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In addition to an oscilloscope, you also need a frequency generator at home or at work. If you want to quickly provide a sine or square wave signal for a circuit, there is nothing better than a stand-alone frequency generator. All desired parameters are set via the control panel and the circuit and oscilloscope are connected via a BNC cable. It couldn't be simpler.
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Which criteria are relevant for a frequency generator? First of all, the number of output channels count. Simple function generators have only one output, better frequency generators have two outputs. The usable frequency range, the adjustable amplitude and the quantization are also important. The frequency range indicates from which minimum to maximum frequency signals can be generated. The wider this range, the better. The amplitude indicates the range in which the voltage of the modulated signal can be varied. As a rule of thumb, this ranges from millivolts to several volts. The quantization indicates how many bits the analog to digital converter has. The higher the bit count, the finer the amplitude steps the frequency generator can produce.
Further parameters are the modulation types, e.g. frequency modulation, amplitude modulation, phase modulation, Frequency Shift Keying, etc. In addition, user-friendliness plays an important role. Even if it is against the trend nowadays, touch devices are not optimal when working in the lab. Often you have a soldering iron, electronics or other objects in your hand and need a good haptic feedback. Push-buttons and knobs on the frequency generator are much easier to operate than touch displays. Pushbuttons are preferable to membrane keys.
Here follows a list of cheap and popular frequency generators.
Frequency Generators - Review of the best function and signal generators:
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