🎶 Unleash Your Signal Creativity!
The B&K Precision 4017A Sweep Function Generator is a high-performance tool designed for professionals, offering a frequency range from 0.1 Hz to 10 MHz and multiple waveform outputs. Its advanced features, including variable duty cycle, DC offset, and precise tuning options, make it an essential device for engineers and technicians seeking reliability and versatility in signal generation.
G**E
Not impressed
First off, yes, it generates signals, and it does that reasonably well. The square waves are pretty terrible at the upper limit of 10MHz, but that's to be expected in this range.My main issues are twofold:1) It's plastic. This is nothing like the metal robust BK power supply I've had for years. This is a plastic lightweight toy that feels like it's 99% air inside. Yeah, it's 2015 and nothing is made like it used to be, but for the price I expected more. For around the same price I bought a Rigol Oscilloscope that has blown me away. The 4017A is just not worth the same money.2) The controls. The frequency controls are "course" and "fine". You choose the range using the buttons, 1, 10, 100, 1K, etc., which is great but then you need to dial in the frequency using the "course" and "fine" knobs. These are free-turning knobs (no indexing) and when the frequency display says "0060" (with range set to 100) you can turn the "fine" knob a LOT with no visible change to the display. The problem is, the oscilloscope attached to it is showing the truth, which is never exactly 60.OK, maybe you don't use a 60Hz signal a lot. How about something in the 1MHz range? Now when I hit that range, the fine button is SO sensitive that you can easily change from 599.9 to 600.3 without even trying. What's worse, it can be VERY difficult to center on 600.0, and when you do, the display bounces constantly from 599.9 sometimes up to 600.1. It's just not stable, and yes I let it sit for an hour (it's really bad when you first turn it on - let it sit!). Really, though, there is no way to dial in an exact frequency, and for this price, I should be able to do just that. Trying to dial in exactly 6,000.0KHz? That's practically impossible.If sweep is what you're after, this does that pretty well, but there's no real way to define what the sweep range is. Again there are two knobs: "time" and "width", and they are not indexed or graduated in any way. The display updates like crazy as it sweeps, and it can sweep a pretty wide range. The scope trace shows a smooth sweep that does the trick, but there's no real way to know what the sweep settings are. The scope trace is nice and smooth, though.DC Offset, Duty Cycle, Output Level, and CMOS Level all work similarly. You can set them and they show up great on the scope, but there is no indication of what you're setting. The only way I could determine the values of my changes was through the scope.For $100 - hell maybe even $200, I'd be OK with this. Yes it sweeps, and yes it does sine, square, and triangle waves, and it does that up to 10MHz, but it is really a very basic and simple device with no real detailed settings. For the price, it's just not good enough.I'll be returning this and buying a Rigol.Edit: I bought a used Fluke from eBay instead.