signal generator

[ae262]

Hello,

I don’t have much background in electrical engineering, so my questions may sound very basic. I am working on a project where it would be helpful to have ability of getting continuous electrical signals for two channels where I can modify them - shape, amplitude, frequency etc. I am assuming this would require a small circuit with power input, an output and a connection to a computer where I will need some means to modulate the response.

My questions are:

1. What type of circuit elements I am looking here?

2. Would it be possible to do this by myself or do I need someone’s help to design and make this?

3. How much this type of circuit may cost?

4. What information I need to provide someone who can design this?

Many thanks.

Mike

 

[Reloadron]

What I believe you are looking for is commonly called a "Function Generator" that typically will provide outputs of sine, square and rectangular waveforms as basic outputs. Frequencies and available amplitude out really depend on the unit itself. Depending on your location they can be bought, sometimes reasonable in cost. Everything will be a function of the needed amplitude(s) and waveforms out as to cost.

A simple function generator can also be built around a chip like this one as an example. There are other similar chips that do about the same, again, depending on specific needs.

Overall, a good place to start is "Function Generator" using Google. Overall, they can be built or bought depending on specific needs. That is a very rough overview as we did not get into stability or other signal features. Hope this helps a little.

Ron

 

[audioguru]

The MAX038 hasn't been made for a few years when its foundry was destroyed in a disaster storm.
Digikey has some XR2206 function generator ICs.

 

[Jaguarjoe]

Maybe this will help:

8038 Generator

eBay has these chips.

 

[audioguru]

The ICL8038 is also obsolete. Maybe the ones on E-Bay are fakes.