Something wrong below 0.5V in DC

jye1
Posts: 1221
Joined: Wed Feb 20, 2013 4:58 pm

Re: Something wrong below 0.5V in DC

Post by jye1 »

@qu1ck:

When signal is out of range the values are displayed in red as indication that they are incorrect. I think numbers and traces should still be displayed even signal is out of range. They still give some information about a signal.
Macross
Posts: 5
Joined: Tue Dec 20, 2016 4:02 am

Re: Something wrong below 0.5V in DC

Post by Macross »

@jye1 Thank you for your information.
qu1ck
Posts: 24
Joined: Tue Nov 29, 2016 4:43 am

Re: Something wrong below 0.5V in DC

Post by qu1ck »

@jye1
But it doesn't always turn red. If you follow Macross' second video closely at 0:48 the scope shows a flat trace near the middle of the screen and Vpp is 0.01v (within noise margin), which is very misleading.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q2SjAiwbBlE
That is the exact situation that I would like to see fixed. If the overlay numbers turned red that would be fine, I would know not to trust them. But currently the device gives no indication that it detects a signal and can't show it with current settings, It's exactly as if there was no signal.
jye1
Posts: 1221
Joined: Wed Feb 20, 2013 4:58 pm

Re: Something wrong below 0.5V in DC

Post by jye1 »

@qu1ck:

In that case the display means it detected a signal with frequency of 0Hz, i.e. DC signal. Maybe we should display 0Hz instead of a dash line for frequency. Same for PM and Duty cycle. Only keep Cycle displayed as dash line.
qu1ck
Posts: 24
Joined: Tue Nov 29, 2016 4:43 am

Re: Something wrong below 0.5V in DC

Post by qu1ck »

@jye1
But that is wrong, there obviously is a 1khz 0.1v signal with dc offset on the input. It shouldn't show 0 khz.
jye1
Posts: 1221
Joined: Wed Feb 20, 2013 4:58 pm

Re: Something wrong below 0.5V in DC

Post by jye1 »

The frequency counter works like this. The average of signal is first calculated. Then it counts the crossovers of the signal with the average in a given time interval to obtain frequency. To get rid of the interference of noises crossover is counted only if the level difference to the average is greater than a threshold. For the Shell this threshold is about 1/3 division above and below average. So the 0.1V signal in the said the situation won't be counted.
qu1ck
Posts: 24
Joined: Tue Nov 29, 2016 4:43 am

Re: Something wrong below 0.5V in DC

Post by qu1ck »

jye1
Ok, that explains why frequency is not counted but not why the trace is flat and Vpp and other measurements are showing wrong values.

EDIT:
Wait, no that doesn't explain the frequency counter either. How come on a lower sensitivity 0.1v is enough to pass the threshold and trigger the counter but on a higher sensitivity it's not?
Post Reply