pico Technology PicoScope 2203 User Manual Download Page 16

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PicoScope 2203, 2204, 2205 User's Guide

ps2203.en

Glossary

Analog bandwidth—The frequency at which the measured signal amplitude is
3 decibels below the true signal amplitude.

Block mode—A fast data collection mode. The PicoScope software puts the
oscilloscope into this mode to achieve the fastest possible sampling rates. The
oscilloscope collects data as fast as possible and then stops to transfer the data to the
PC. During data transfer to the PC in block mode, the oscilloscope cannot sample
data from its inputs.

Buffer size—The size of the oscilloscope's buffer memory, measured in samples. The
buffer allows the oscilloscope to sample data faster than it can transfer it to the
computer.

Coupling mode—To switch from AC coupling to DC coupling, or vice versa, select AC
or DC from the control on the PicoScope toolbar. The AC setting filters out very
low-frequency components of the input signal, including DC, and is suitable for
viewing small AC signals superimposed on a DC or slowly changing offset. In this
mode you can measure the peak-to-peak amplitude of an AC signal but not its
absolute value. Use the DC setting for measuring the absolute value of a signal.

Device Manager—Device Manager is a Windows program that displays the current
hardware configuration of your computer. On Windows XP or Vista, right-click on 'My
Computer,' choose 'Properties', then click the 'Hardware' tab and the 'Device Manager'
button.

Driver—A program that controls a piece of hardware. The driver for the PicoScope
2000 Series PC Oscilloscopes is supplied in the form of a 32-bit Windows DLL,

ps2000.dll

. This is used by the PicoScope software to control the oscilloscope.

ETS—Equivalent Time Sampling. Constructs a picture of a repetitive signal by
accumulating information over many similar wave cycles. This allows the oscilloscope
to create a composite cycle that has more samples, and therefore better time
resolution, than a single cycle. ETS cannot be used for one-shot signals.

Maximum sampling rate—A figure indicating the maximum number of samples the
oscilloscope can acquire per second. The higher the sampling rate of the oscilloscope,
the more accurate the representation of the high-frequency details in a fast signal.
"MS/s" is used in this manual an abbreviation for "millions of samples per second".

Oversampling—A technique for reducing noise in sampled signals. Measurements
are taken more frequently than the requested sample rate, and then merged to
produce the required number of samples. If, as is usually the case, the signal
contains a small amount of noise, this technique can increase the effective

vertical

resolution

of the oscilloscope.

PC Oscilloscope—A virtual instrument formed by connecting a PicoScope oscilloscope
to a computer running the PicoScope software.

PicoLog software—An application that accompanies all Pico PC Oscilloscopes,
turning your PC into a data logger.

PicoScope software—A software program that accompanies all Pico PC
Oscilloscopes. It turns your PC into an oscilloscope, spectrum analyser, and meter
display.