Picoscope 5244B model

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e4411a
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Joined: Wed Mar 22, 2017 3:34 pm

Picoscope 5244B model

Post by e4411a »

Hi,

I am looking at the specifications of the 5244B oscilloscope. I would like to know the following without any ambiguity.

1. Can I get the full 200MHz bandwidth on all the four channels when I am using all the four channels simultaneously. If so at what ADC resolution that can we get at 200MHz bandwidth?
2. Does it need a DC adapter for powering the scope and if so is it a standard supply?

Best Regards

Gerry
PICO STAFF
PICO STAFF
Posts: 1145
Joined: Mon Aug 11, 2014 11:14 am

Re: Picoscope 5244B model

Post by Gerry »

Hi e4411a,

I'll assume you're referring to the 4 channel PicoScope 5444B and not the 2-channel 5244B. Each of our 5000 series PicoScopes, have 8 independent Analog-to-Digital Converters for digitizing the signal at the input. What gives them 'Flexible resolution' is their ability to stack ADC's onto fewer channels to get higher resolution, and interleave ADC's onto fewer channels to get faster sample rates. For more details please refer to our page on Flexible Resolution here: https://www.picotech.com/oscilloscope/5 ... cilloscope.

To Answer your questions:
1/ The overall bandwidth of the 5000 series PicoScopes is affected by the digitization process. To avoid getting reduced accuracy in your waveform that is captured and displayed by the software, the bandwidth, or maximum frequency content of the input signal needs to be limited (we recommend that the maximum frequency component of your signal should be no more than 1/5th of the Sample rate, or to put this another way, the PicoScope that you select for your application should be one that can sample 5 times the rate of your maximum frequency signal component).
If we consider the PicoScope 5444B, and look at the 'Maximum real-time Sampling rate' specifications Table in the 'Oscilloscope - horizontal' section of our Specifications, we can see that there is one only sample rate for which a 200MHz bandwidth is 1/5th and that is 1GS/s. So, you can only get accurate waveform reproduction with a 200MHz bandwidth signal on 1 channel of the 5444B, in 8-bit mode. This is because the fastest sample rate uses all eight ADC's interleaved on one channel to reduce the interval between samples (increase the sample rate), and higher than 8-bit resolution would require ADC's to be stacked, when they are already being interleaved.
If you are using all four channels then the maximum sample rate that you can have, in 8-bit mode is 250MS/s, which gives you a maximum signal bandwidth of 50MHz. If using 12-bit, or 14-bit mode this drops to 125MS/s and 25MHz respectively.

2/ If you're only using 2 channels, then you can power the PicoScope 5444B exclusively from the USB bus, but any more than 2 channels requires the use of the separate power supply. The power supply should either be the one supplied with the PicoScope, or one that can consistently deliver 5V ±5% at the specified 1.5A of current (including extremes of operation, e.g. fluctuations in the Mains, running hot, etc). Also, the PSU should ideally have no ground connection to the PicoScope (like the one supplied) as these can cause measurement errors through ground loops.

Regards,

Gerry
Gerry
Technical Specialist

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