ADC-40/42 PC-Based Oscilloscopes

pc based oscilloscopes

The ADC-40 and ADC-42 are single channel PC based oscilloscopes, spectrum analysers and multimeters. Simply plug a unit into the parallel port of your PC and run the supplied PicoScope software.

For low frequency signals, the units provide all the functionality of conventional scopes at a fraction of the price. The ADC-40 has 8 bit resolution, whilst the ADC-42 has a 12 bit resolution which makes it more suitable for measuring small signal changes, both on the scope and spectrum analyser.

pc based oscilloscopes pc based oscilloscopes

These two products are ideal for situations where budget is important. The units provide large, colourful displays and all the usual timebases and trigger options, all in a case slightly larger than a matchbox. These features, combined with their low cost, make the ADC-40 and ADC-42 perfect as educational and training tools.

Read an independent review by Electronics Australia

Technical specifications are listed at the bottom of this page.

ADC-40/42 No Longer Available

Please note: the ADC-40 and ADC-42 are no longer available. We recommend the PicoScope 2104/2105 handheld oscilloscopes , or a PicoScope 3224 precision oscilloscope if you need a 12-bit oscilloscope.

Product ADC-40 ADC-42
Resolution 8 bits 12 bits
Channels 1 x BNC 1 x BNC
Voltage ranges ±5 V ±5 V
Overload protection ±30 V ±30 V
Input impedance 1 MΩ
Sampling rate 20 kS/s 15 kS/s
Accuracy ±1% ±1%
Scope timebases 500 µs/div to 50 s/div 500 µs/div to 50 s/div
Spectrum ranges 0 to 10 kHz,
50 dB dynamic range		 0 to 7 kHz,
65 dB dynamic range
Analog bandwidth 10 kHz 7.5 kHz
Buffer Size No buffer
Power supply Not required
Dimensions 55 x 55 x 15 mm
(2.17 x 2.17 x 0.6 in)		 55 x 55 x 15 mm
(2.17 x 2.17 x 0.6 in)
Output connector D25 to PC parallel port
Supplied software PicoScope and PicoLog: Windows 95/98/ME/NT/2000/XP
Drivers and examples: C, Pascal, Delphi, Visual Basic, Agilent VEE and LabVIEW
A macro is provided to collect data directly into an Excel spreadsheet

ADC-100 Dual Channel PC-Based Oscilloscope

oscilloscope software

The ADC-100 is a dual channel oscilloscope, spectrum analyser and multimeter. It connects to the parallel port using the supplied cable and requires no power supply. This makes it very useful as a general purpose test instrument both out in the field and in the lab.

ADC-100 oscilloscope

As well as its uses as a general purpose instrument, the 100 kS/s (100,000 samples per second) sampling rate and 12 bit resolution make it ideal for audio work, since its spectrum analyser covers the audible frequency range. Another common use is in automotive electronics, checking for problems with ABS sensors, fuel injection and LT ignition. For a higher speed version, also consider the ADC-212 high resolution oscilloscope.

ADC-100 Superseded by the PicoScope 3224

Please note: the ADC-100 has now superseded by the PicoScope 3224 precision oscilloscope. This dual-channel oscilloscope offers increased bandwidth and sampling rate, together with a 512 kS memory buffer.