Pico Technology

Here is your monthly Test and Measurement update from Pico Technology.

1.  New Linux Drivers for the PicoScope 2000 and PicoScope 3000 Series

New 32 and 64-bit Linux drivers (R2.0.7.7.1) are now available for the PicoScope 2000 Series. This release enables oversampling for the PicoScope 2000 Series ultra-compact scopes (PicoScope 2203, 2204 and 2205). The 32 and 64-bit Linux drivers for the PicoScope 3000 Series have also been updated recently to R3.6.4.4.

Download the latest Linux drivers

2.  New, Faster PicoScope Software

You may not know about the work that we have been doing behind the scenes to make our scopes work faster. Most of our USB scopes now support a new mode called “fast USB streaming”, and the newer models have a feature called “rapid triggering”. Read on for details.

Fast USB streaming

If you are a PicoScope 6 user then you will experience fast USB streaming as faster screen updates when using the medium and slow timebases. If instead you are writing your own software using the PicoScope API (Application Programming Interface), then you will be able to transfer data into your application data faster, at up to 10 to 20 MB/s depending on the PC and the USB driver. Another benefit of fast USB streaming is that longer records are now possible, up to 2 MS in PicoScope 6 and unlimited in size in users' application software.

Rapid trigger mode

Rapid trigger mode is available on our newest scopes, beginning with the PicoScope 4000 and 5000 Series. It allows the scope to capture multiple waveforms in its buffer memory with the minimum of ‘dead time’—as little as 1 microsecond—between captures. This means that you can capture a sequence of intermittent events with less risk of missing one while the trigger is being re-armed. In PicoScope 6, you can scroll through the captured waveforms using the same waveform buffer controls that you use for other trigger modes.

To get the benefit of fast USB streaming and rapid triggering, download the latest PicoScope 6 software and PicoScope drivers now, free of charge.

3.  PicoScope 9201 in EDN Innovation Awards

The PicoScope 9201 12-GHz PC Sampling Oscilloscope has just made it through to the final stage of the EDN 19th Annual Innovation Awards (2008). The awards “recognize unique, state-of-the-art electronics products”, which is certainly true of the PicoScope 9201. If you have seen this scope in action then you will know that it’s one of the fastest USB sampling scopes in its price range, and it includes some very advanced software with built-in eye diagram measurements and industry-standard mask tests.

Help us spread the news about the PicoScope 9201: go to the EDN Awards site and vote now!

4.  PicoScope 4000 Series Now Available

Launched last month, the PicoScope 4000 Series is our latest range of high-precision oscilloscopes. The 12-bit resolution, extended to 16 bits in resolution enhance mode, is ideal for analysing audio, noise and vibration, as well as for general-purpose test and measurement work. The new scopes have a deep 32-MS memory that is “always on” without affecting performance, so you no longer need to juggle memory size and sampling rate. Here are the main specifications:

• 80 MS/s sampling rate
• 32 MS buffer memory
• 20 MHz bandwidth
• ±50 mV to ±100 V input ranges
• 1% voltage accuracy
• 2 and 4 channel versions
• Includes PicoScope 6 oscilloscope software with built-in spectrum analyzer

Find out more about the PicoScope 4000 Series

5.  Reminder: PicoScope 6.2.1 Beta with Reference Waveforms

A new beta version of PicoScope, PicoScope 6.2.1 beta, is now available for free download. There are numerous performance and reliability improvements, as well as the following new features:

