Electronic Test Bench & Visual Analyser

User Manual v1.0

November 2008
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
National University of Singapore




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Contents

1. Introduction 1
1.1 Electronic Test Bench (ETB) 1
1.2 Visual Analyser 2

2. Tutorial 3
2.1 Configuration 3
2.2 Setup for Oscilloscope/Spectrum Analyser 5
2.3 Setup for Waveform Generator 16
2.4 Setup for Power Supply 20

Appendix A PC configuration to select line-in channel 21
Appendix B PC configuration to select microphone channel 23
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Note: Use multimeter (continuity mode ) to verify cable continuity, and to make
sure channel A, channel B and gnd are properly insulated from each other.
1. Introduction
You will learn how to setup the Electronic Test Bench (ETB) and Visual Analyser (VA)
as your portable
power supply
waveform generator
oscilloscope
spectrum analyser

Apparatus: 1 Electronic Test Bench, 2 TRS-TRS cables, 2 TRS-CLIP cables,
1 USB cable, 1 multimeter, 1 computer.
1.1 Electronic Test Bench (ETB)
1. The top-view photo and symbol of ETB is shown in Figure 1.
2. The photo and symbol of TRS-TRS, TRS-CLIP, and USB cables are shown in Figure
2.


(a) top-view photo (b) symbol
Figure 1. Electronic Test Bench



(a) TRS-TRS (b) TRS-CLIP (c) USB (d) symbol
Figure 2. Cables









TRS
connector
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1.2 Visual Analyser (VA)
Visual Analyser is a real time software that simulates a set of electronic instruments:
Waveform generator
Oscilloscope
Spectrum analyser

Refer http://www.sillanumsoft.org/prod01.htm for detailed description.


Below is the installation guide:
1 Download the Visual Analyser 10.0.5. NE from
http://www.sillanumsoft.org/download.htm

2 Double click the downloaded file, VAsetup.exe (with icon )
(a)
Click Run

(b)


Click Install



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2. Tutorial
Follow the in sequence procedures from section 2.1 to 2.4.
2.1 Configuration

1. Click icon to Launch Visual Analyser (VA).








2. Main Frame of VA appears as follows.

Click Yes
Click
Settings
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Note: Use a multimeter (continuity mode ) to verify that gnd(sg),
gnd(probe) and GND are electrically shorted.
3. Configure the settings <color/Font> tab.
a. Set LEFT color as
b. Set RIGHT color as




4. Connect ETB to computer as per Figure 3. Plug the TRS connector of TRS-CLIP
cable into respective ETB jack. The function of each clip of TRS-CLIP cable is as
indicated.


Figure 3. ETB to computer connection















Click Save
Config.
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Tips: You can change these settings as long as its supported or within the limit.
FFT size (samples)
Frequency sampling (Hz) = 2 supported sound card bandwidth
Bit depth = 8 bit (S/N 46dB), 16bit or 24 bit (S/N > 120dB)

2.2 Setup for Oscilloscope/Spectrum Analyser
1. View the settings < In/our Device > tab. It shows the supported formats for Input
device and Output device (of your computers sound card)


2. Configure the settings < main > tab. This defines the oscilloscope settings.
a. Set FFT size (samples) as 4096.
b. Set Frequency sampling (Hz) as 40960.
c. Click Confirm. Observe that below information will be updated automatically.
Bandwidth: 0 (0.5*Frequency Sampling) Hz
Spectral line resolution: (Frequency Sampling FFT size) Hz

d. For Number of Channels, select Stereo. This is to enable dual channel.
e. For Bit depth, select 16.
f. For Smoothing windows, select Hanning.
g. For Channel(s), select A and B. This is to enable channel A and channel B.
h. Click Save Config.
i. Click OK.








Sound card
bandwidth
Bit depth
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3. Perform Calibration.
i. Configure ETB connections as per Figure 4.


