Real-time FFT Spectrum Analyzer & Sound Frequency Sweep Generator - Frequently Asked Questions

Ask your questions in the Forum or via E-mail.

Q.:
While using PSD (Power Spectral Density) option is on I expected the noise floor to be constant through changing FFT size and smoothing window type. But it is clearly changing. Does your program operate correct?
A.:
For noise measurement in general you are to select Plot->Average option on graphic panel settings window. This option extremely effects to imaging of signals like noise.
Q.:
Does your software work with ASIO drivers?
A.:
No, by now ASIO drivers aren't supported. But instead of ASIO you should better to use Kernel Streaming technology which is available since Sound Generator v. 4.51 and OscilloMeter v. 5.53.
Q.:
Is there any way of remote control of your sound generator by other applications?
A.:
Yes! Start, Stop, Show/Hide, Set sample rate, channels, bit depth commands are available by now, see "Sound Generator Remote Control Example".
Q.:
... Ability to set the windowing to NONE. For some analysis where the sampling frequency and the signal is in sync there is no need for the window!
A.:
"Uniform" window is just the same as no window at all.
Q.:
What does high precision FFT mean in the current version?
A.:
In all versions high precision FFT means 80-bit floating-point calculations.
Q.:
Sometimes I can NOT make the bmp file. I get a file but it is just white! This means I can not save my work!
A.:
To make a proper operation just double click the caption of a certain graphic panel an then select the required item ("Save Image to File" or "Copy Image to Clipboard") from the pop-up menu.
Q.:
How can I calibrate Oscillometer. The calibration panel seems doesn't work.
A.:
The calibrate panel is intended for extra ADC. For sound card you should use system mixer (press Ctrl+X to call it). Apply external sinusoidal signal with amplitude of 1 Volt to input of sound card. Then use level and stereo balance controls of selected input line of system mixer and adjust the controls to get 1 Volt amplitude image on Oscilloscope panel of Oscillometer. Keep in mind, that other applications (e.g. audio or video players) can change your setting without any announcement!
Q.:
Sometimes the color of Multimeter display is changed. What red-purple color of some data in Multimeter display means?
A.:
Special color (red-purple) of indicators shows that data is not quite trusted. Try to increase FFT window size or select more suitable smoothing window.
Q.:
How to create tone bursts of sine waves and square waves in Sound Generator?
A.:
Easily! You are to set "Amplitude Modulation Mode". Set right channel frequency of required value, for example 1 kHz. Set left channel frequency to 0.5 Hz and amplitude to 0 dB. "Mix" should be OFF. Then set Menu->Square Wave->Left. Now in right channel you have 1 second bursts of 1 kHz sine wave, which are repeated each 2 seconds. The left channel produces envelope signal, which can be used for synchronization. Set Menu->Square Wave->Both to get tone bursts of square waves. In order to get bursts of waves with "pad" set left amplitude less then 0 dB.
Q.:
What is 24- and 32-bit formats in your programs? When can I use them?
A.:
24-bit integers packed into 3 bytes per channel (only stereo) or 32-bit integers packed into 4 bytes per channel are used in these modes respectively. Some sound cards have 24-bit amplitude resolution (or pretend that they have). Some of them also produce 32-bit format of data instead of 24-bit for their own convenience.
Q.:
Will this tool (Sound Frequency Generator) allow me to create my own music voice tone that i can download to my cell phone from my computer and if so will i need any other components?
A.:
I think this will be enough, if you are a composer like Danny Elfman or Andrew Lloyd Webber. ;-)
Q.:
Can I install OscilloMeter - Spectrum Analyzer (or Sound Frequency Generator) on a CD ?
A.:
NO! The registration of the programs is not implemented for the current version of Spectrum Analyzer and Sound Frequency Generator.
Q.:
Is it possible to do single FFT measurement with your Spectrum Analyzer?
A.:
Yes, pressing the <Enter> key will perform a single FFT spectral measurement and then automatically stop the analyzer.
Q.:
Can I put pure digital signal from your Sound Generator directly to Spectrum Analyzer?
A.:
Yes, you can. Use Virtual Audio Cable as output and input device.
Q.:
I want to measure signals around infrasound, but My sound card doesn't response low frequencies. Is there cards suitable for My purposes?
A.:
Old good Tahiti (early revisions) from Turtle Beach responses from DC, but this card is for ISA bus only. You also can try to remove the coupling capacitors at the line input and output of any card. But first study out the layout of specific codec (ADC/DAC) chip. In the last case the input/output will be shifted by reference voltage. Be care! Read my article.
Q.:
Can I install OscilloMeter - Spectrum Analyzer (or Audio frequency generator) to a flash drive?
A.:
Certainly you can. The procedure of installation and registration is just the same as for hard drive. In this case your registered copy of OscilloMeter - Spectrum Analyzer (or Audio frequency generator) will work on any computer you want! You also can install this programs to a floppy disk.
Q.:
Can I measure DC voltages with OscilloMeter? If I can, How?
A.:
Yes you can, but only if your sound card provides DC input. ADC full scale suppose to be 1 Volt.
Q.:
Is there any way to look at the waveform/spectrum of an MP3 file directly? Or to look at the output of an MP3 being played in Winamp?
A.:
Yes! Play MP3 in Winamp and get OscilloMeter input from sound card via external cable or via sound card mixer. Another pure digital way is only for registered users.
Q.:
Does the sound generator, Windows version, use Microsoft DirectX ? I am investigating bursts of fast narrow noise pulses, generated during Netmeeting sessions. The motherboard has an integrated AC97 sound system. Netmeeting, I believe, does use Direct Sound service.
A.:
The sound generator does not use Microsoft DirectX.
Q.:
Can I control sound generator through ActiveX ?
A.:
No. The Sound generator does not support ActiveX.
Q.:
When I hit F1, the system tells me that c:\Program Files\OscilloMeter\OscilloMeter.hlp file was created for a language not supported by your version of windows. I run windows 2000 with US English as the language.
A.:
It seems to be a problem with Windows installation. Help file contains both the English and Russian versions.
Q.:
...I even thought that perhaps if we could run the sound generator in multiple sessions, it
might also work, but haven't been able to do that for some reason.
A.:
The Sound generator and OscilloMeter both works in a single session only. It means that only one copy of each program may be run simultaneously.
Q.:
I don't know if I can test the sound generator in a fifteen second window yet, but let me try first.
A.:
You can simply write the required signals to the disk and then play them as long as you need.
Q.:
How can I register the program?
A.:
See Help->Registration for exact instructions.
Q.:
Please tell me how much the software is and how I can pay. The Buy Now link on the version that I have gets me to a site that does not carry your software anymore.
A.:
You can see the current price in Help->Registration. Please mail to author shmelyoff@newmail.ru to get the latest information about ways of payment.
Q.:
I am a student (teacher, etc.) can I buy your software at a lower cost?
A.:
Yes!. Starting from the version 4 a discount system of payment is applied. Give a brief description of the problems you deal with and try to solve with Sound Generator and OscilloMeter and you can buy the program at a special price.

Ask your questions in the Forum or via E-mail.

15.11.2006 - Moscow, Russia