Hi, I have a use for a PC based signal generator but most of my applications are 100mV to 500mV at 25 - 100 Hz
How acurate it the PCGU1000?
How stable is it at these lower amplitudes?
What is the Amplitude step size, ie 1mV or 10mV or !00mV etc?
Regards
Brian
Some time ago I made accuracy and stability tests of the PCGU1000.
At the moment I have no access to all the test results, but I can say in general that this generator is very stable.
I measured the amplitude stability at 1.000V.
At the frequency range 50Hz to 20kHz the amplitude variation was less than 0.7mV rms. Below there is a snippet of the test results.
If you like, I can send later more detailed test results.
In sine and in triangle wave mode you can enter the amplitude nearly with “infinite” resolution. Adjusting the amplitude in steps of 0.1mV is no problem.
Here some results of the PCGU1000 voltage accuracy:
PCGU1000 was set to output 1.00V at 1kHz.
Then the frequency was varied from 20Hz to 100kHz and the amplitude was measured.
Test instrument was Fluke 8842A Multimeter
OK Sounds good, i would like to see the test results if possible.
Could you also confirm the minimum amplitude?
Regards,
Brian
One important point before continuing:
In the generator there is a fine tune option having 8 steps each of about 2.5%. This option is meant to be used to calibrate the generator.
After the calibration there may be still some error left.
Do you think this is a problem?
The minimum amplitude is 10mVpp.
Here some results with Sine wave
Entered Measured
Value Output
Vrms Vrms
1.0 0.99787
0.9 0.89821
0.8 0.79845
0.7 0.69864
0.6 0.59871
0.5 0.49885
0.4 0.39926
0.3 0.29938
0.2 0.19955
0.1 0.09973
All looks very good and fit for purpose, good price as well. The error looks a lot less than some higher costing generators.
Many thanks for your help.
Regards
Brian
HI I have just received a PCGU1000 and unfortunately the software CD is broken, please could you email me the software?
You can download the software from the Velleman downloads site:
velleman.be/be/en/download/files/
pclab2000se_3_06.zip
PCLAB2000SE software package Version 3.06
In this version:
Improved operation of the function generator PCGU1000:
I have done this already but it unfortunately does not contain the Driver software for the PCGU1000 i also cannot see this on you downloads page.
Please could you send this through?
Regards
You can download the driver from:
vel255.diinoweb.com/files/PCGU1000_driver.zip
Extract it keeping the directory structure.
Follow the wizard: Two drivers (USB and COM) will be installed.
Hi, I have doen some inital tests with the sig gen and i am very impressed with the software control and the accuracy, it’s nice that you can ask for an RMS output , save me calculating it each time.
I have one slight problem, i only seem to be a able to work it in Administrator mode, when i log out of admin mode i get the following error message
No Function Generator Response
Please make sure USB is connected
If connected: Disconnet and reconnect USB cable.
Program will be closed
I have tried disconnecting and recloonecting the USB cable to no avail, any other ideas?
Regards,
Brian
That error message indicates that the software can’t find the generator.
I think there may be driver problem or the COM port numbet is >9.
Please go to the Device Manager (Control Panel | System | Hardware | Device Manager). Scroll down to Ports and click the plus sign.
There should be seen text: “PCGU1000 COM Port (COMx)” The x is the port number and must be in between 1 … 9.
What is the port number you see?
Scroll down to the Universal Serial Bus section and click the plus sign.
There should be seen text: “PCGU1000 Function Generator”.
If both OK then the drivers are properly installed.
It is on Port 6 and the PCGO1000 is shown on the USB list.
Please note when i am in Adiminstrator mode it works pefectly.
When i log in as a general user it gives the error, even though the port no and set up is exactly the same.
Any clues?
Regards,
Brian
The software uses registry search to find out the COM port number of the generator.
I think the registry access is not allowed in normal user mode without administrator privileges. The software tries to connect wrong COM port number.
You may do one test if it possible in normal user mode:
Change the port number to 4 (it is the default port number for the PCGU1000).
Here is how to change the port number:
In Device Manager, double click on PCGU1000 Com Port.
On Port Settings tab click Advanced.
Change COM Port Number to COM4 if unused.
Click OK and OK to exit.
Close Device Manager. (Next time in the Device Manager new port number is displayed.)
Unfortunately com 4 i being used and there is no option to change it.
I have tried so other numbers but unfortunately they did not work.
There is a workaround:
Please download following zip file and extract its contents to the PC-Lab2000SE folder (C:\Program Files\Velleman\PC-Lab2000SE).
vel255.diinoweb.com/files/PCGU1000_COMx.zip
There in the zip package is slightly modified program for the PCGU1000. Now you can manually enter the COM port number to the FGen1000.ini file:
[Hardware]
…
COM_Port=COM2
…
Chenk the PCGU1000’s COM port number from the Device Manager and edit the line COM_Port=COM2 according to the actual port number.
Save the FGen1000.ini and then just run the Pc-Lab2000SE software normally.
At startup you still get one error message when the startup tries to read the registry.
Hope that the PCGU1000 uses same COM port every day. So you need to edit the ini file only once.
Hi,
Works perfectly now, thank you very much!
Regards,
Brian