Just starting at the beginning of your series. Soo much to learn. I fear even after all 400+ I will only know 10% of what you know. You are so kind to teach and share all of this!
Best quality UA-cam video I have ever seen. I was so impressed, this is the first channel I have ever subscribed to. The level of preparation, hand made graphics, and clarity of subject, demonstrates a lot of time was invested in the creation. BRAVO!!!
Your basics are very different than my basics. Whew! No matter how much I read about this stuff (electronics) it never really clicks like the way you are able to master this. Good thing there are people like you in the world.
@@w2aew No, I search for it. This is one of the first recommendations on UA-cam. BTW, another question, do you think the Tektronix TPP1000 is one of the best probes up today? (if the scope accepts its capacitance)
@@JohnUsp The TPP1000 is the only 1GHz 10x passive probe on the market. However, it ONLY works in conjunction with a special front-end preamp found in the compatible Tektronix scopes.
@@w2aew Thank you so much. I'm considering buying this awesome probe. I'm just concerned that the "apparently original" probe is Made in China. I'm not sure if Tek moved its production to China.
This is exactly what I needed. I have both digital and analog scopes and several probes but this video really helped me understand what is going on. I love UA-cam, I can fill in more missing pieces with a pot of coffee than i used to be able to learn in a month in the pre-Internet days. Thank you for this fantastic video!
Unbelievable, incredible, mind-blowing, fantastic, superb, and damn-right fun video to watch and learn. After 12,919 and 3/4 (+/- 1% for margin of error) videos about probe usage, I find this video the best, not only in every-day-jargon explanation, but with illustrative schematics that illustrate "the why" of probe tuning with an oscilloscope. Now, I don't have to shoot myself thinking what an idiot I am (and stupid) because of my probe tuning ignorance. Thank you.
Finally a very nice description of what a 10x vs 1x scope probe means and what probe compensation is. I use scopes all the time but am not an EE, and your video made sense to me. Once again, hats off to you sir for another great piece of work!
I have used oscilloscopes most of my career in electronics. However, I have never heard this explained before. An excellent job. Well done Sir. I really enjoy your videos. Thank you.
Teaching is not just about how much knowledge you have it is how good you are in approaching your point in other words it is an ART of approaching to get the information clear AND YOU GOT THAT amazing video thank you so much
Great video. There are a lot of very clever people on you tube but can be a bit laboured in their delivery. This is well thought out and said with confidence. It was a pleasure to listen to and subscribe.
Superb explanation and demonstration. I'm sure the instructors at SEE ( Army college UK ) in the '70's explained this but I've long forgotten. Thank you so much.
One of the most amazing thing on UA-cam for engineers and hobbyist. I have planned to watch all this videos once my semester exams are over. You are amazing. I never got to see output in our lab scope, and even when I got to see, it was accidental and didn't know how to reproduce it. I'm pretty sure this tutorials of yours will train me in becoming a better engineer.
I thought the Eevblog was the only channel with extensive videos about electronics, and I´m glad I was wrong, your videos are a great source of information, instant subscribe :)
I've got about 250 videos on my channel. A complete searchable and subject-arranged list is maintained here: www.dorkage.com/youtube/W2AEW_video_index.pdf Other electronics related channels besides EEVBlog and "me", are The Signal Path, Mr. Carlson's Lab, Great Scott!, Afrotechmods, Mikes Electric Stuff, and more...
Great explanation, clear and to the point. I'm recommending this to our entry level techs! I've also seen some of your other videos and am impressed with your thoroughness.
Great tutorial,I learned a lot ,thanks.My uncle's call letters were W2UEN,and he was in Plattsburgh,N.Y.He would repair everyone's TV's in the area,when they first came out.He had one of the first TV's that were available.He was a character.
Have you watched EEVBlog episode #453? I think he does a good job describing these probes. He actually shows using a straight coax versus a X1 probe. He even gives into some Tecktronics history you may find interesting. Regards
Great tutorial Alan! Thanks for your effort and nice explanation. I have watched this video way back and unfortunately the video is viewed just less than 232k times. Strange that other bulldog + shih tzu mix videos reach couple of millions views in just few days and this video is still around 232k views after more than 13 years!
