Test and Measurement Forum

Hi

I run ADC216 on windows 98, Toshiba Sattelite 1800 laptop with release 5.07.4 picoscope software.

I find the updating on the scope slow and a bit eratic especially when I have more than one window open. For example with scope and spectrum open I often sit watching red exclamation marks for a bit too long realy. Even without auto level you begin to worry that you may be still looking at the previos test signal rather than what you are now probing. Even on its own spectrum of low audio frequencies is kind of delayed. If you do a peak hold of an audio sweep it starts to look like a triangle wave at about 1khz ish.

The meter on dBs looks realy good, impresses the punters no end but then it is so slow to update as to be a bit embarrassing.

I remember being a bit dissapointed with this when I first bought system but I'm sure its got slower. Do you know of any tricks or version updates that might help me.

Don't get me wrong I think its a super system for the money and I've seen some agravating delays on £2k Tek scopes. I am wodering though if I should have bought your 212 (faster one if I remember correctly) and a sound card with something like cool edit software. This I think would alow me see fast tach from a spooling Tape Recorder and yet analyze audio signals using easily identilfiable (look like the magazine pictures of freq response to my clients) frequency and level data (dBm - dBU - dBV and the like).

I have done some experimenting like opening win98 with all other progs disabled except picoscope but not found anything definite. I will look again at my manual just in case I'm doing something silly - not the first time.

What do you think ?

Kind regards
Stuart

Hi,

The data is read afresh for both the spectrum and scope. To have it refresh the scope faster reduce the number of trace points this is done from:

Settings|Options|Advanced

Reduce the value in the 'Maximum samples in scope trace'.

For the spectrum analyser the response time is determined by the number of FFT points. This is done in the

Settings|Options

select a lower number of FFT points 128 being the the fastest option.

You might also consider downloading a newer version of the software from our website.

Thank you for reply


I have tried most of your suggestions I think. Problem is you go for higher definition to try and get a more detailed view and the whole thing comes to a bit of a standstill. This can get quite frustrating when you are actually trying to study something else or worse explain it to your client.

The meter reading for example Left & Right dBs and freq looks so smart yet it can take so long to update its not usefull

I will try new software which I have downloaded and have another go.


Do you think I would be better off with the higher sampling rate of the 212s.

Re frequency response sweeps (or noise floor spectrum) for audio equip. I have not really got a handle on data logging software yet and I wonder if this could be used to do specification tests on audio equipment. Presentation is important. Real time views would be lovely.

thanks again
Stuart