LeCroy enters the low-cost DSO market

LeCroy Corporation, represented by TRIO T&M Solutions, has launched their new line of WaveJet digital oscilloscopes. The WaveJet provides unmatched performance in a portable scope and is an exceptional value. WaveJet’s 500K memory on each channel provides up to 200 times the capture time of other products in its class and is the first entry by LeCroy into the sub-$5,000 market.

The unit offers GS/s acquisition speeds into long 500K memory at a prices normally associated with either fast sample rate but short memory, or slower sample rate of 100MS/s and typically 100K-125K memory. The 100MHz, WJ-312, offering 1GS/s and 500K memory per channel is priced at $4,495 ex GST.

The new WaveJet series comprises a line up of eight models offering both two and four channel models with bandwidths of 100MHz, 200MHz, 350MHz and 500MHz, all with a maximum sample rate of 2 GS/s combined with the 500K channel memory

This long memory provides a capture time of 250ms at maximum sample rate, while other oscilloscopes in this class offer capture times of only 1.25ms at the same sample-rate. WaveJets also feature a large 7.5" colour display and USB connection, both of which are typically found in higher classes of oscilloscopes.

Contact:

Trio Test & Measurement

10 James St, Thebarton SA 5031

Tel: 1300 853 407 Fax: 1300 853 409

Website: www.triotest.com.au

Jaycar returns to its “Gore Hill” roots; opens new Hornsby store Jaycar’s "iconic" Gore Hill (Sydney) store, one of the first in the now-nationwide chain, has reopened at 188 Pacific Highway, St. Leonards, totally refurbished and expanded. Parking facilities have also been expanded and provide easy access to the store. Jaycar has many years of retail experience in the area and a proven product range covering home and car alarm systems, test equipment, video surveillance, car audio, electrical & electronic tools, wire, cable, accessories, hobbyist kits, and electronic equipment. Gary Johnston, Jaycar’s Managing Director, said "This site has always been popular with our customers and we are pleased that we have been able to return." Jaycar’s new Gore Hill store is open 7 days. Phone (02) 9439-4799. And yet another Jaycar store has been opened in the northern Sydney suburb of Hornsby. Pictured below, it is located at 130 George St, just 300m from the Hornsby railway station. Phone number is 9476-6221. A full list of Jaycar store locations can be found on the Jaycar website at www.jaycar.com.au

Bargain 20MHz dual-trace oscilloscope from DSE

Back in September 2005 we reviewed a 10MHz single channel oscilloscope with a small screen, which seemed like a real bargain at $158 from Dick Smith Electronics. Now they have done it again with an even more attractive 20MHz dual trace scope from the same Taiwanese manufacturer.

Whereas the single channel scope had a small screen (graticule 48 x 60mm), this new scope is a full-size model with a screen size of 8 x 10cm. Its overall dimensions are 325mm wide, 130mm high and 440mm deep, not including the large tilting bail handle.

It has a large number of switches and knobs spread across the front panel, as is usual with any dual trace oscilloscope. Dominating the panel are the vertical input attenuators, which each consist of a variable potentiometer (knob) combined with a concentric 10-position switch giving an input sensitivity from 5mV to 5V/div in a 1-2-5 sequence. Pulling out the knob switches in a gain of 5 so that the maximum input sensitivity is 1mV/div. The screen graticule is eight divisions (div) high by 10 divisions wide, with each division being almost exactly 10mm.

Associated with each vertical input attenuator is a 3-position input coupling switch giving AC or DC coupling or grounding the input (just the vertical amplifier input; not the signal lead). Between the two attenuators is 4-position switch which selects channel 1 or channel 2, both channels or adds the two inputs together. Pulling out the Channel 2 trace position knob inverts the signal, so that it is possible to display a single trace for the difference between the two input modes. This is quite handy if you want to set the scope up to display a differential (difference) signal.

Just to clarify a point there: unlike some digital scopes, this analog instrument can only ever display two signal traces at a time.

Over on the righthand side of the control panel is the 23-position timebase switch, giving a range of timebase speeds from 2 secs/div up to 0.1ms/div. There is also a variable timebase knob and a horizontal trace control, which when pulled, increases the horizontal amplifier gain by a factor of 10.

In the triggering section of the panel are two knobs for trigger level and variable holdoff. The trigger level knob can be pulled out to provide negative slope triggering in addition to the normal positive slope triggering.

As well, there are two 4-position switches for trigger source (Ch1, Ch2, Line and EXTernal) and trigger coupling. The latter has four modes: Auto, NORMal, TV-V and TV.H. The TV modes involve and internal TV sync separator.

Finally, there are two knobs for trace intensity and focus, and an adjacent screwdriver adjustment to level the trace if that is necessary.

All up, the front panel controls are well laid out, clearly labeled and easy to use.

Inside, the circuit boards are well-made and neatly laid and there does not appear to be a surface-mount device anywhere in sight. That and the fact that all the components appear to be commonly available parts, means that the oscilloscope should be straightforward to repair, if that ever becomes necessary. A good instruction manual is provided.

The scope comes with two good quality divider probes, switchable between 1:1 and 10:1, a very worthwhile bonus, given the low purchase price of this unit.

Overall calibration was good and we found that it had a usable response and triggering up to around 28MHz, making it a very useful instrument.

Coupled with the fact that two probes are included in the price of $399 including GST, this dual trace 20MHz oscilloscope is a real bargain. Its catalog number is Q-1802. (L.D.S)

Dick Smith Electronics(all stores)

PO Box 500, Regents Park DC NSW 2143

TEL 1300 366 644. FAX (02)9642 9155

Website: www.dse.com.au

Tiny USB Data Aquisition Module Hytek Automation’s new USB based data acquisition module, the iUSBDaq measures only 90x 85x 30 mm and features: sUSB 2.0/1.1 full speed interface USB bus powered 8 single-ended, 12-bit analog inputs 0–4.096V analog input range Up to 32ksamples/sec throughput with single channel; up to 13ksamples/second for streaming mode Supports both scan mode and continuous streaming mode data acquisition One dedicated trigger line for streaming mode data acquisition Two programmable 10-bit PWM outputs (3kHz–333kHz) 16 bi-directional digital I/O lines (125HZ update rate) One 16-bit counter 240 bytes EEPROM reserved for user data Multiple iUSBDAQs can be connected on same computer Simultaneous streaming from multiple iUSBDAQs possible All I/O connections via screw terminals Works with Windows 98SE, ME, 2000, or XP Software includes FREE device driver, programming API (DLL), LabVIEW drivers, examples FREE standalone ready-to-run iDAQTest&Log software for testing, data logging, data playback and simple analysis 30-day money-back guarantee, six month warranty Extremely easy to use, iUSBDaq’s are being used for research, monitoring and control purposes in private companies and public organisations, universities and colleges around the world. They are priced at $145.00 +GST. Contact: Ocean Controls 4 Ferguson Dr, Balnarring Vic 3926 Tel: 03 5983 1163 Fax: 0011 1 609 895 7447 Website: www.oceancontrols.com.au