Picoscope not delivering to specification??

Forum for discussing PicoScope version 6 (non-automotive version)
Mark_O
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Re: Picoscope not delivering to specification??

Post by Mark_O »

bennog wrote:It would be nice to have an option to disable math and serial decoding during live capture and automatically re-enable after pressing the stop button. This would save me a lot of time !
I agree! Putting the burden on the operator (to have to manually switch back and forth) kind of misses the point of having a computer. :shock:

AndrewA
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Re: Picoscope not delivering to specification??

Post by AndrewA »

Unfortunately maths channels can not be controlled with marcos. There is a feature request, for all of the controls in Picoscope to be add to the macro recorder.
The Lowpass filter in the channel options can be controlled via marcos :)
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Horst
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Re: Picoscope not delivering to specification??

Post by Horst »

I would like to second (third) the request for an easy way to enable/disable postprocessing like math channels and serial decoding. Only just recently I found out that math and serial decoding seem to slow down the actual data aquisition. So it would be really nice to switch off the processing while sampling the data and then switch it on again for analysis. Maybe you could create something like "view macros" where you can switch between configurable settings.
(Even better would be of course if the math and serial processing where so fast, they do not disturb data sampling in any way)

Keep up the good work, regards,

Horst

Andreas_
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Re: Picoscope not delivering to specification??

Post by Andreas_ »

Hello,

I am doing often noise measurements with long measurement times (e.g. 100 seconds),
active resolution enhancement to 20 bits (single channel) and peak-peak and AC rms measurements.

I would like to have the 5MS limit as a configuration option together with measurement functions.

When using a PS5444A there should be the possibility to sample at least 100 MS (1us resolution) as can be done with a single shot measurement with all options disabled.

With best regards

Andreas

Martyn
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Re: Picoscope not delivering to specification??

Post by Martyn »

If you disable any measurements and resolution enhancement so that the 5MS limit is not active, then capture your data to the scope, and finally save the data as a psdata file, you will have all the raw data available. Opening this file and applying measurements and resolution enhancement will perform the measurement against the full data set.

The 5MS limit is there to ensure that the USB transfer rate is not an issue.
Martyn
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Andreas_
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Re: Picoscope not delivering to specification??

Post by Andreas_ »

Martyn wrote:If you disable any measurements and resolution enhancement so that the 5MS limit is not active, then capture your data to the scope, and finally save the data as a psdata file, you will have all the raw data available. Opening this file and applying measurements and resolution enhancement will perform the measurement against the full data set.

The 5MS limit is there to ensure that the USB transfer rate is not an issue.
Hello,

I do not understand why the USB transfer rate should be an issue.
You cannot tell me that at 100 seconds aquisition time only a rate of 50k samples/second shall be possible at 480Mbit/s.
Otherwise the (time consuming) method that you describe would not be possible.

with best regards

Andreas

Martyn
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Re: Picoscope not delivering to specification??

Post by Martyn »

The 5MS is an across the board setting so needs to be applicable at faster rates, allow for multiple buffers with minimum re arm time, and support a variety of PC specifications.

As we move forward this limit may be relaxed even further, originally it was 2MS
Martyn
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Mark_O
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Re: Picoscope not delivering to specification??

Post by Mark_O »

Hi, Andreas.
Andreas_ wrote:I do not understand why the USB transfer rate should be an issue.
It's only an issue because PicoTech chooses to make it one. As Martyn wrote:
The 5MS is an across the board setting so needs to be applicable at faster rates, allow for multiple buffers with minimum re arm time, and support a variety of PC specifications.
In other words, they've set it at a level that accommodates the LOWEST common denominator. At the expense of everything above that level. That is certainly one strategy, although a reasonable argument could be made that by reducing the functionality of more powerful devices, it's one of the worst possible.
As we move forward this limit may be relaxed even further, originally it was 2MS
Therefore, Martyn admits, completely arbitrary restrictions may some day be removed, if and when Pico chooses to do so.

My preference, as an owner of multiple PicoTech devices, would be to restore that control to the user, and remove artificial roadblocks... perhaps along with a warning pop-up that reminds them of potential ramifications. That way would keep Pico off the hook (from complaints), but not tie the hands of knowledgeable users.

- Mark

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Re: Picoscope not delivering to specification??

Post by Andreas_ »

Mark_O wrote:Hi, Andreas.

My preference, as an owner of multiple PicoTech devices, would be to restore that control to the user, and remove artificial roadblocks... perhaps along with a warning pop-up that reminds them of potential ramifications. That way would keep Pico off the hook (from complaints), but not tie the hands of knowledgeable users.

- Mark
Thats exactly why I want it have as a configuration parameter.

I dont mind with fast repetition rates during single trigger aquistitions with 100 seconds aquisition time.
But I hate that there is a limitation that needs tedious user action in 2 different pull down menues for 2 measurement parameters + the 20 Bit resolution.
And its most likely that I accidently miss one.

With best regards

Andreas

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