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This simple circuit allows you to use your oscilloscope as a Time Domain Reflectometer (TDR). This is how it works. Send a pulse down a cable and watch for the reflection. Most people think a TDR is more complicated than this. Your oscilloscope is used to sample and view the reflected waveform. In this circuit we use the 74HC4040 counter to create the length of the pulse we will send down the cable. Build this inexpensive circuit and now you will have a TDR.
Simple Circuit to Turn your Oscilloscope into a TDR - [Link]
Check out how to build a high speed oscilloscope probe that measures 125MHz signals better than commercial probes. Paulo Oliveira writes: [via]
Some years ago, I learned some valuable lessons about probing high-speed signals. Somehow, mistakes have a way to sticking in your mind and we call them “experience”. Most modern oscilloscopes come with a “high-bandwidth” 10X passive probe. Figure 1 shows the venerable Tektronix P6139, 500 MHz, 8pF probe. At first glance, a “500 MHz probe” might seem adequate to probe say, a 125 MHz clock signal right? Wrong… We will see why with a practical example showing the issues you run into when trying to probe such a signal. Later in the article, I’ll also show how a surprisingly simple and affordable DIY passive probe can outperform even the best 10X passive probes for this particular application.
Homebrew highspeed lo-Z scope probe – [Link]
Products of German company Rohde&Schwarz are already for almost 80 years the synonym of a top quality, precision and reliability.
We´re glad to announce you, that we became an authorized distributor of instruments of Rohde&Schwarz company – one of the most renowned world producer of instruments for Testing and measurement, Broadcasting, Secure Communications and Radiomonitoring. In these segments Rohde&Schwarz provides a huge spectrum of instruments for professional usage.
By the look to into the R&S products catalogue, you would probably quickly find out, that almost surely it also contains an instrument which is created for your purposes. In respect to a high accuracy and stability of parameters, many R&S instruments are able to serve not only for measurement, but also for calibration of other instruments. For example R&S spectrum analyzers and oscilloscopes are a dream of many designers.
Top quality mechanical construction, wide control possibilities and the precision of details are another common features of R&S instruments. Also from this reason Rohde&Schwarz provides up to 5-year warranty for oscilloscopes (after registering at R&S website you can prolong the warranty from 3 to 5 years, the offer is valid till 30.6.2013). In the most of cases, a matter of course is the communication with PC and rich-featured software for analysis of measured values. Rohde&Schwarz provides many services like for example an on-site calibration – at customer. It is especially convenient in production facilities, when a long-term drop-out of a given instrument is unacceptable.
The overview of instruments from testing and measuring segment can be found in the 2012 catalogue (19MB). Instruments with especially excellent price / performance ratio (value) can be found in the Value_Instruments catalogue.
In case of interest in any Rohde&Schwarz instruments, please don´t hesitate to contact us at info@soselectronic.com. We will send you a quotation in return.
Soselectronic became an authorized distributor of Rohde&Schwarz - [Link]
igital storage oscilloscopes HAMEG HMO win many awards because of many reasons, which can be summarized into one sentence – an excellent price / performance ratio.
Or more in detail – excellent features, user-friendly control and rich equipment with various functions enabling a fast “overview” but even a detailed analysis of measured signals, including math calculations. Inspite of advanced functions Hameg HMO series oscilloscopes maintain a simple intuitive control, thus a user can focus more on the measurement itself, than on a setting of the instrument.
In general, oscilloscopes provide invaluable information and they can´t be replaced by any other measuring instruments. Visual representation of a signal enables to see a real shape of a signal and for example to check, whether we have, in a given place of a device, a signal we expect.
Main properties of of Hameg HMO oscilloscopes we already introduced to you in recent articles and you can also find them in documents HMO Innovations or HMO compact class.
Among features welcomed by perhaps every user belongs a QuickView function which automatically displays the most important parameters (positive and negative peak voltages, rise and fall times, average value) directly in the signal display. Another useful function „Set To Trace“ automatically adjoins the cursors to the respective signals and enables to comfortably measure duty cycle of pulse signals. 
6,5“ LCD screen (640×480) is able to display many details. In case, that even this resolution is not sufficient, it is only necessary to use the „Virtual Screen“ function, when the HMO offers a virtual resolution of 1200×640 and 20 divisions in the Y axis. All HMO series instruments feature a metal chassis and housings, that´s why they´re mechanically robust and well protected against disturbances (EMI). Hameg HMO oscilloscopes can be also equipped with options and accessories and they can be upgraded for decoding of UART, SPI, I2C and other buses.
