The Experimenting with Flyback Transformers Design Challenge, sponsored by Bourns, was definitely a challenge for a novice such as myself. I wasn’t helped by time constraints due to competing demands, but I decided to put in a solid push toward...
This is a bit of a weird one, so I decided it's probably worth a cross-posting here on element14 simply because it started with me looking at a Connect Magazine at a Roshni LP sounder ...
... and asking myself ... what does its 32-tones sound like? ...
In the spirit of Christmas and of being thankful, this second half of the grand prize was, in itself, also not free of logistical difficulties. Thanks to rscasny and srutledge , a Christmas miracle happened, which is why I’m posting ...
It’s Christmas – a time to be thankful and a time for reflection. Top Members will know just what a busy and difficult year it has been for me, but nevertheless, I am extremely thankful to the judges (DAB , anniel747 ) and ...
Now that I have the Tektronix 2-series MSO in-hand, it’s time to set it up and find out what it’s like to live with. Unfortunately, as this unit has not been provided with the 16-channel digital probe, there will be no tests involving the...
A key differentiating factor for Tektronix products is the software support that ties in with the oscilloscope. While most other vendors typically have just the oscilloscope and options which install on the oscilloscope (leaving users to program thei...
As an oscilloscope is a very sophisticated device, there are only a limited set of tests that someone like myself without a calibration lab can perform. Nevertheless, they have all been grouped together and reported in this blog.
Front-End Noise
Ever...
As the last blog post concentrated on the usage of the MSO on-the-bench, this one will focus on its capabilities when using its remote-control interfaces.
Documentation and Support
Information regarding the 2-series MSO’s programmatic interface...
A key distinguishing feature of the 2-series MSO is the ability to go portable. This means you could, in theory, do your oscilloscope probing from almost anywhere.
Putting the MSO24 into 2-PC
I unboxed the 2-PC protective case in Chapter 2 earlier, s...
In this second in-depth blog posting, I’ll be looking at the boxes that have arrived. Peeling away the packaging, I’ll reveal what’s included inside this RoadTest bundle and comment on some of the key design features and key differe...
First of all, let me begin by thanking element14 and Tektronix for selecting me as the lucky RoadTester for the Tektronix 2-series MSO. This is a product I’ve been looking at since launch, having attending the launch event, as there is more tha...
It has been eight years since I reviewed the Keysight U1461A, an insulation resistance testing digital multimeter with a rather sharp OLED display. Since then, it has become my only insulation testing device, keeping me safe when salvaging electronic...
It’s been a while between blogs, as I’ve been very busy with a few things piling up, especially at work. A key highlight was being at the IEEE-EMBC 2023 conference in my hometown of Sydney, Australia as part of my work, doing a poster pre...
Being in Australia, it seems things take a little longer to make their way down here, but I too have received a surprise package thanks to element14 as of last week.
What's inside? Well, the secret has mostly been let out of the box by some of the o...
While my recently delivered Weller WXsmart RoadTest Review managed to achieve and exceed my proposal’s goals, I am not yet done with learning more about the system. Please note that this post contains a lot of my own thoughts and suppositions a...
I’m sure some readers will be interested to know what is inside the Weller WXsmart kit. While I didn’t propose to do this in my application, I decided to be a bit adventurous and do some non-destructive teardowns for your enjoyment. I hop...
This blog will focus on performance tests run using other pieces of test equipment. It is rather challenging to test a soldering iron in a meaningful way, as thermal measurements are difficult to accurately achieve but I will still attempt it. In add...
After learning about all of the features and capabilities of the WXsmart system, this chapter will explore just how I felt about using it over the last two months under many typical usage scenarios. In full disclosure, I am not IPC certified (althoug...
In this blog, I will focus on the WXsmart platform’s connected features including its mobile app, desktop app, MQTT-based MES integration and paid-for options. These options all take advantage of the inbuilt serial, Ethernet, Wi-Fi and USB conn...
In this blog, I will be demonstrating what the WXsmart and WCU are like to use, the array of settings that can be changed, the process of updating firmware and what the whole set-up looks like on my review bench.
Table of Contents
WXsmart User Inte...
In this chapter, I’ll be looking at what’s included in the Weller WXsmart Demo Kit. Keep in mind that this one is packaged for their demonstrations or loaners, and is not what you would expect if you purchased the unit at retail.
Table o...
Before we begin reviewing the Weller WXsmart platform itself, it would be good to understand the trends in the hand soldering and rework market and understand where the WXsmart is positioned, its strengths and unique value proposition.
Table of Cont...
"Who doesn't like surprises?"
Engineers. That's who. As an engineer, I'd have to say that we are trained to handle unpleasant surprises out of the blue. Things not going our way. "Quick! Pull out the contingency plans!"
A Limited Edition Surprise!
Ho...
One Friday in March, I had a missed call from a number I didn’t recognise I was at lunch earlier and didn’t have my phone on me, and being wary of all the pervasive spam calls that are flying around, I was in a split mind whether to call ...
