measurements multiple times, it gets really boring and tedious.Yes this isn't for everyone, a lot of people I know would never use this functionality. So I don't think there's a generic answer for you.

author: saturation
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 11, 2014, 02:32:57 pm
content: Its hard to predict what you need in the future, but you know what you need now.Connectivity is good for remote control or data collection. However, you assume the interface port works perfectly, and are bug free. Often, there are timing issues with data collection. Connectivity adds more things that need engineering time to get to work, time you could spend working on hardware instead, and the port issues tend to be worse with lesser brand of test gear.Remote control in small labs is optional but data collection isn't. If you need to characterize a voltmeter over time and climate variations, you need the ports to work and a PC to collect data faithfully, so you must spend time making it so.

author: HighVoltage
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 12, 2014, 08:56:13 am
content: There is good working equipment for hobbyist from this website:www.usbscope.euI needed a very low cost solution for a client and this scope was working well.

author: linux-works
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 13, 2014, 03:55:11 pm
content: I have been going thru my equip collection and upgrading many things to be rs232 controllable or GPIB based. I prefer ascii SCPI since its somewhat industry standard and the rs232 stuff is easy to drive with low-cost usb/serial adapters (such as FTDI chipset; avoid the others if you want reliable serial comms).and so, I'm trying to sell my non-remote control gear and convert as much of my lab as possible to serial controllable gear. its really nice to be able to poll the equipment and collect data for graphs and such.note, though, that you really have to get gear from 'real' manufacturers, as the fly by night ones won't really care about the level of bugginess in their serial command set, some may not even use ascii (it may be a stupid binary-only API) and you won't usually get software upgrades or fixes; they'll more likely just release another model and abandon the old one. I prefer to stick with the big guys: fluke, hp, tek, keithley, etc. I know they have full time software teams (or used to) and an actual quality control dept. the 1HL brands will undoubtedly have 1 guy writing the code and probably doing many other jobs at the same time. they may test a single case and say 'its done, ship it!' with minimal testing. the docs for the 1HL stuff will also be insufficient in many cases, for you to write apps to it.

author: saturation
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 13, 2014, 08:24:24 pm
content: 1HL brands? aka one hung low? If so, that's great, first I've heard anyone write it that way. I'll use that from now onThere are many ways to use it:1HL DSO1HL DMM1HL meter1HL varistor1HL vendorIts works very welland can be used a myriad of ways! Saves typing too.

author: linux-works
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 13, 2014, 08:52:50 pm
content: lolmaybe I need to change some front panel engravings (on my DIY projects) and call it '1HL Labs'.