Hi Mr. Alan my name is Salim from United Arab Emirates Dubai I start it learning electronics from beginning since 1 year and I learn a lot now I want to learn Oscilloscope and I will learn from your UA-cam channel by help of you you are great teacher Thank you
Like many before me have already said, this is one awesome video. I already knew this all but the way you explain it is high quality teaching style. Always love watching/listening to your videos. If only my professors at university were even a fraction as talented as you are in bringing the material across. Exceptional stuff once again!!
Using Oscilloscopes most of my engineering career, been to Tektronix schools, etc. but your explanations, easy to understand and intuitive. Good Job 73's KC5WS
I knew my probes had an adjustment but I left it alone because I didn't know how/when to adjust them. Now when I get home I will be checking mine. Thanks!
I still found this educational, as I'm a new to oscilloscope. I used to have an old Heath model many years ago that never worked because the CRT was gone and it and I never got one after that so I never learned how to use one. But I just recently picked up a Siglent SDS1102CML to learn from. there is a lot to comprehend on these things but I think your video is getting me on the right track. So I subscribed. :-)
This was incredibly informative. Thanks for taking the time to make it. I just bought a scope a couple of days ago, a Hantek DSO5202P and am trying to learn what I can about how to use them before it arrives in 2 days. Between your channel, EEVBlog, and the manual, I'll be set by the time it arrives. Cheers.
Great demonstration! I actually discovered this video because I have a Tek P6133. It came with a bunch of accessories such as rings and some other items. I read the manual for the probe and I still can't make heads or tails of what all the other parts are for. Will be subscribing to your vids. Thanks!
Yep. It was there. I didn't see it at first. Most probes I saw on UA-cam had a differently colored "box" near the BNC connector. This one was not a box, but merely a part of the molded black plastic sleeve that was bigger and had a screw inset within it. Thanks!
Excellent explanation. Thank you for the very informative information. Subscribed and looking forward to watching many more of your videos. Sincerely, Chris Lake.
I like this video. Good job. Also, You mentioned that you need to make sure that you are aware that the probe attenuates by 10x. What you didn't mention is that some scopes (like the tek 465) have multiple indicators of the scale, so you need to know where to look
Great video, a short extract of the lecture without the background noise. After decades of (occasional) scope use, I've only recently learned that 10x is typical or normal probe usage. I always thought it was an exceptional usage for high voltage inputs, and was not really conscious of the loading aspects. I always had my probes set to 1x, but then I was mostly dealing with digital circuits, so less effect. I also only learned recently that the sharp internal tip was intended as an actual probe, I always thought the springy hook was they only way it should connect to the circuit. Anyway, I had a question, just saw it was answered further down. (If the 9M resistor must be at the probe end, before the coax, and the compensation trimcap is in parallel with it, how can it work when the trimcap is at the scope end of the coax?)
I was surprised when my HP 54645D I purchased had the 1x/10x auto sensing rings on the BNC connectors. It seems all of the HP 54600 series scopes have them. I always thought Tektronix had a patent on it or something that prevented other manufacturers from using it.
Alan, would you consider doing a video tutorial on active and current probes? Possibly a lesson on using the Tek PWR analysis features of the MSO/DPO series?
Thanks a lot for another great tutorial. In this video, you talk about "passive probes". Does that mean there is also something like "active probes"? If so, could you make a video about that? I would love to see what active probes are and how they are used.
Great video! I finally got an old tek, never used a scope before. Was wondering what the 5v pwm "ring" was. Now I do! We sometimes forget that we live in an imperfect world!
you know what -- it's the simple things that i missed in school -- i've never thought about calibrating an o'scope (calibrating a VNA, yes --- but an o'scope never crossed my mind). anyways, thanks for the video! very informative!!
I still have a pair of coax probes I made when I was setting up Dolby cinema processors in movie theaters. They are just a straight-through coax, breaking out to two miniature banana connectors, which all the Dolby cards used as test points. 1X, 1m length, no compensation of any kind. But these test signals are all at approximately 1V RMS and 1KHZ, and the tests are for level and phase. I knew when I made these that they were only good for such robust, low-frequency signals, and would never suffice for more challenging measurements, though they were good enough to detect noise and hum as well on these rudimentary circuits. They can also be used in a pinch, if my car gets stuck in a snow drift, to tow it out!
