PicoScope 6 User's Guide - Pico Technology

1 Copyright 2007-2014 Pico Technology Ltd. All rights 6 User's r33PC Oscilloscope SoftwareSUPERSEDEDSUPERSEDEDSUPERSEDEDSU PERSEDEDIPicoScope 6 User's GuideCopyright 2007-2014 Pico Technology Ltd. All rights r33 Table of Welcome ..22 PicoScope 6 overview ..33 Introduction ..31 Legal statement ..32 Upgrades ..43 Trade marks ..44 Contact information ..45 How to use this manual ..56 System requirements ..64 Using PicoScope for the first time ..75 PicoScope and oscilloscope primer ..71 Oscilloscope basics ..82 PC Oscilloscope basics ..83 PicoScope basics ..91 Capture modes ..102 How do capture modes work with views? ..114 PicoScope window ..125 Scope view ..136 MSO view ..141 Digital view.

2 152 Digital context menu ..167 XY view ..178 Trigger marker ..179 Post-trigger arrow ..1810 Spectrum view ..1911 Persistence mode ..2012 Measurements table ..2113 Pointer tool tip ..2214 Signal rulers ..2315 Time rulers ..2416 Phase rulers ..2617 Ruler settings ..2718 Ruler legend ..2719 Frequency legend ..2820 Properties sheet ..2921 Custom probes ..3022 Maths channels ..3123 Reference waveforms ..3224 Serial decoding ..3325 Mask limit testing SUPERSEDEDSUPERSEDEDT able of ContentsIICopyright 2007-2014 Pico Technology Ltd. All rights Alarms ..3527 Buffer Navigator ..366 Menus ..371 File menu ..381 Save As dialog ..432 Startup Settings menu ..442 Edit menu ..451 Notes area ..452 Vehicle Details dialog ( PicoScope Automotive only).

3 463 Views menu ..471 Custom grid layout dialog ..484 Measurements menu ..491 Add / Edit Measurement dialog ..502 Advanced measurement settings ..525 Tools menu ..531 Custom Probes dialog ..672 Math Channels dialog ..773 Reference Waveforms dialog ..794 Serial Decoding dialog ..885 Alarms dialog ..906 Masks menu ..937 Macro Recorder ..948 Preferences dialog ..1056 Help menu ..1067 Automotive menu ( PicoScope Automotive only) ..1078 Connect Device dialog ..1089 Converting files in Windows Explorer ..1107 Toolbars and buttons ..1111 Channels toolbar ..1121 Channel Options menu ..1182 Digital Inputs button ..1202 PicoLog 1000 Series Channels toolbar ..1211 PicoLog 1000 Series Digital Outputs control.

4 1223 USB DrDAQ Channels toolbar ..1231 USB DrDAQ RGB LED control ..1242 USB DrDAQ Digital Outputs control ..1254 Capture Setup toolbar ..1271 Spectrum Options dialog ..1292 Persistence Options dialog ..1315 Buffer Navigation toolbar ..1326 Measurements toolbar ..1337 Signal Generator button ..1331 Signal Generator dialog ( PicoScope devices) ..1362 Signal Generator dialog (USB DrDAQ) ..1373 Arbitrary waveform files ..1384 Arbitrary Waveform Generator window ..1415 Demo Signals menu ..1426 Demo Signals dialog ..1438 Start / Stop toolbar SUPERSEDEDSUPERSEDEDIIIPicoScope 6 User's GuideCopyright 2007-2014 Pico Technology Ltd. All rights Triggering toolbar ..1461 Advanced Triggering dialog ..1472 Advanced trigger types.

5 15310 Zooming and Scrolling toolbar ..1541 Zoom Overview ..1558 How ..1561 How to change to a different device ..1572 How to use rulers to measure a signal ..1583 How to measure a time difference ..1594 How to move a view ..1605 How to scale and offset a signal ..1626 How to set up the spectrum view ..1637 How to find a glitch using persistence mode ..1678 How to set up a Mask Limit Test ..1709 How to save on trigger ..1749 Reference ..1741 Measurement types ..1751 Scope measurements ..1762 Spectrum measurements ..1782 Signal generator waveform types ..1793 Spectrum window functions ..1804 Trigger timing (part 1) ..1815 Trigger timing (part 2) ..1826 Serial protocols ..1821 CAN protocol ..1842 LIN protocol.

