[time-nuts] Software defined spectrum analyzer

[Jim Lux]

On Dec 11, 2010, at 7:07 PM, Javier Herrero <jherrero at hvsistemas.es> wrote:
>> 
>> And, if it works out nicely, standardized interfaces (like 50 ohms or resistor color codes) will evolve, so the same software will work with a $500 inexpensive widget or a $10,000 high performance widget from Agilent.
>> 
> Not sure about. As we are seeing, Agilent, Tek and others are trying hard to make their instrumentation to be obsolescent, unmaintainable and unusable in timescales as short as they can, to force replacement. Those nice instruments running windows are basically door stops if they fail once the manufacturer has decided to stop maintaining them. And they are not exactly unexpensive. They will avoid as hard as they can that you can use and old software with a new instrument, and viceversa.


Then manufacturers will rise up to meet the need.
Think of all the smallish RF equipment companies out there.  Arbiter for type 4 power meters, maury, etc...

>> There will always be a market for software tailored to a specific market/need (like standards or regulatory compliance) that will cost, but for generic functions (like a power spectrum) that will probably be free, or close to it.
>> 
>> I wonder if there's an interface for this for my iPad?
> In the Signal Hound web page they mention the availability of a free API... this is also what has attracted me, because of the posibility to write custom software for those specific  needs.  So perhaps an interface for your iPad could be written ;)
> 
I'm a bit cynical about that...  There's been quite a few inexpensive SDRs out there that were planning a useful API, but it never materialized. 

But yes, it is interesting.   As is the USRP...