Yes, I meant what is really the max. frequency a pasive probe can be trusted things like rise time inacuaracies and dampening. I was told not more than 400 Mhz. I think Tektronix and other vendors sells 500Mhz maximun Frequency passive probes right?
Thank you sir!! I really appreciate you know-how and time you've put into helping everyone. I only have to pause the video to re calibrate my brain every 20 seconds lol Can you give insight into using your rf sampler/am demod circuit as far as settings are concerned?
Fantastic video tutorial as are all the ones Ive watched in your series so far, being new to scopes and a newish ham this is very helpfull, I have one probe that shows the roll off you demonstrated and thought it was broken but now I know how to adjust it corectly on my T935A which I have been given as a starter scope, I hope to build measure and check my own HF switchable low pass filter board to go with a home brew 50w HF amp I have built for my next licence stage practical. 73 Phil M6MRP
Hey, could you explain what capacitive loading is and why at 4:00 the 9M ohm resistor "isolates" the coax and scope capacitance. I understand that in the case of a 1x probe, as frequency of the signal in the circuit increases, then the reactance of the scope capacitance will decrease and so more current will flow through that capacitive branch. But then how does adding a 9M Ohm resistor in series to the coax help? Thank you.
Capacitive loading is the amount of capacitance that the probe presents to your measured circuit node to ground - the same as putting a capacitor from that point to ground. The 9Mohm resistor gets placed before the source the the large capacitive load presented by the coax and scope input - thus putting a very high resistance in series with it, which effectively takes it out of the circuit. However, even 10x probes still have some capacitive loading effects, but not nearly as large at a 1x probe. I recently did a video on this too: ua-cam.com/video/sPSJnj7gVJA/v-deo.html
@@w2aew Thank you for your reply. I have one more question. Correct me if I'm wrong, so to find the bandwidth of the 10x probe (the 3db frequency) you would use the equation 1/(2piRC) where C is the net capacitance which is 1/10 of the input capacitance + scope capacitance and R is the net resistance of the 1M and 9M ohm resistors? In the end this 3db frequency value would be higher than that of the original 1x probe, hence giving the probe greater bandwidth?
@@titiliu3302 The BW of the probe is more complex than that, since the compensation circuit is a lot more complicated then what is shown in this simple video.
Hi, love your videos, they have helped me learn so much! :) I am trying to make an oscilloscope out of a salvaged CRT from a small TV, and I'm having some issues displaying square waves properly.(square waves turn into round sawtooth). Would soldering in a compensation rc circuit simillar to these probes maybe solve the issue, or is it an issue with the deflection coil that would have to be rewound to have lower capacitance/impedence? I am currently using the vertical coil to draw the line, and the horizontal to coil for the vertical amplifier. Thanks regardless :)
This sounds like a pretty cool project :) I know it has been 6 years already but were you able to complete this project of yours :)? Hope you're safe and sound.
@w2aew 6:00 What do you call low and high frequencies , can you give any numbers on frequencies where the capacitors begin to take over and dominate over the resistor divider ? Thanks.
Thanks, checking the probe specifications they say Working Voltage 1x 300 Vp-p 10x 600 Vp-p (they are the ones free in my cheap Siglent scope), so, I am guessing that at 1X I can burn them due the peak in the AC voltage being too near 300V?
I am trying to look at the waveform of a 120-volt wall outlet to see if I have dirty power. Will a 10x probe safely accomplish this by knocking the voltage down to 12-volts? I do not want to blow up my oscilloscope by having too much voltage on the input. What is the best way to accomplish this?
It is still something to take great care with. Make sure the probe is rated for the *peak* voltage that you'll see. Plus, you're making the assumption that the outlet is wired correctly (hot & neutral aren't reversed). It can always be dangerous when working around line voltages. A safer option would be to use a step down transformer (such as a 12V secondary), and probe the secondary voltage. The transformer won't dramatically alter the waveform, and it will be safer for several reasons (lower voltage, isolated source).
yes i can cur very well explained , i have aTEX 2232 scope and wheni get my radioshace redone i will be setting up my test eq and doing just what you sain in the vid thanks, yer some repair or radio RX TX set up vids would be very usefull too thanks Have a great new year
Is there an "awkward" stage between when the signal sees 10X attenuation by the 10 megaohms of pure resistance and when the signal frequency increases high enough to see the 10X attenuation by the input and compensation capacitances?
