This 50 MHz pulse generator was built as solid as a rock. It’s almost all metal. We take the unit completely apart and look at it from a system and board level. On a visit to the MIT swapfest in 2024, I came across an HP 8112A 50 MHz pulse generator. For $20, I brought […]
analogdevices
Free and low-cost online EE tools aid in design
Downloadable and online free and low-cost EE tools help engineers design and analyze circuits. The internet is full of EE tools from equipment manufacturers, semiconductor manufacturers, independent EEs and hobbyists. Some are web-based that you can use with just a browser. Some you need to download and install on your PC while others you install […]
What are top applications of CAN protocol?
The CAN (controller area network) protocol was developed by the European automotive electronics company Robert Bosch GmbH in 1983 for in-vehicle networks. The intention behind the development of the CAN protocol was to enable robust data communication between different electronic control units (ECU) and microcontroller control units (MCU) of a vehicle on a single wire […]
New microcontrollers added to embedded processors and controllers portfolio
Mouser Electronics, Inc. recently added new microcontrollers to its extensive Embedded Processors and Controllers portfolio. Microcontrollers are the foundational building blocks of any embedded systems design. Specified for a wide range of use cases, from ultra-low power fitness trackers to industrial automation sensor nodes, and automotive motor control to consumer smart home thermostats, the microcontroller […]
EMI testing for IoT transceivers
A few oscilloscope measurements can give insight into sources of electromagnetic interference that garble the operation of wireless IoT devices. Examine a typical wireless device with an internet of things connection and you’ll likely find multiple RF receivers squeezed together in close proximity onto a circuit board. Cramped quarters characterize modern IoT electronics, so sensitive […]
The ups and downs of bad DACs
A digital-to-analog converter (DAC) is more prone than an analog/digital converter to signal degradation. DACs are complex devices requiring precisely matched components. For this reason, with notable exceptions, DACs are implemented as mixed-signal ICs based on MOSFET technology. Discrete component DACs are found in radar systems and high-speed test equipment including digital sampling oscilloscopes. Digital […]
Practicalities of specifying 5G antennas for the IoT
Antennas can be an afterthought in many designs. With the deployment of 5G, the need to get the most out of the antenna will only become more important. Josh Mickolio, Digi-Key Electronics There are a lot of assumptions, confusion and questions about how 5G will impact the non-handset world. There are several high-level goals for […]
Generating sine waves from triangle waves
Analog Dialogue is a free technical magazine from chip makers Analog Devices Inc. Published monthly since 1967 and now done online, Analog Dialogue covers circuits, systems, and software for signal processing that relate to ADI chips. A feature in Analog Dialogue recently caught our eye because it covered some interesting territory relating to the generation […]
Single-chip AFE integrates optical, ECG, and bio-impedance measurement systems
Simplify the design of wearable remote patient monitoring (RPM) devices by measuring four vital signs with one MAX86178 triple-system vital signs analog front end (AFE) from Analog Devices, Inc. This single-chip AFE integrates three measurement systems (optical, ECG, and bio-impedance) to obtain four common vital signs: electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG), heart rate (ECG or optical […]
Bit errors and ADC testing
Most engineers are introduced to the basic performance parameters of analog/digital converters in school. So specifications such as SNR, SINAD (Signal-to-noise and distortion ratio), ENOB (Effective Number of Bits), and THDA (total harmonic distortion analysis) are all familiar ADC terms found in ADC data sheets. Ditto for an INL error, described as the deviation, in […]