More details can be found in the HMO user manual, comparison of particular types can be found in the HMO overview. Oscilloscopes and other Hameg instruments will be introduced to you in the Hameg Products Overview.
Selected types are on stock, upon request we´re able to provide you with any Hameg DSO (member of Rohde&Schwarz). As an authorized distributor of Rohde&Schwarz we´re also able to provide you with any instrument from the production portfolio of this world-class producer.
Isn´t it the right time to purchase a high-performance oscilloscope? - [Link]
The Xprotolab is a combination of 3 electronics instruments: an oscilloscope, a waveform generator and a protocol sniffer. Now Portable
The Xprotolab is a combination of three electronic instruments: a mixed signal oscilloscope, an arbitrary waveform generator, and a protocol sniffer. The Xprotolab was awarded as one of the 100 Hot Products of 2011, by the EDN magazine. The Xprotolab has been featured in several other online magazines, such as Hack a Day. and Elektor.
The Xprotolab has been in development for several years, the hardware and firmware are stable. Now its time to put the device in an enclosure and add a rechargeable battery. The input connectors are going to be 3.5mm stereo audio plugs, and the logic port is going be a 0.1″ male pin connector. The pictures below are from a hand made prototype.
Xprotolab Portable Oscilloscope - [Link]
AKTAKOM’S ADS-2031 is a perfect starter oscilloscope; it represents the latest technology at affordable prices.
Miami Fl., October 10, 2012 – T&M Atlantic., distributer of the test and measurement equipment, today unveiled its newest Oscilloscope Aktakom ADS-2031 30MHz 250MSa/s Dual Channels + External Trigger. ADS-2031 comes as a replacement to popular ADS-2034 model and features slim body, light weight, 8” TFT screen and 20 automatic measurement functions.
One of the best features of this innovative and precise instrument is its built-in HELP option that allows users to learn how to use this devise without looking up the manual.
In addition to all the technological advances the main attraction of this oscilloscope remains its affordability. For $262 per unit a college can purchase the latest technology in oscilloscopes and offer it students training in all the functionality usually available on world leading devices. With free shipping and 3 year manufacturer’s warranty college professors and administrators are taking a much closer look at this previously unknown but increasingly popular brand.
Introductory prices start from $262. More info available at www.tmatlantic.com
ADS-2031 College Level Oscilloscope – [Link]
tuomasnylund.fi writes:
There’s something fascinating about electromagnetic fields. Thanks to the modern world and the prevalence of electronics and electricity, they’re all around us these days. But because of the extremely limited array of senses that we humans have, we spend most of the time completely oblivious of them. Wouldn’t it be cool to make something simple that could not just detect them, but would allow you look at the waveforms on an oscilloscope. An EMF probe in other words.
A Simple EMF Probe - [Link]
The Digilent Analog Discovery™ design kit, developed in conjunction with Analog Devices Inc., is the first in a new line of all-in-one analog design kits that will enable engineering students to quickly and easily experiment with advanced technologies and build and test real-world, functional analog design circuits anytime, anywhere – right on their PCs. For the price of a textbook, students can purchase a low-cost analog hardware development platform and components, with access to downloadable teaching materials, reference designs and lab projects to design and implement analog circuits as a supplement to their core engineering curriculum.
Analog Discovery – Portable Analog Design Kit - [Link]
Saelig Company, Inc. announces the SDS5032E – a new, low-cost two-channel oscilloscope which is packed with useful features normally only seen on higher-end DSOs, including external and video-capable triggering, auto-measurements, auto-scaling, a large 8″ high resolution full color LCD display, XY mode, auto-set, averaging, math functions, USB output, waveform storage, pass/fail output, and a 3-year warranty. FFT functionality is included for frequency spectrum display, in addition to a built-in 6-digit frequency meter, which can measure frequencies from 2Hz to 30MHz.
SDS5032E 30MHz 250MS/s 2-Ch Oscilloscope - [Link]
smnoor88 writes:
The DPScope SE is the result of a challenge I set for myself – to build a practically usable oscilloscope with a minimum amount of components and for minimum cost. The practical benefit is of course that this is an instrument that I hope will be interesting to many teachers, students and hobbyists looking for an affordable, simple tool for their electronics work.
DPScope SE – the simplest real oscilloscope/logic analyzer - [Link]