I have a DIY DSO scope that is rated at 50V max and I am wondering if I can probe with setting at 10X on a circuit up to 500V? My probe is 100MHz bandwidth rated. Just built it and don't want to fry the scope. The probe I assume will take 600VAC by the info from the probe package. Thank You! Liked and Shared.
In theory yes, but in practice, the upper limit will be less than that due to the ratings of the components in the probe. So, check the maximum voltage rating for the probe.
How does the trimmeable bypass cap work when it's near the socket, but the 1x/10x selector switch is in the probe? How can they be in parallel in the way you've drawn them?
Sometimes there is a fixed capacitor around the 9.1Mohm resistor at the probe end, and a trimmable cap is placed in parallel with the scope's input capacitor.
Lost me at 5:55 which I think is the point of the whole explanation. Darn! Seems to me at high frequencies the reactance of all the capacitors would approach zero, bypassing the resistors and shorting the input signal to ground.
The capacitance around the 9M resistor does *not* short the signal to ground, it just causes it to bypass the 9M. Therefore, this capacitance forms a voltage divider with the input and cable capacitance. It's just a capacitive voltage divider instead of a resistive one. The overall input impedance is lower than the 10M resistive case, but the divider still gives the probe 10x of attenuation. The process of compensating the probe is to get this capacitive voltage divider to be exactly 10x.
Thanks for this video it's really interesting as always! I'm just wondering now why when i touch the groung probe of my Rigol DS1052E i get shocks on my finger. I found also that if i have no shoes it's really worse, probably because i'm not isolated?? maybe this happens because the probe is collecting every noise in my room around the oscilloscope and when i touch the ground this noise finds a path through my body? Hope to receive an answer i'm really curious about that
Just starting at the beginning of your series. Soo much to learn. I fear even after all 400+ I will only know 10% of what you know. You are so kind to teach and share all of this!
Most comprehensive video on probes I have ever seen. Hats off to you sir!
Best quality UA-cam video I have ever seen. I was so impressed, this is the first channel I have ever subscribed to. The level of preparation, hand made graphics, and clarity of subject, demonstrates a lot of time was invested in the creation. BRAVO!!!
Your basics are very different than my basics. Whew! No matter how much I read about this stuff (electronics) it never really clicks like the way you are able to master this. Good thing there are people like you in the world.
This video, up today, is one of the best videos to explain scope probes. Thank you so much.
Did this video just show up for you today? It was published 11 years ago.
@@w2aew No, I search for it. This is one of the first recommendations on UA-cam. BTW, another question, do you think the Tektronix TPP1000 is one of the best probes up today? (if the scope accepts its capacitance)
@@JohnUsp The TPP1000 is the only 1GHz 10x passive probe on the market. However, it ONLY works in conjunction with a special front-end preamp found in the compatible Tektronix scopes.
@@w2aew Thank you so much. I'm considering buying this awesome probe. I'm just concerned that the "apparently original" probe is Made in China. I'm not sure if Tek moved its production to China.
What scope do you have? Are you sure it is compatible?
This is exactly what I needed. I have both digital and analog scopes and several probes but this video really helped me understand what is going on. I love UA-cam, I can fill in more missing pieces with a pot of coffee than i used to be able to learn in a month in the pre-Internet days. Thank you for this fantastic video!
Unbelievable, incredible, mind-blowing, fantastic, superb, and damn-right fun video to watch and learn. After 12,919 and 3/4 (+/- 1% for margin of error) videos about probe usage, I find this video the best, not only in every-day-jargon explanation, but with illustrative schematics that illustrate "the why" of probe tuning with an oscilloscope. Now, I don't have to shoot myself thinking what an idiot I am (and stupid) because of my probe tuning ignorance. Thank you.
Finally a very nice description of what a 10x vs 1x scope probe means and what probe compensation is. I use scopes all the time but am not an EE, and your video made sense to me. Once again, hats off to you sir for another great piece of work!
