Installation guide

PicoScope 4000 Series (A API) Programmer's Guide 93

PC Oscilloscope. A virtual instrument formed by connecting a PicoScope 4000 Series

scope unit to a computer running the PicoScope software.

PicoScope 4000 Series. A range of high-resolution PC Oscilloscopes from Pico

Technology. The range includes two-channel and four-channel models, with or without

a built-in function generator and arbitrary waveform generator.

PicoScope software. A software product that accompanies all Pico PC Oscilloscopes.

It turns your PC into an oscilloscope, spectrum analyser, and meter display.

Streaming mode. A sampling mode in which the oscilloscope samples data and

returns it to the computer in an unbroken stream. This mode allows the capture of

data sets whose size is not limited by the size of the scope's memory buffer, at

sampling rates up to 160 million samples per second.

Timebase. The timebase controls the time interval that each horizontal division of a

scope view represents. There are ten divisions across the scope view, so the total time

across the view is ten times the timebase per division.

Trigger bandwidth. The external trigger input is less sensitive to very high-frequency

input signals than to low-frequency signals. The trigger bandwidth is the frequency at

which a trigger signal will be attenuated by 3 decibels.

USB 1.1. Universal Serial Bus (Full Speed). This is a standard port used to connect

external devices to PCs. The maximum signalling rate is 12 megabits per second, so is

much faster than an RS-232 (COM) port.

USB 2.0. Universal Serial Bus (Hi-Speed). The maximum signalling rate is 480

megabits per second.

USB 3.0. Universal Serial Bus (SuperSpeed). The maximum signalling rate is 5

gigabits per second.

Vertical resolution. A value, in bits, indicating the precision with which the

oscilloscope converts input voltages to digital values.

Voltage range. The range of input voltages that the oscilloscope can measure. For

example, a voltage range of ±100mV means that the oscilloscope can measure

voltages between –100mV and +100mV. Input voltages outside this range will not

damage the instrument as long as they remain within the protection limits of ±200V.