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Copyright 2006 Pico Technology Limited. All rights reserved. PSW044-2.0
9.5
Glossary
AC coupling. In this mode, the scope device very low signal frequencies below a few
hertz. This allows you to use the full resolution of the scope to measure a.c. signals
accurately, ignoring any d.c. offset. You cannot measure the signal level with respect
to ground in this mode.
Channel
.
A scope device has one or more channels, each of which can sample one
signal. High-speed scope devices typically have one BNC connector per channel.
DC coupling. In this mode, the scope device measures the signal level relative to
signal ground. This shows maximum information about the signal, including d.c. and
a.c. components.
Graticule. The pattern of broken grey lines in every scope view window. These help
you estimate the amplitude and time of features on the waveform.
Grid. The arrangement of viewports in a capture window. The number of grid rows
and the number of grid columns can each be either 1, 2, 3 or 4.
In focus. PicoScope can display several capture windows, but one window is drawn in
stronger colours than the others. This is the window that is in focus. When you click a
toolbar button, it will usually affect only the window that is in focus. To bring a
window into focus, click on it.
Oversampling
.
Collecting samples at a faster rate than requested, then combining
the excess samples by averaging. This technique can increase the effective resolution
of a scope device when there is a small amount of noise on the signal.
Probe. An accessory that attaches to your oscilloscope and picks up a signal to be
measured. A probe can pick up any form of signal, but it always delivers a voltage
signal to the oscilloscope. PicoScope knows about standard probes, but also allows you
to define custom probes.
Roll mode. Normally, PicoScope redraws the waveform in a scope view many times
every second. At timebases slower than 200 ms/div, however, it switches to roll mode.
This causes the waveform to move continuously from right to left, with old data
disappearing off the left-hand side and new data being added on the right-hand side.
This mode is more convenient for viewing slowly changing data.
Ruler
.
A vertical or horizontal dashed line that can be dragged into place on a
waveform in a Scope View. PicoScope displays the signal level, time value or
frequency value of all rulers in a Ruler Legend box.
Scope device
.
A
box of electronics that, with the help of the PicoScope software, turns
your computer into a PC Oscilloscope.
Tooltip. A label that appears when you move the mouse pointer over some parts of
the PicoScope screen, such as buttons, controls and rulers.
Trigger
.
A device that detects when the waveform rises or falls past a preset signal
level. When this event occurs, the program may begin to acquire data.
View
.
A presentation of data from a particular scope device. Each scope device may
have zero, one or more views, all of which are displayed inside the capture window for
that scope device. The only type of view currently available is the scope view.
Viewport. A rectangular space in a capture window that can contain one or more
views, or can be empty.
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