I've only just found this video and this is the best probe tutorial by far. Thank you.
I have used oscilloscopes most of my career in electronics. However, I have never heard this explained before. An excellent job. Well done Sir. I really enjoy your videos. Thank you.
Teaching is not just about how much knowledge you have it is how good you are in approaching your point in other words it is an ART of approaching to get the information clear AND YOU GOT THAT amazing video thank you so much
Great video. There are a lot of very clever people on you tube but can be a bit laboured in their delivery. This is well thought out and said with confidence. It was a pleasure to listen to and subscribe.
Superb explanation and demonstration. I'm sure the instructors at SEE ( Army college UK ) in the '70's explained this but I've long forgotten. Thank you so much.
Great video series as always. C-Comp of the 10x probe is in series with the intrinsic scope capacitance.
There is always a capacitor in parallel with the 9M tip resistor, but sometimes the adjustable cap is in parallel with the scope input.
One of the most amazing thing on UA-cam for engineers and hobbyist. I have planned to watch all this videos once my semester exams are over. You are amazing. I never got to see output in our lab scope, and even when I got to see, it was accidental and didn't know how to reproduce it. I'm pretty sure this tutorials of yours will train me in becoming a better engineer.
This is really the best tutorial video for probe primer,
and should deserve more attention.
Thx!
Explanation with illustrations. Excellent.
I thought the Eevblog was the only channel with extensive videos about electronics, and I´m glad I was wrong, your videos are a great source of information, instant subscribe :)
I've got about 250 videos on my channel. A complete searchable and subject-arranged list is maintained here:
www.dorkage.com/youtube/W2AEW_video_index.pdf
Other electronics related channels besides EEVBlog and "me", are The Signal Path, Mr. Carlson's Lab, Great Scott!, Afrotechmods, Mikes Electric Stuff, and more...
Great explanation, clear and to the point. I'm recommending this to our entry level techs!
I've also seen some of your other videos and am impressed with your thoroughness.
Great tutorial,I learned a lot ,thanks.My uncle's call letters were W2UEN,and he was in Plattsburgh,N.Y.He would repair everyone's TV's in the area,when they first came out.He had one of the first TV's that were available.He was a character.
It's a nice clear explanation of aspects of a 10x probe I've always been aware of but never fully understood.Thanks for posting it.
Haha, nice touch on the fold over drawings to show the circuit variations! Engineers are artists. Thanks for all the helpful videos!
Have you watched EEVBlog episode #453? I think he does a good job describing these probes. He actually shows using a straight coax versus a X1 probe. He even gives into some Tecktronics history you may find interesting. Regards
Your paper diagraming is both well done and a big help in structuring the video. Nice touch.
Love that crystal clear explanation on the topic and that southern accent.
Best video on 1X and 10 X. Thank you !
Great tutorial Alan! Thanks for your effort and nice explanation. I have watched this video way back and unfortunately the video is viewed just less than 232k times. Strange that other bulldog + shih tzu mix videos reach couple of millions views in just few days and this video is still around 232k views after more than 13 years!
Hi Mr. Alan my name is Salim from United Arab Emirates Dubai I start it learning electronics from beginning since 1 year and I learn a lot now I want to learn Oscilloscope and I will learn from your UA-cam channel by help of you
you are great teacher
Thank you
Like many before me have already said, this is one awesome video. I already knew this all but the way you explain it is high quality teaching style. Always love watching/listening to your videos. If only my professors at university were even a fraction as talented as you are in bringing the material across. Exceptional stuff once again!!
Using Oscilloscopes most of my engineering career, been to Tektronix schools, etc. but your explanations, easy to understand and intuitive. Good Job 73's KC5WS
You have a passion and a gift for teaching. I can't stop watching your videos! I wish my profs/lab instructors were as good as you...
I knew my probes had an adjustment but I left it alone because I didn't know how/when to adjust them. Now when I get home I will be checking mine.
Thanks!
Your videos are just excellent! I have learned so much from watching them. Thanks!
Thank You! Really many thanks!
I've been asking around and no one knew the answer.
