Hello...
I recently purchased the Digilent Analog Discovery 2 device, along with the BNC adapter for the AD-2, directly from Digilent for an online EET class (EET-150) that I am taking at Southern Illinois University at Carbondale this semester. I am a newbie to the electronics world, and have very little experience with oscilloscopes and/or Signal Generators. This is my first device of this kind.
When I use this AD-2 device in my many required labs for this class, my Professor is reviewing the output of both the oscilloscope wave forms that are displayed on the screen and capured/exported, and how the wave form generator is set up (Sine wave, Frequency, Period, etc)........he is telling me that he sees two problems with my particular AD-2 and BNC adapter devices.
When performing probe compensation, I can never get a completely square wave using my Digilent 460-004 probes. I have purchased 3 different sets of these 460-004 probes from 3 different sources (in addition to the set I purchased directly from Digilent), and neither of the 3 different sets of new probes can generate a completely square wave as required for a fully compensated probe. The upper let corner of the square wave for each different probe is curved downward slightly and cannot not be corrected by tuning the Compensation Adjustment Screw on the various probes. It can only be corrected to having this upper left corner NOT being perfectly square. The Professor and I have tried many various configuration changes to Frequency, Period, Amplitude dropdowns on the waveform generator........and Position, Offset, Base, Range dropdowns on the oscilloscope with no change to the ability to get a completely square wave while tuning the probe. Because I have tried this now with 3 different sets of new 460-004 probes, and various generator and scope configurations with no success, my Professor feels this is a result of a possibility faulty AD-2 device or BNC adapter device.
When using the Waveforms software, and when doing very simple, basic waveform measurements (Sine, Square, Triangle, etc) using the oscilloscope function, the wave displayed on the scope is showing an extraordinary amount of noise for a simple, basic waveform. (both the waveform generator and the oscilloscope are running of course). Again, the Professor and I have tried many various configuration changes to Frequency, Period, Amplitude dropdowns on the waveform generator........and Position, Offset, Base, Range dropdowns on the oscilloscope with no change to the noise being displayed. Again, because if this additional issue, my Professor feels this is a result of the AD-2, or the BNC adapter devices that I purchased possibly being faulty, and in need of a replacement.
What do you guys think the issue is here???
Could my AD-2 and/or the BNC adapter be faulty?? Could there be an issue with the Waveforms SW that I am using?? (Waveforms Version: 3.18.1 64-bit Qt5.12.9 Windows 10 (10.0) Qt5.12.9). I am really stumped here, and need some help.
Any guidance and advise will be greatly appreciated.
Thank You
Chuck Burk