Hey all,

I want a specific feature on my function generator and it seems to me that there is no documentation on this. I'm wondering if these function generators like the Siglent 2000 series are able to use an arbitrary waveform as the carrier signal.

Now the manual is quite clear, you can use one channel to plug into the aux/in in the back and do amplitude modulation. What is not clear is if you can use an arbitrary waveform as the carrier in this situation and use a regular sine or another arbitrary waveform as a modulating signal.

Anyone own one and can tell me? I want to get one for Christmas but this is nearly the only feature id use it for so its important.

 

Yep, ARB carrier types are specified in the datasheet under Modulation Characteristics on P8 & 9:
http://siglentna.com/wp-content/uploads/dlm_uploads/2017/10/SDG2000X_DataSheet_DS0202X-E01D.pdfAlso, check the programming guide P22 3.5 Modulate Wave Command
http://siglentna.com/wp-content/uploads/dlm_uploads/2017/10/SDG_Programming_Guide.pdf

 

@tautech oh, you are wonderful man. How did I miss that? Right in the datasheet. I was searching the manual. Super convenient links my dude. Thank you

 

No worries CosmicOrderMachines, I distribute Siglent into the NZ market so should know this stuff but still had to look it up !
Anything you wanna know about this stuff just gimme a yell.

 

@tautech A reseller of Siglent! Wow fancy bumping into you here. Hope that you are doing well. Now that you mention it, ever since you informed me of that arbitrary modulation fact, I am comparing prices. I was reminded it was almost black friday. Are any Siglent ever on sale around black friday?

 

Dunno, have a look on Amazon. If you're are in the US, Saelig is one of Siglent's biggest resellers and if you join up on EEVblog you can get 6% off as a member there. Otherwise freight costs to other parts of the globe is the killer and you're better to buy locally which I recommend anyway for support should you need it.

 

Emergency! @tautech I got a reply from SiglentEU.com I had asked them the same question a long time ago and they just replied. This was their reply!

"Dear Nicolas,



What kind of application require an arbitrary Carrier? I don’t know any.

I’m curious to learn about this application. Thanks



To answer your question, it’s not possible to use an arb.signal as carrier waveform



Best regards

Thomas Rottach

Sales & Marketing Manager Europe"

The programming manual and datasheet seem to indicate the ability to amplitude modulate an arb signal. Is this guy wrong? Sigh I just dont want to buy this thing and have to return it on amazon. Can you help? I appreciate it so much

 

CosmicOrderMachines, I'll get one of my demo units out and try to modulate one of the inbuilt ARB waveforms.
Gimme a few hours before I reply with a scope screenshot of the result.

 

Here you are:
ARB waveform from the SDG2000X lesser brother SDG1032X.
5.1 MHz something......frequency shown not accurate due to trigger level. Didn't take notice of what it was called and then modulated @ 1 KHz
Scope SDS1104X-E.

 

Thank you thank you thank you. Thank you so much for answering this question for me. I will buy one.

 

Thank you thank you thank you. Thank you so much for answering this question for me. I will buy one.

Well we now know SDGX models can modulate their internal ARB waveforms so one hopes they can also modulate user ARB waveforms.
Maybe Thomas the Siglent EU manager knows something I don't ?

 

Well we now know SDGX models can modulate their internal ARB waveforms so one hopes they can also modulate user ARB waveforms.
Maybe Thomas the Siglent EU manager knows something I don't ?

Yea seems unlikely that they wouldn't. Care to try it? I figure I'll get it anyway and return it if I need too. Amazon is good about that stuff and I don't want to ask too much of you. I need other parts for this project. Like I need to amplify my signal to some level so that I can power a rather large tesla coil. Working on that in the mean time right now. Also I am going to need to change the envelope frequency a few times during modulation, so I'm hoping that's a feature I can implement. I know I should be able to send commands from my pc to change the frequency. (Dont know if I can do that during modulation) Guess thats another question.

 

What I'm actually making (to answer that other guys question) and state it here (to explain why I'm having so much trouble and not using a function generators "normal" features)

The carrier wave shape is made at angles to set up a field where inertia can self refrence without being destroyed. A dappening of chaos so to speak.

The modulation of the carrier (in phase) allows to set a larger spectrum and helps condition the space better.

 

Yea seems unlikely that they wouldn't. Care to try it?

Never written an ARB waveform and wouldn't know how to start to without some study. Sorry I just don't have the time to invest in this ATM as it's not far from mid summer here and I have a mountain of outdoors tasks to attend to.

I figure I'll get it anyway and return it if I need too. Amazon is good about that stuff and I don't want to ask too much of you. I need other parts for this project. Like I need to amplify my signal to some level so that I can power a rather large tesla coil. Working on that in the mean time right now.

What frequency to you need to amplify ?
Siglent also do this 10W power amp for their AWG's:
https://www.siglenteu.com/accessory/spa1010/

 

Makes sense my dude, have a good summer.

Appreciate it