I still found this educational, as I'm a new to oscilloscope. I used to have an old Heath model many years ago that never worked because the CRT was gone and it and I never got one after that so I never learned how to use one. But I just recently picked up a Siglent SDS1102CML to learn from. there is a lot to comprehend on these things but I think your video is getting me on the right track. So I subscribed. :-)
This was incredibly informative. Thanks for taking the time to make it. I just bought a scope a couple of days ago, a Hantek DSO5202P and am trying to learn what I can about how to use them before it arrives in 2 days. Between your channel, EEVBlog, and the manual, I'll be set by the time it arrives. Cheers.
Great demonstration! I actually discovered this video because I have a Tek P6133. It came with a bunch of accessories such as rings and some other items. I read the manual for the probe and I still can't make heads or tails of what all the other parts are for. Will be subscribing to your vids. Thanks!
You are really good at teaching. Thanks a lot and keep up the good work!
Excellent video. Short and sweet and to the point.
This is the best lesson I took this semester xD
Best tutorial on this ever!
Yep. It was there. I didn't see it at first. Most probes I saw on UA-cam had a differently colored "box" near the BNC connector. This one was not a box, but merely a part of the molded black plastic sleeve that was bigger and had a screw inset within it. Thanks!
Excellent explanation. Thank you for the very informative information. Subscribed and looking forward to watching many more of your videos. Sincerely, Chris Lake.
Thanks for all you do, these videos are gold!
I like this video. Good job.
Also, You mentioned that you need to make sure that you are aware that the probe attenuates by 10x. What you didn't mention is that some scopes (like the tek 465) have multiple indicators of the scale, so you need to know where to look
Great video, a short extract of the lecture without the background noise.
After decades of (occasional) scope use, I've only recently learned that 10x is typical or normal probe usage. I always thought it was an exceptional usage for high voltage inputs, and was not really conscious of the loading aspects. I always had my probes set to 1x, but then I was mostly dealing with digital circuits, so less effect.
I also only learned recently that the sharp internal tip was intended as an actual probe, I always thought the springy hook was they only way it should connect to the circuit.
Anyway, I had a question, just saw it was answered further down. (If the 9M resistor must be at the probe end, before the coax, and the compensation trimcap is in parallel with it, how can it work when the trimcap is at the scope end of the coax?)
Awesome Video,,,,Thanks w2aew,,,The BEST 14 minutes I ever Spent!!!
Great explanation I have a much older Tektronix scope that I am trying to learn how to use your videos are very helpful Thank you for posting them
I was surprised when my HP 54645D I purchased had the 1x/10x auto sensing rings on the BNC connectors. It seems all of the HP 54600 series scopes have them.
I always thought Tektronix had a patent on it or something that prevented other manufacturers from using it.
This is what I thought. Superb video! Covered is everything you need for a beginner. Thank you!!!
Nice! I'm just now getting back into using a scope after about 15 years... nice overview!
very well explained. Special appreciation for the concepts in the first half.
This guy knows his stuff.
Always enjoy your videos! Very informative and very friendly towards beginners!
Alan, would you consider doing a video tutorial on active and current probes? Possibly a lesson on using the Tek PWR analysis features of the MSO/DPO series?
Ohh, I finally got to know what that 1x and 10x switch is for. :)
Nicely explained. Thanks.
The TEK Scope makes this Video Even Better,,Thanks!!
Thanks for starting off with simple probe wires.
Thanks a lot for another great tutorial. In this video, you talk about "passive probes". Does that mean there is also something like "active probes"? If so, could you make a video about that? I would love to see what active probes are and how they are used.
Fantastic. 20 years of confusion now over.
Hi, you should really consider publishing your handnotes online!!! I find them really useful!! I m sure a lot of people feel the same way too
A link to a PDF copy of the notes for *most* of my videos can be found in the video description for each video.
Thanks . All in 14Min 30sec. Clear easy to understand.
Great video! I finally got an old tek, never used a scope before. Was wondering what the 5v pwm "ring" was. Now I do! We sometimes forget that we live in an imperfect world!
you know what -- it's the simple things that i missed in school -- i've never thought about calibrating an o'scope (calibrating a VNA, yes --- but an o'scope never crossed my mind). anyways, thanks for the video! very informative!!