Figure 4. ETB connections when performing calibration



ii. Invoke wave window by click Wave or check Wave Gen.












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iii. Configure the Waveform Generator <General Setup> tab.
a. Click As input. Observe that information below are updated immediately.

Buffer (samples) = FFT sample(size) of Settings<Main> tab.
Frequency Sampling = Frequency Sampling (Hz) of Settings<Main> tab.
Bit depth = bit depth of Settings<Main> tab.

b. For Buffer(s), select 4 or 8.


iv. Configure the Waveform Generator <Main> tab as follows. Set Master
volume and wave volume to maximum level. Click On.



Mute other unused channels
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v. Click On to activate oscilloscope/spectrum analyzer function. Select Line-in,
and minimize the volume level to < 5%.

















































screen and
control panel
of Oscilloscope

screen and
control panel
of Spectrum Analyser

Note: Make sure the line-in channel has been enabled. Minimize the volume of
other unused channels.
For a shared mic/line-in jack, you might need to explicitly enable the
line-in channel. Refer Appendix A for the tested PC configuration to select
Line-in channel.


If there is no line-in channel/jack, select microphone instead and minimize
the volume to < 5%. Make sure the Microphone channel has been enabled.
Mute other unused channels. Then disable Microphone Boost.
For a shared mic/line-in jack, you might need to explicitly enable the
microphone channel. Refer Appendix B for the tested PC configuration to
select Microphone channel.


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Below is the expected result -50 Hz sine wave.


if the oscilloscope screen shows no waveform as below,


change the input source from line-in to microphone and minimize the volume
level to < 5%. You should get a sine wave (an example is shown below).














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For either input source (line-in or microphone), if oscilloscope displays a
distorted sine wave, lower the master volume or wave volume until you
obtain an undistorted sine wave.



vi. Use multimeter (ac voltage mode) to measure rms voltage of the sine wave.
Record the measured rms value as x (to be used in step vii)
















Note: Make sure the Microphone channel has been enabled. Mute other
unused channels. Then disable Microphone Boost.
For a shared mic/line-in jack, you might need to explicitly enable
the microphone channel. Refer Appendix B for the tested PC
configuration to select Microphone channel.


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vii. Configure the Settings <Calibrate> tab.
Make sure the Input Source display the correct source (Line-in or microphone).
You can also alternatively adjust the volume here.
Enter Level of known input signal (units): x, Units: Volt, rms.
Click Start measure signal.
Save the calibration data.
Check the box Apply calibration settings.











4. After calibration, configure the Settings window <Scope> tab. Click button Volt to
change the Y-axis scale to volt.



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Note: The above calibration only valid for the selected input source (line-in or
microphone) and volume level. This means re-calibration is only needed
when you change input source or its volume level.



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5. After calibration, the ETB TRS-CLIP cable can then be used as
oscilloscope/spectrum analyser probes per figure 5.


Figure 5. ETB TRS-CLIP cable as oscilloscope probes (after calibration)


6. The oscilloscope settings can then be configured using the Settings window
<Scope> tab or the main frames oscilloscope control panel. Most of the settings
were duplicated except for those circled.








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7. To capture oscilloscope waveform, click Capture Scope.


A memo window will be displayed (an example is given below). You can zoom in/out,
perform analysis and save the time series.





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8. On the other hand, the spectrum analyser settings can be configured using the
Settings window <Spectrum> tab or the main frames spectrum analyser control
panel. Most of the settings were duplicated except for those circled.















9. To capture oscilloscope waveform, click Capture Spectrum. A memo window will
be displayed (an example is given below). You can zoom in/out, perform analysis
and save the spectrum.

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2.3 Setup for Waveform Generator
1. After completing section 2.2, invoke wave window by click Wave or check Wave
Gen.



2. Configure the Waveform Generator <General Setup> tab.
a. Click As input. Observe that information below are updated immediately.