6 1863 I C protocol ..1874 I S protocol ..1885 RS232/UART protocol ..1896 SPI protocol ..1907 FlexRay protocol ..1927 Device feature table ..1938 Command-line syntax ..1959 Application Error dialog ..19510 Flexible power ..19711 Glossary ..201 IndexSUPERSEDEDSUPERSEDEDSUPERSEDEDSUPER SEDEDPicoScope 6 User's Guide1 Copyright 2007-2014 Pico Technology Ltd. All rights r331 WelcomeWelcome to PicoScope 6, the PC Oscilloscope software from a scope device from Pico Technology , PicoScope turns your PCinto a powerful PC Oscilloscope with all the features and performanceof a bench-top oscilloscope at a fraction of the to use this manualWhat's new in this version?Using PicoScope for the first time Software version: PicoScope (Release Notes)SUPERSEDEDSUPERSEDEDPicoScope 6 overview2 Copyright 2007-2014 Pico Technology Ltd.

7 All rights r332 PicoScope 6 overviewPicoScope 6 is Pico Technology 's software for PC performanceFaster capture rates, making it easier to see fast-moving signalsFaster data processingBetter support for the latest PicoScope USB oscilloscopesImproved usability and appearanceClearer graphics and textTool tips and help messages to explain all featuresEasy point-and-click tools for panning and zoomingNew featuresThe latest Windows .NETtechnology enabling us todeliver updates more quicklyMultiple views of the samedata, with individual zoomand pan settings for eachviewCustom probes manager tomake it easy for you to useyour own probes and sensorswith PicoScopeAdvanced triggeringconditions including pulse.

8 Window and logicProperties sheet displayingall settings at a glanceSpectrum mode with a fullyoptimized spectrum analyzerPer-channel lowpass filteringMath channels for creating mathematical functions ofinput channelsReference waveforms forstoring copies of inputchannelsArbitrary waveform designerfor oscilloscopes with a built-in arbitrary waveformgeneratorRapid trigger mode tocapture a sequence ofwaveforms with the minimumpossible dead timeWindows Explorer integrationto show files as pictures andconvert to other formatsCommand-line options forconverting filesZoom overview for rapidlyadjusting the zoom to showany part of the waveformSerial decoding for RS232,I2C and other formats, in realtimeMask limit testing to showwhen a signal goes out ofboundsBuffer navigator for searchingthe waveform bufferAlarms to alert you when aspecified event occursSUPERSEDEDSUPERSEDEDPicoScope 6 User's Guide3 Copyright 2007-2014 Pico Technology Ltd.

9 All rights r333 IntroductionPicoScope 6 is a comprehensive software application for Pico Technologyoscilloscopes. Used with a PicoScope hardware device, it creates an oscilloscope andspectrum analyzer on your 6 supports the devices listed in the Device feature table. It runs on anycomputer with Windows XP SP3 through to Windows 8. (See System requirements forfurther recommendations.)How to use PicoScope 6 Getting started: see using PicoScope for the first time, and PicoScope 's further information: see descriptions of Menus and Toolbars, and the step-by-step tutorials, see the "How to" statementGrant of license. The material contained in this release is licensed, not sold. PicoTechnology Limited ('Pico') grants a license to the person who installs this software,subject to the conditions listed The licensee agrees to allow access to this software only to persons who havebeen informed of and agree to abide by these The software in this release is for use only with Pico products or with datacollected using Pico Pico claims the copyright of, and retains the rights to, all material(software, documents etc.)

10 Contained in this release. Liability. Pico and its agents shall not be liable for any loss or damage, howsoevercaused, related to the use of Pico Technology equipment or software, unless excludedby for purpose. No two applications are the same, so Pico cannot guaranteethat its equipment or software is suitable for a given application. It is therefore theuser's responsibility to ensure that the product is suitable for the User's applications. Because the software runs on a computer that may berunning other software products, and may be subject to interference from these otherproducts, this license specifically excludes usage in 'mission-critical' applications, forexample life-support This software was continuously monitored for viruses during , the user is responsible for virus checking the software once it is No software is ever error-free, but if you are dissatisfied with theperformance of this software, please contact our technical support provide upgrades, free of charge, from our web site at Wereserve the right to charge for updates or replacements sent out on physical 2007-2014 Pico Technology Ltd.