I still have a pair of coax probes I made when I was setting up Dolby cinema processors in movie theaters. They are just a straight-through coax, breaking out to two miniature banana connectors, which all the Dolby cards used as test points. 1X, 1m length, no compensation of any kind. But these test signals are all at approximately 1V RMS and 1KHZ, and the tests are for level and phase. I knew when I made these that they were only good for such robust, low-frequency signals, and would never suffice for more challenging measurements, though they were good enough to detect noise and hum as well on these rudimentary circuits. They can also be used in a pinch, if my car gets stuck in a snow drift, to tow it out!
1x probes don't require compensation since they're basically just a direct connection to the scope. Perfect for the audio application you've got.
Excellent video! Thanks for explaining the subject so clearly.
great video! I am just learning, so some of it is over my head right now, but I still got a lot out of it, and I'll be back later. Thanks.
Hats off son, big respect to this man !!!
Yes, I meant what is really the max. frequency a pasive probe can be trusted things like rise time inacuaracies and dampening. I was told not more than 400 Mhz. I think Tektronix and other vendors sells 500Mhz maximun Frequency passive probes right?
Keep churning those Videos Out,,,I love to learn!!
Thank you sir!! I really appreciate you know-how and time you've put into helping everyone.
I only have to pause the video to re calibrate my brain every 20 seconds lol
Can you give insight into using your rf sampler/am demod circuit as far as settings are concerned?
Fantastic video tutorial as are all the ones Ive watched in your series so far, being new to scopes and a newish ham this is very helpfull, I have one probe that shows the roll off you demonstrated and thought it was broken but now I know how to adjust it corectly on my T935A which I have been given as a starter scope, I hope to build measure and check my own HF switchable low pass filter board to go with a home brew 50w HF amp I have built for my next licence stage practical.
73
Phil M6MRP
Beautifully explained. Thanks a lot!
Extremely informative! Thank you very much for making this video!
Hey, could you explain what capacitive loading is and why at 4:00 the 9M ohm resistor "isolates" the coax and scope capacitance. I understand that in the case of a 1x probe, as frequency of the signal in the circuit increases, then the reactance of the scope capacitance will decrease and so more current will flow through that capacitive branch. But then how does adding a 9M Ohm resistor in series to the coax help? Thank you.
Capacitive loading is the amount of capacitance that the probe presents to your measured circuit node to ground - the same as putting a capacitor from that point to ground. The 9Mohm resistor gets placed before the source the the large capacitive load presented by the coax and scope input - thus putting a very high resistance in series with it, which effectively takes it out of the circuit. However, even 10x probes still have some capacitive loading effects, but not nearly as large at a 1x probe. I recently did a video on this too: ua-cam.com/video/sPSJnj7gVJA/v-deo.html
@@w2aew Thank you for your reply. I have one more question. Correct me if I'm wrong, so to find the bandwidth of the 10x probe (the 3db frequency) you would use the equation 1/(2piRC) where C is the net capacitance which is 1/10 of the input capacitance + scope capacitance and R is the net resistance of the 1M and 9M ohm resistors? In the end this 3db frequency value would be higher than that of the original 1x probe, hence giving the probe greater bandwidth?
@@titiliu3302 The BW of the probe is more complex than that, since the compensation circuit is a lot more complicated then what is shown in this simple video.
Very good tutorial! I think the probe need to be adjusted for every channel. There are tolerances in manufacturing.
Love your channel, full of great accurate info. Thank you and keep on having fun
Hi, love your videos, they have helped me learn so much! :) I am trying to make an oscilloscope out of a salvaged CRT from a small TV, and I'm having some issues displaying square waves properly.(square waves turn into round sawtooth). Would soldering in a compensation rc circuit simillar to these probes maybe solve the issue, or is it an issue with the deflection coil that would have to be rewound to have lower capacitance/impedence? I am currently using the vertical coil to draw the line, and the horizontal to coil for the vertical amplifier. Thanks regardless :)
This sounds like a pretty cool project :) I know it has been 6 years already but were you able to complete this project of yours :)? Hope you're safe and sound.
@w2aew 6:00 What do you call low and high frequencies , can you give any numbers on frequencies where the capacitors begin to take over and dominate over the resistor divider ? Thanks.
