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Electronics Basics

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Chances are, you have used the continuity mode of your digital multimeter. But how much do you understand about how it works? In this video, we break down how the mode works, what the beep means, and show examples of how to use it (correctly.) It might seem silly to spend so much time on such a simple mode. However, I have run across a few posts on the Internet, including the element14 Community where…

Generating signals with a waveform, function, or arbitrary generator lets you test all kinds of circuits. Learn how to get a function generator to output a signal, the 3 types of waveforms you can create, and which controls matter. James, the Bald Engineer, explains the difference between analog and digital generators. The video introduction is my first attempt at doing an LGR style “Tech Tales” story. It is short with only a few images. However,…

Logic analyzers capture digital signals and then display a waveform or list. Serial busses like I2C, SPI, or UART (Serial) can be decoded or triggered on when there are problems in your circuit. In this video, learn the basic controls you need to use (almost) any logic analyzer. You’ll learn how to set up a simple trigger, make measurements, and set things like sample rate or memory depth. When I first graduated from college, I…

A spectrum analyzer displays signals in the frequency domain. To use one, you only need to know about four controls: reference level, center frequency, and resolution bandwidth. In this episode, see how to use a spectrum analyzer and determine the transmitting frequency of a device.

The example device is my microphone transmitter. It operates around 500 MHz with FM modulation. You’ll see how I step through the spectrum analyzer controls to find the exact frequency. At the end of the episode, I show some advanced measurements you can do with a modern spectrum analyzer. My favorite one is the demodulation.

During the Bench Power Supply basics video, I made use of my electronic load. An electronic load can sink current from power sources such as power supplies or batteries. Loads are useful to test a power supply’s design margin or verify a battery’s capacity. See how three different instrument options from ultra low-end to midrange to high-end compare. After this element14 Presents Workbench Wednesday video, you will understand how to use modes on an electronic…