any interest in a gain setting tool

[DBfan187 5,000+ posts]

PE has them for $175 I beleive, they may have a sale going on.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=7570408264&ssPageName=MERC_VIC_RSCC_Pr4_PcY_BIN_Stores_IT
love mine.

 

[fatryan 5,000+ posts]

Sometimes a DMM won't do it's full job. Any overrated or underrated amp can fool a DMM. I like the idea.

i was under the impression that if a DMM was off, it was only buy a little. but hell if your right, ill drop $25 on one of these.
but dont you think there should be at least 1 more light in between the 1% and 10%?

 

[Shyne151 10+ year member]

I'd like one to mess around with/use at work.

 

[Speedyd718 10+ year member]

nice idea. i'd use it. good senior design project idea too, got anymore good ones?

 

[thch 10+ year member]

i was under the impression that if a DMM was off, it was only buy a little. but hell if your right, ill drop $25 on one of these.
but dont you think there should be at least 1 more light in between the 1% and 10%?

that part of the circuit will probably be done with quad comparators (packs of 4). the main issue is space and quality control. smaller stuff means it will cost less, especially since i don't have cases sitting around for this. QC becomes harder because now 7 circuits need to be tuned instead of 3. (the no distortion LED turns on if no other LED turns on, so it doesn't need special tuning)

an oscope would be better in some cases, but it kinda depends on how good the resolution is. 0.1% distortion may not show up on a cheap oscope, not that it matters too much.

this device would be a one purpose specialized tool. only useful for audio applications and maybe some home apps -- you should be able to plug it into the wall outlet safely, at least 120Vac wall outlets. the passive components aren't rated for 240Vac. note that i am not responsible for any accidents you cause by playing with your house's wiring.

one option i was concidering for a "higher priced option" would be a BCD readout of voltage and distortion. this could be done with a microcontroller and wouldn't be too expensive, but it would be a lot more design work.

one reason i'm doing this is because school is out over christmas break and i don't get paid money.

it seems like enough people have interest for me to begin work on the prototype. the circuit is fairly well designed in my head at least.

 

[fatryan 5,000+ posts]

that part of the circuit will probably be done with quad comparators (packs of 4). the main issue is space and quality control. smaller stuff means it will cost less, especially since i don't have cases sitting around for this. QC becomes harder because now 7 circuits need to be tuned instead of 3. (the no distortion LED turns on if no other LED turns on, so it doesn't need special tuning)
an oscope would be better in some cases, but it kinda depends on how good the resolution is. 0.1% distortion may not show up on a cheap oscope, not that it matters too much.

this device would be a one purpose specialized tool. only useful for audio applications and maybe some home apps -- you should be able to plug it into the wall outlet safely, at least 120Vac wall outlets. the passive components aren't rated for 240Vac. note that i am not responsible for any accidents you cause by playing with your house's wiring.

one option i was concidering for a "higher priced option" would be a BCD readout of voltage and distortion. this could be done with a microcontroller and wouldn't be too expensive, but it would be a lot more design work.

one reason i'm doing this is because school is out over christmas break and i don't get paid money.

it seems like enough people have interest for me to begin work on the prototype. the circuit is fairly well designed in my head at least.

totally off topic, but im an engineering student. and i been considering electrical engineering. what do you make (if you dont mind me asking)?

 

[thch 10+ year member]

totally off topic, but im an engineering student. and i been considering electrical engineering. what do you make (if you dont mind me asking)?

i am a graduate student at SIUE and i make $800/month teching labs. over christmas i make $0. I am currently looking into the mixed signal IC industry and am persuing a thesis on crystal stabalized frequency synthesis by phase locked loop with quadrature phase detection.

if you want to go into EE, my suggesting is to build and learn first. be motivated. too many people go into college with an adversarial viewpoint of "i don't want to do any more work then needed."

i have plenty of senior design ideas. just projects i've been looking into:

1.) home amplifier using LM4780 IC amplifiers. should have digital inputs.

2.) class-F tranmitter for RF remote and a receiver as well. 2-4 ghz band.

3.) automatic bartender for mixing drinks.

 

[fatryan 5,000+ posts]

i am a graduate student at SIUE and i make $800/month teching labs. over christmas i make $0. I am currently looking into the mixed signal IC industry and am persuing a thesis on crystal stabalized frequency synthesis by phase locked loop with quadrature phase detection.
if you want to go into EE, my suggesting is to build and learn first. be motivated. too many people go into college with an adversarial viewpoint of "i don't want to do any more work then needed."

i have plenty of senior design ideas. just projects i've been looking into:

1.) home amplifier using LM4780 IC amplifiers. should have digital inputs.

2.) class-F tranmitter for RF remote and a receiver as well. 2-4 ghz band.

3.) automatic bartender for mixing drinks.

i dont know what your talking about, lol.
im assuming your job is part time, cause if it isnt, i make more than you working 12 hours a week as a delivery driver.

but i am serious about school now. ive been in college for 4 years already just dicking around. now im transfering to a university and im gonna buckle down. and i wasnt even too sure about engineering, but im good in math and engineering runs strong in my family (great grandpa was a mechanical engineer, grandpa was a chemical engineer, and pops is a civil engineer, + some uncles are too). so i figure ill prolly be good at it //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif. i just dont know which field of engineering to choose. but we better get back on topic b4 this thread gets closed. thanx for the info

 

[Shyne151 10+ year member]

i dont know what your talking about, lol.
im assuming your job is part time, cause if it isnt, i make more than you working 12 hours a week as a delivery driver.

but i am serious about school now. ive been in college for 4 years already just dicking around. now im transfering to a university and im gonna buckle down. and i wasnt even too sure about engineering, but im good in math and engineering runs strong in my family (great grandpa was a mechanical engineer, grandpa was a chemical engineer, and pops is a civil engineer, + some uncles are too). so i figure ill prolly be good at it //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif. i just dont know which field of engineering to choose. but we better get back on topic b4 this thread gets closed. thanx for the info

Well considering labs are usually once or twice a week for a few hours I'd say he's part time...

 

[thch 10+ year member]

i "work" about 10 hours a week, but get paid for 20. so take it as you will. my tuition is also paid for me and i can park about 100ft from any building. for my area it is not bad for a college student.

 

[fatryan 5,000+ posts]

Well considering labs are usually once or twice a week for a few hours I'd say he's part time...

i didnt know, but figured it was part time

 

[fatryan 5,000+ posts]

i "work" about 10 hours a week, but get paid for 20. so take it as you will. my tuition is also paid for me and i can park about 100ft from any building. for my area it is not bad for a college student.

well thats good. i wasnt like bashing you or anything . im a student too, its hard to work alot as a full time student

 

[Shyne151 10+ year member]

i "work" about 10 hours a week, but get paid for 20. so take it as you will. my tuition is also paid for me and i can park about 100ft from any building. for my area it is not bad for a college student.

You're a bastard... what I wouldn't do for one of those **** teacher parking permits around here.

Should of took the offer I got to work on my school's website when I got it... ohh well 6bucks an hour wasn't really flattering.

Anyways back to subject... whip one up that looks good and I'll buy it //content.invisioncic.com/y282845/emoticons/smile.gif.1ebc41e1811405b213edfc4622c41e27.gif