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I want to output an analog signal from my Windows 7 computer. The wave will be a combination of about 5 frequencies, with a maximum of 28 MHz. It won't be a problem to generate the wave data with C++, but I am not sure how to output the wave dynamically (as it is being generated). I am sure an audio port is not set up to output 28 MHz, but is there some way to bypass the sound card and interface directly with the port?

If not, what would be the easiest way to output a high frequency analog signal with C++?

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closed as off topic by gnat, kevin cline, FrustratedWithFormsDesigner, Adam Crossland, Karl Bielefeldt May 2 '12 at 16:04


Good question, but it doesn't belong here. Maybe stackoverflow or another forum. –  kevin cline May 2 '12 at 15:35
@kevincline: Without code, it's not going to fare well at Stack Overflow. –  Robert Harvey May 2 '12 at 15:42
requires hardware like Agilent's N9310, Or Custom hardware that would be triggered. A computer is a digital device and the most common digital to analog device, the sound card is not going to output a signal above 15 to 20 kHZ and the video card is fairly fixed (If it still has an analog output). –  mangelo May 2 '12 at 15:44
Perhaps your looking for an SDR? you can hack one from a cheap usb DVB-T dongle: sdr.osmocom.org/trac/wiki/rtl-sdr –  Darknight May 2 '12 at 15:55
@RobertHarvey so you're implying, stackoverflow it's been deliberately transformed into the wall of "I can't be bothered to read the manual so here's my non working code" and "I'm too lazy to learn regexps, write one for me for free" it now is? I though it was accidental. If so, then, the OP is supposed to try to code the thing in portaudio (knowing it won't work) and rephrase the question in the lamest possibile way? –  ZJR May 2 '12 at 15:57
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1 Answer

Look into professional hardware. For example National Instruments definitely provide generators that can output those frequencies, and are programmable via C+.

Audio cards are only capable of generating frequencies up to 20kHz.

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