MitchElectronics
Voltage Controlled Oscillator
£4.99
20 items in stock
Need an oscillator whose output frequency is adjustable with a voltage? Then look no further, as this kit will let you build a voltage-controlled oscillator! This kit is RoHS and REACH compliant, and is an excellent project for beginners and learners alike!
- Product Code
- VCO
- Manufacturer
- MitchElectronics
- Manufacturer Part Number
- VCO
- Category
- Blue Kits
- Country of Origin
- United Kingdom
RoHS: YesREACH: YesCE: YesUKCA: Yes
Overview
Product Description
The Voltage Controlled Oscillator (VCO for short), is a very practical circuit for generating square and sine waves. While these waves can be produced using the Simple Function Generator Kit, the VCO allows for controlling the output frequency with the use of a voltage signal instead o using a potentiometer. This means that the output frequency of the VCO can easily be controlled by microcontrollers and other analogue circuits which can create some pretty interesting results. For example, a 1V octave synthesiser can be built using this module whereby a 1V octave keyboard is connected to an exponential converter which feeds its output into the VCO to produce keyboard tones. This circuit can also be used in retro ways such as sensor data transmission where the voltage output of a sensor is converted into a frequency and the frequency of the output will be proportional to the sensor reading (a similar system was done in early satellites such as Sputnik).
Resources
Instructions & Documentation
Technical
Product Specifications
- Assembly
- Kit form
- Prebuilt
No
- PCB Dimensions
- 60mm x 22mm
- Mounting Holes
Yes
- Output Current
- N/A
- Output Voltage
- VCC – 1.5V
- Battery Powered
No
- Component Count
- 23
- Battery Included
No
- Operating Voltage
- 5V to 16V
- Operating Frequency
- 0Hz to 36KHz (at 5V)
In the box
Included With This Product
| Name | Quantity | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| 8 DIP Socket | 2 | U1, U2 |
| LM358 | 2 | U1, U2 |
| 1K Resistors | 2 | R6, R7 |
| 10K Resistor | 1 | R5 |
| 47K Resistors | 4 | R2, R3, R4, R8 |
| 100K Resistors | 2 | R1, R9 |
| 1nF Capacitor | 1 | C1 |
| 100nF Capacitors | 3 | C2, C3, C4 |
| 2N3904 | 1 | Q1 |
| Red Wire | 1 | VCC |
| Green Wire | 1 | SQUARE |
| Blue Wire | 2 | VIN, TRI |
| Black Wire | 2 | GND |
| VCO PCB | 1 | — |
More information
Applications
- The VCO is an ideal kit for those learning about oscillator circuits built around the LM358, and the ability to control the VCO with an external voltage source also makes the kit ideal for projects that have voltage-producing sensors. Applications for the VCO kit include synthesisers, function generators, matched square/triangle waveforms, switch-mode power supplies, and PWM generators.
- Education and training – Useful for teaching voltage-controlled oscillators, operational amplifiers and triangle-wave generation, while providing practical experience with through-hole soldering, component identification and PCB assembly.
- Project integration – Suitable for projects such as Basic Function Generator, Synthesiser, Sine Wave Source, and other designs where the following function is useful: Voltage-controlled oscillator producing a frequency that changes in response to an external control voltage
More information
Notes
- Electrical specifications are nominal and may vary with component tolerances, supply voltage, load and operating conditions.
- The product is supplied in kit form and requires soldering and assembly before use.
- Check component values and observe the polarity or orientation of ICs, diodes, LEDs, transistors and electrolytic capacitors before applying power.