• Reference waveforms. Now you can display stored waveforms alongside live traces on the PicoScope screen. You can apply all the same functions to them as you can to live waveforms, such as automatic and manual measurements, scaling and offset, and exporting to a file. Reference waveforms are especially useful for production testing and diagnostics, where they allow you to compare waveforms from the equipment under test with known good waveforms.
• XY view. XY view plots one channel against another on the screen. This plot could be the I-V curve of a component such as a capacitor, inductor or diode, or a Lissajous figure showing the phase difference between two periodic waveforms. XY view is also capable of more advanced operations such plotting a math channel against a reference waveform, or plotting multiple channels on the Y axis against a single channel on the X axis.
• Rapid trigger mode. This is a way of capturing a sequence of waveforms with minimal ‘dead time’ between them. In this mode, PicoScope saves time by delaying the display update until the entire sequence has been captured. After capture, you can scroll through the waveforms in the usual way using the buffer navigation buttons.
• Arbitrary waveform editor. The arbitrary waveform generator has been upgraded. Now, as well as loading arbitrary waveforms from text files, you can create, modify and save them using the new graphical AWG editor.
• Vista 64-bit support. Previous versions of PicoScope supported XP 32-bit and Vista 32-bit, which until recently were installed on most desktop and laptop PCs. PicoScope 6.2.1 now also supports Vista 64-bit, which is becoming increasingly common on new PCs.
• Extended language support. Menus can be displayed in German, Spanish, Hungarian, Italian or Simplified Chinese.

Download PicoScope 6.2.1 beta now, free of charge

6.  Questions and Answers

Here is a selection of the questions that have cropped up recently on our support forum.

Q. I am planning to buy the PicoScope 2203 to do measurement on a radio MPX signal. This signal is from 0 - 100 kHz maximum. This is done for calibrating the output and input of some radio utilities. Is the frequency response from 0 - 100 kHz flat or are there any things I need to consider?

A. The frequency response is flat under DC coupling. AC coupling causes the response to roll off below about 1 Hz.

Q. How can I use a PicoScope 2204 to automatically write one sweep for each trigger to disk? The trigger rate is once every few minutes, and the sweep speed somewhere around 50 MS/s. I need to write both channels to disk automatically on trigger.

A. You can do this using PicoLog. In the Recording dialog, set the Recording method to Fast Block and set Action at end of run to Repeat after delay. PicoLog will then trigger on the specified condition, wait for the specified delay and then be ready to trigger again, saving a block of data to disk each time.

Q. I have a PicoScope 2202 and am looking for a way to check frequency responses on tube amplifiers. I tried the sound card but it has an unacceptable frequency response to send to the amp in order to measure the input and output of the amp. I see now that the PicoScope 2000 Series ultra-compact scopes include a function generator. On the PicoScope 2203, 2204 and 2205, can you use Visual Basic and set a frequency, duration, and amplitude on the function generator? Can you address and control the function generator from a development environment?

A. The PicoScope 2203, 2204 and 2205 (but not the PicoScope 2202) have a function generator that goes from DC to 100 kHz with a frequency sweep feature. You can use the ps2000SetSigGenBuiltIn and ps2000SetSigGenArbitrary functions in the DLL to set up the signal generator. These are documented in the 2000 Series Progammer’s Guide available on our website.

7.  Exhibitions

Full details of upcoming exhibitions and training dates can be found on the exhibitions page.

8.  Employment Opportunities

Due to our continuing growth, we have vacancies for the following positions:

• Development Engineer - Analogue Hardware
• Development Engineer - FPGA/VHDL Design
• Development Engineer - Hardware

Find more details of these positions and complete an online application form

We look forward to hearing from you if you want to be part of a growing company at the leading edge of test equipment design.

9.  Software Releases

As soon as we release new software, it is made available for FREE download from our website. To check which version you are using, start the software (PicoScope, PicoLog or EnviroMon) and select HELP | ABOUT.

The current releases are:

• PicoScope 5: R5.20.3
• PicoScope 6: R6.2.0 (6.2.1 beta also available)
• PicoScope Education: R6.2.1
• PicoScope 9000: R2.2.6
• PicoLog: R5.20.3
• EnviroMon: R5.20.0

To download the latest software please visit the software downloads page

(Note: the above web page also contains a link to our ‘what’s new’ page which describes recent changes and additions to the software.)

10.  About this Newsletter

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11.  Contact Details

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