Buffer (samples) = FFT sample(size) of Settings<Main> tab.
Frequency Sampling = Frequency Sampling (Hz) of Settings<Main> tab.
Bit depth = bit depth of Settings<Main> tab.

b. For Buffer(s), select 4 or 8.

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3. Use VA oscilloscope to visualize the generated signal (from signal generator), by
configure ETB connections as below.


Figure 6. ETB connections for VA oscilloscope to visualize signal from signal
generator.

4. To generate sine wave, configure the Waveform Generator <Main> tab as follows.
Check or uncheck the Enable box of channel A and B.
Select Wave function as Sine.
Enter the frequency (in Hz).
If needed, enter the Phase (added to right channel, in degree).
Click On to activate signal generator function.
On main frame, click On to activate oscilloscope function.
Then, you can adjust the peak-to-peak amplitude of sine wave in real time by
adjusting the volume level or levels (% full scale).

Example: channel A = sin (2ft+), f = 5000, = 0
channel B = sin (2ft+), f = 5000, = 180


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5. To generate square wave, configure the Waveform Generator <Main> tab.
Check or uncheck the Enable box of channel A and B.
Select Wave function as Square.
Enter the frequency (in Hz).
If needed, enter the Phase (added to right channel, in degree).
Click On to activate signal generator function.
On main frame, click On to activate oscilloscope function.
Then, you can adjust the peak-to-peak amplitude of square wave in real time by
adjusting the volume level or levels (% full scale).



Example:









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6. To generate triangle wave, configure the Waveform Generator <Main> tab.

Check or uncheck the Enable box of channel A and B.
Click Triangle to set triangle shape for channel A and B.
Select Wave function as Triangle/Sawtooth.
Enter the frequency.
If needed, set Phase (added to right channel, in degree).
Click On to activate signal generator function.
On main frame, click On to activate oscilloscope function.
Then, you can adjust the peak-to-peak amplitude of square wave in real time by
adjusting the volume level or levels (% full scale).








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2.4 Setup for Power Supply
1. The three provided power supply sources are as indicated.


2. To set the left (right) adjustable power supply for providing voltage y, turn the
left (right) adjustable knob until multimeter show reading y.











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Appendix A PC configuration to select Line-in channel

The PC configuration steps to select Line-in channel are tested and documented here
accordingly to the sound card.

Note: If your sound card is not listed here, please contribute your tested PC
configuration steps to etb_va@yahoo.com . Thank you.


1. Sound card : RealTek HD audio input
Steps : No Line-in channel.

2. Sound card : SigmaTel Audio
Steps : (1) As the TRS-TRS cable connects to mic jack, an Audio
System Event window as below pops up immediately.
Choose Line in and click OK.


Note: The Audio System Event window has to be enabled
by check the Allow reconfiguration Pop-Ups.



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(2) start menu > control panel > sound and audio devices
Click Sound recording <Volume> to invoke Recording
Control window. Then, select Line In.
Mute other unused channels.
















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Appendix B PC configuration to select Microphone
channel

The PC configuration steps to select Microphone channel are tested and documented here
accordingly to the sound card.


Note: If your sound card is not listed here, please contribute your tested PC
configuration steps to etb_va@yahoo.com . Thank you.



1. Sound card : RealTek HD audio input
Steps : (1) start menu > control panel > sound and audio devices
(2) click Sound recording <Volume>


(3) Select Microphone and disable the Microphone Boost.
Mute other unused channels.




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2. Sound card : SigmaTel Audio
Steps : (1) As the TRS-TRS cable connects to mic jack, an Audio
System Event window as below pops up immediately.
Choose Microphone and click OK.


Note: The Audio System Event window has to be enabled
by check the Allow reconfiguration Pop-Ups.













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(2) start menu > control panel > sound and audio devices
Click Sound recording <Volume> to invoke Recording
Control window.
Then, select Microphone and disable Microphone Boost.
Mute other unused channels.