Why normal block mode?

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heng
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Why normal block mode?

Post by heng »

Reading the programming manual, there is some discussion about the rapid block mode versus the block mode. The suggestion is that if you can't do with the several tens of ms delay in setting up the block mode, then you should use the rapid block mode.

My question is, why would I ever use the normal block mode? Does it provide something that the rapid block mode does not?

Martyn
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Re: Why normal block mode?

Post by Martyn »

Block Mode will capture one block of data to the scopes memory before transferring it to the PC. The available memory is used for the single block and gives a higher horizontal resolution.

Rapid Block Mode captures a number of blocks of data to the scopes memory before downloading these to the PC. The available memory is shared between the blocks therefore limiting the horizontal resolution.
Martyn
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heng
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Re: Why normal block mode?

Post by heng »

If ps3000aSetNoOfCaptures is set to 1, or ignored, and ps3000aMemorySegments is set to 1, is there any fundamental difference between the 2 modes?

Martyn
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Re: Why normal block mode?

Post by Martyn »

Fundamentally those two modes are the same
Martyn
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heng
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Re: Why normal block mode?

Post by heng »

Ok, thanks. Might I suggest that such a note is put in the documentation? I spent a little while thinking about this and it would have been helpful to have the docs tell me.

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