Picoscope3404A bits resolution

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PVS
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Joined: Fri Sep 20, 2013 3:56 am

Picoscope3404A bits resolution

Post by PVS »

Hi
I am using Picoscope3404A to acquire voltage. I have tried to capture same voltage using 8bits, 10 bits and 12 bits resolution options (Picoscope 6.7.35.1) one by one. But I found that increasing bit resolution will alter voltage signal level/shape.
I would like to know whether bit resolution is hardware controlled or only post-processed in the Picoscope software after capturing the data points?

Martyn
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Location: St. Neots

Re: Picoscope3404A bits resolution

Post by Martyn »

The 8/10/12 bits you mention are part of the "Resolution Enhancement" software feature.

It is a post data collection application of a moving average filter to the collected values. It does not make the scope a 10/12 bit scope, as the hardware is only capable of 8 bits. It is used to filter out the noise that is often present in signals and so will give the effect of smoothing the traces.

We do have a variable resolution scope range, the 5000 series, which does have the capability to change the hardware resolution from 8 to 16 bit.
Martyn
Technical Support Manager

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