Digital storage func. gen.

Jan 15, 2005 4 Replies

At the risk of sounding like a broken record...What are you trying to accomplish? You specified "Function Generator" but only talked about sine waves. What did you really mean??? Do you need triangles and squares?

If you need sine fidelity, use a triangle and diode shaper.

I set out to build a DDS function generator around a PIC processor. I was really impressed at first. Sine waves looked nice on the spectrum analyzer, even tho only 8-bit. But when I looked in time domain, I was horrified. There are some interesting transient anomalies, especially where the cycle length is one different from the number of stored samples. Yes, you can filter anything and get a sinewave, but at 5 Hz. that's gonna be some big filter. And triangles and square waves weren't even close to being what they should be. You can have sine wave points moving all around and filter 'em. Won't work for squares.

So, do you really need a whole function generator, or just sinewaves? Purity? Can you stand AC coupled output? Amplitude range? Noise tolerable? Harmonics vs noise vs FM?

The more you think about it the better you're gonna like triangles and diodes. The single-chip analog function generators should work fine at these frequencies. You can get reasonable (depending on your definition) repeatability with digitally controlled current sources. You're only asking for 500:1 range. mike

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This is cheap:

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You could modify the software a bit, to get your 5-10 different preset frequencies. No need to hook it up to a PC all the time.

Thanks, Frank. (remove 'q' and 'invalid' when replying by email)

If it is just for sinewaves, I suggest the use of a DDS. Does sine nicely, from zero to several MHz, with uHz resolution. Have a look at the AD9833

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Rene

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Looks like you'll need 10 similar channnels. I'd be inclined just to store

10 "time" numbers. Have a constant speed main clock and clock out square waves at the wanted frequencies. Then ... 3rd order filter (one opamp) each output to a useable sine wave. regards john

I would like to build a "function generator" that will digitally store a single cycle of 5-10 individual sinewaves, each with a frequency between 5Hz-500Hz, and play any or all back continuously on demand.



It must be stand-alone and battery powered, ie. not PC or soundcard based. However, a PC could be involved in generating the SW's to be stored. But note the lower limit will not pass a soundcard.



I have no special requirements regarding resolution, voltage or current output, other than the sinewaves look as much like a continous sinewave on a CRO as is possible without going to extremes.



IOW I am open to suggestions regarding trade-offs between precision and practicality.



What would be the most effective design path to follow for this, stressing minimum complexity.



How would the sinewaves be loaded into the storage medium?



Thanks for any ideas.



Mark



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