I did a video on that. Basically between 5 and 10kHz, believe it or not.
ua-cam.com/video/oxJQr4dKnys/v-deo.html
Thanks, checking the probe specifications they say Working Voltage 1x 300 Vp-p 10x 600 Vp-p (they are the ones free in my cheap Siglent scope), so, I am guessing that at 1X I can burn them due the peak in the AC voltage being too near 300V?
Great material Alan. Thank you once again.
I'm enjoying your channel. Well done and informative. Thank you.
I am trying to look at the waveform of a 120-volt wall outlet to see if I have dirty power. Will a 10x probe safely accomplish this by knocking the voltage down to 12-volts? I do not want to blow up my oscilloscope by having too much voltage on the input. What is the best way to accomplish this?
It is still something to take great care with. Make sure the probe is rated for the *peak* voltage that you'll see. Plus, you're making the assumption that the outlet is wired correctly (hot & neutral aren't reversed). It can always be dangerous when working around line voltages. A safer option would be to use a step down transformer (such as a 12V secondary), and probe the secondary voltage. The transformer won't dramatically alter the waveform, and it will be safer for several reasons (lower voltage, isolated source).
Why transmission line effect is not considered for scope probes for high frequency signals? Is it not a dominant factor?
Had fun adjusting several probes to my scope. Thanks for making it easy to understand! N2KRO
cool ! thank youI bought a used scope with 10x probe - had the instructions and calibrated it.Now I know WHY I had to do it - thanks again
Thanks! Top notch explaination!
yes i can cur very well explained , i have aTEX 2232 scope and wheni get my radioshace redone i will be setting up my test eq and doing just what you sain in the vid thanks, yer some repair or radio RX TX set up vids would be very usefull too thanks Have a great new year
Is there an "awkward" stage between when the signal sees 10X attenuation by the 10 megaohms of pure resistance and when the signal frequency increases high enough to see the 10X attenuation by the input and compensation capacitances?
I have a DIY DSO scope that is rated at 50V max and I am wondering if I can probe with setting at 10X on a circuit up to 500V? My probe is 100MHz bandwidth rated. Just built it and don't want to fry the scope. The probe I assume will take 600VAC by the info from the probe package. Thank You! Liked and Shared.
In theory yes, but in practice, the upper limit will be less than that due to the ratings of the components in the probe. So, check the maximum voltage rating for the probe.
6:09, At high frequency, ratio of Cin+Ccoax to Ccomp should be X9. Great video.
Great thank you.
I like quality channels like this one.
Thumbed up and subscribed.
Excellent tutorial
Great video!!! Thank goodness for the ability to stop and rewind 😂
How does the trimmeable bypass cap work when it's near the socket, but the 1x/10x selector switch is in the probe? How can they be in parallel in the way you've drawn them?
Sometimes there is a fixed capacitor around the 9.1Mohm resistor at the probe end, and a trimmable cap is placed in parallel with the scope's input capacitor.
Thanks a lot for making so much work for our enjoyment!
I have subbed! :-)
Very good to know. I compensated my probes to my oscilloscope. Excellent. Thanks a lot!
This tutorial is awesome! Just what I was looking for. Thank you!
Lost me at 5:55 which I think is the point of the whole explanation. Darn! Seems to me at high frequencies the reactance of all the capacitors would approach zero, bypassing the resistors and shorting the input signal to ground.
The capacitance around the 9M resistor does *not* short the signal to ground, it just causes it to bypass the 9M. Therefore, this capacitance forms a voltage divider with the input and cable capacitance. It's just a capacitive voltage divider instead of a resistive one. The overall input impedance is lower than the 10M resistive case, but the divider still gives the probe 10x of attenuation. The process of compensating the probe is to get this capacitive voltage divider to be exactly 10x.
Thanks for this video it's really interesting as always! I'm just wondering now why when i touch the groung probe of my Rigol DS1052E i get shocks on my finger. I found also that if i have no shoes it's really worse, probably because i'm not isolated?? maybe this happens because the probe is collecting every noise in my room around the oscilloscope and when i touch the ground this noise finds a path through my body? Hope to receive an answer i'm really curious about that