Appendix C
Glossary
The following terms are pertinent to the TPI Scope Plus 460 and the environment in which it
typically works. The meanings in other environments may be different to those described here.
Cross references in this glossary are identified with an asterisk (*).
Active Power
A power measurement in Watts that is derived by
multiplying the voltage portion of the signal by the current
that is in phase with that voltage.
Analog Output
A non-digitized signal such as those used to drive an oscilloscope.
Apparent Power
The product of the voltage applied times the current flow. The unit
of measure is VA (Voltamperes), and the term is only applicable to
Alternating Current (AC) circuits.
Auto Hold
The action by a measuring device to (on command) wait until a
reading has stabilized before storing that reading and making
it available for display.
Auto Ranging
Ability of a measuring device to automatically select the
appropriate range of measurement.
Auto Set
A command to the measuring device (AUTO on the 460) to go from
manual to automatic setting based on the magnitude of the signal
being measured.
Bandwidth
The frequency range over which the instrument operates efficiently.
CCFL
Acronym for Cold Cathode Fluorescent Lighting. -- The type of
backlighting used in several tpi instrument displays to light the
back of the LCD* screens.
Cold Junction
A circuit in a measuring device which automatically resolves
Compensation
the difference between an ambient reference (used when the
device was calibrated), and the actual operating temperature of
of the measuring device.
Conductance
The reciprocal of resistance expressed in terms of Siemans
(formally mhos).
460 User’s Guide
Glossary
C-1
