Power Supply Design: Load Step Response with a SIGLENT DC Electronic Load
April 3, 2020
Building a power supply that can handle various loads without oscillating can be a challenge. Computational models and computer simulations can help get your design headed in the right direction, but physical testing is essential to proving the performance of your design. One method of quickly determining stability is to use a load step response. … Continued
Programming Example: SDS Oscilloscope save a copy of a screen image via Python/PyVISA
February 26, 2020
Here is a brief code example written in Python 3.4 that uses PyVISA to pull a display image (screenshot) from a SIGLENT SDS oscilloscope via USB and save it to a drive on the controlling computer. NOTE: This program saves the picture/display image file to the E: drive, which may or may not exist on … Continued
Programming Example: Identification String (*IDN?) return with LabVIEW 2018
December 16, 2019
This LabVIEW VI (version 2018) provides a simple platform to begin creating LabVIEW programs. You can download the VI here: VISA_IDN.ZIP In this example, the user can: Select the connected instruments from the VISA Resource List drop down menu: NOTE: USB devices will automatically appear. For LAN connections, you will need to add the device. … Continued
Measuring the Modulation Index of an AM Signal using an FFT
June 13, 2019
Introduction In AM schemes, the modulation index refers to the amplitude ratio of the modulating signal to the carrier signal. With the help of Fast-Fourier-Transforms (FFT), the modulation index can be obtained by measuring the sideband amplitude and the carrier amplitude. In this application note, we are going to show a convenient method of using … Continued
Measuring Power Supply Control Loop Response with Bode Plot II
May 24, 2019
Introduction Stability is one of the most important characteristics in power supply design. Traditionally, stability measurements require expensive frequency response analyzers (FRA) which are not always available in a laboratory. Now, using a Siglent oscilloscope, like the SDS1204X-E with the newly released Bode Plot Ⅱ software, together with a Siglent arbitrary waveform generator (SDG or … Continued
Programming Example: SDS Oscilloscope screen image capture using Python over LAN
March 8, 2019
Here is a brief code example written in Python 3.4 that uses a socket to pull a display image (screenshot) from a SIGLENT SDS1000X-E scope via LAN and save it to the local drive of the controlling computer. NOTE: This program saves the picture/display image file in the same directory that the .py file is … Continued
Comparison / Differences between the SDS1000X and SDS1000X-E oscilloscope families
November 26, 2018
The short list of differences between the X and the 2 channel XE (SDSs1202XE) is as follows: – X has 50 ohm/ 1 MOhm selectable input impedance. XE only has 1 MOhm fixed. You will need a 50 ohm matching through adapter if you wish to connect to 50 Ohm circuits/minimize reflections. – The X has … Continued
Programming Example: Using VXI11 (LXI) and Python for LAN control without sockets
October 3, 2018
In an effort to meet the demands of remote monitoring and control, modern test instrumentation is leveraging more communications busses and than ever before. Each type of bus can also have numerous layers that can be utilized for specific advantages. The VXI bus and subsequent software drivers form a convenient software API that can make remote control … Continued
Bode Plot of a filter using an oscilloscope and function generator
September 12, 2018
A Bode plot is a method of graphically displaying the frequency response of a system or device-under-test (DUT). Commonly, the magnitude and phase response of the device are plotted with respect to frequency using a shared horizontal frequency axis as shown in the example below: By showing both the magnitude and phase information on … Continued
Programming Example: List connected VISA compatible resources using PyVISA
August 30, 2018
PyVISA is a software library that enables Python applications to communicate with resources (typically instruments) connected to a controlling computer using different buses, including: GPIB, RS-232, LAN, and USB. This example scans and lists the available resources. It requires PyVISA to be installed (see the PyVISA documentation for more information) *** #Example that scans a … Continued