PICO picoscope 3204, picoscope 3206, picoscope 3224, picoscope 3205, picoscope 3424 User Manual

PicoScope 3000 Series PC Oscilloscopes

User guide

PS3000044 1.4

PicoScope 3000 Series User GuideI

Table of Contents

1 Introduction

2 Product information

3 Technical reference

.............................................................................................2

1 Overview 2 Safety symbols 3 Safety warning 4 FCC notice 5 CE notice 6 Licence conditions 7 Trademarks 8 Warranty 9 Company details

.............................................................................................6

1 Minimum system requirements 2 Installation instructions 3 Specifications

.............................................................................................9

1 Driver 2 Driver error codes 3 Functions 4 Advanced features 5 Using different modes 6 Programming

...................................................................................................2

...................................................................................................3

...................................................................................................4

...................................................................................................5

...................................................................................................6

...................................................................................................8

...................................................................................................9

...................................................................................................10

...................................................................................................26

...................................................................................................29

...................................................................................................30

4 Troubleshooting

5 Glossary

Index

......................................................................................................37

.............................................................................................32

1 Software error codes 2 Powering the 3204/5/6

.............................................................................................34

...................................................................................................32

...................................................................................................33

PS3000044 1.4

Introduction

The

PicoScope 3000 Series

is a range of high speed PC Oscilloscopes, fully

USB 2.0

-

capable and backwards-compatible with USB 1.1. There is no need for an additional

power supply as power input is from the USB port, so these oscilloscopes are highly

portable.

With the

PicoScope software

, you can use PicoScope 3000 Series PC Oscilloscopes as

oscilloscopes and spectrum analysers; with the

PicoLog software

, you can use them as

data loggers. Alternatively, you might want to use some of the API functions to develop

your own programs to collect and analyse data from the oscilloscope.

A typical PicoScope 3000 Series PC Oscilloscope is supplied with the following items:

USB cable, for use with USB 1.1 and 2.0 ports

Software CD

Installation guide

Quick start guide

Symbol 1: Warning Triangle

This symbol indicates that a safety hazard exists on the indicated

connections if correct precautions are not taken. Read all safety

documentation associated with the product before using it.

Symbol 2: Equipotential

This symbol indicates that the outer shells of the indicated BNC

connectors are all at the same potential (shorted together). You must

therefore take necessary precautions to avoid applying a potential

across the return connections of the indicated BNC terminals as this

may result in a large current flow causing damage to the product and/or

connected equipment.

2

1

1.1

1.2

Introduction

Overview

Safety symbols

PS3000044 1.4

3

We strongly recommend that you read the general safety information below before using

your oscilloscope for the first time.

Safety protection built in to equipment may cease to

function if the equipment is used incorrectly. This could cause damage to your computer,

or lead to injury to yourself and others.

Maximum input range

PicoScope 3000 Series PC Oscilloscopes are designed to measure voltages in the range

-20 V to +20 V and are protected to ±50 V (3204/5/6 variants) or ±100 V (3224/3424

variants). Contact with voltages outside the protection range may cause physical damage.

Mains voltages

Pico Technology products are not designed for use with mains voltages. To measure

mains, use a differential isolating probe specifically designed for a high source voltage.

Safety grounding

PicoScope 3000 Series PC Oscilloscopes connect direct to the ground of a computer

through the interconnecting cable provided. This method minimises interference.

As with most oscilloscopes, avoid connecting the ground input to any source other than

ground. If in doubt, use a meter to check that there is no significant AC or DC voltage

between the ground input of the oscilloscope and the point to which you intend to connect

it. Failure to check may cause damage to your computer, or lead to injury to yourself and

others.

You should assume that the product does not have a protective safety earth.

Repairs

The oscilloscope contains no serviceable parts. Repair or calibration of the oscilloscope

requires specialised test equipment and must be performed by Pico Technology.

This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class A digital

device, pursuant to

Part 15 of the FCC Rules

. These limits are designed to provide

reasonable protection against harmful interference when the equipment is operated in a

commercial environment. This equipment generates, uses, and can radiate radio

frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the instruction manual,

may cause harmful interference to radio communications. Operation of this equipment in

a residential area is likely to cause harmful interference in which case the user will be

required to correct the interference at his or her own expense.

For safety and maintenance information see the

safety warning

.

PicoScope 3000 Series User Guide

1.3

Safety warning

1.4

PS3000044 1.4

FCC notice

Introduction

The PicoScope 3000 Series PC Oscilloscopes meet the intent of the

EMC directive

89/336/EEC

and have been designed to

EN61326-1 (1997) Class B Emissions and

Immunity

standard.

PicoScope 3000 Series PC Oscilloscopes also meet the intent of the

Low Voltage

Directive

and have been designed to meet the

BS EN 61010-1:2001 IEC 61010-1:2001

(safety requirements for electrical equipment, control, and laboratory use) standard.

The material contained in this release is licensed, not sold. Pico Technology Limited

grants a licence to the person who installs this software, subject to the conditions listed

below.

Access

The licensee agrees to allow access to this software only to persons who have been

informed of these conditions and agree to abide by them.

Usage

The software in this release is for use only with Pico products or with data collected using

Pico products.

Copyright

Pico Technology Limited claims the copyright of, and retains the rights to, all material

(software, documents etc.) contained in this release. You may copy and distribute the

entire release in its original state, but must not copy individual items within the release

other than for backup purposes.

Liability

Pico Technology and its agents shall not be liable for any loss, damage or injury,

howsoever caused, related to the use of Pico Technology equipment or software, unless

excluded by statute.

Fitness for purpose

Because no two applications are the same, Pico Technology cannot guarantee that its

equipment or software is suitable for a given application. It is your responsibility,

therefore, to ensure that the product is suitable for your application.

Mission-critical applications

This software is intended for use on a computer that may be running other software

products. For this reason, one of the conditions of the licence is that it excludes usage in

mission-critical applications; for example, life-support systems.

Windows

and

Excel

are registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in

the USA and other countries.

Pico Technology Limited

,

PicoLog

and

PicoScope

are trademarks of Pico Technology

Limited, registered in the United Kingdom and other countries.

4

1.5

1.6

CE notice

Licence conditions

1.7

Trademarks

PS3000044 1.4

5

Pico Technology warrants upon delivery, and for a period of 24 months unless otherwise

stated from the date of delivery, that the Goods will be free from defects in material and

workmanship.

Pico Technology shall not be liable for a breach of the warranty if the defect has been

caused by fair wear and tear, wilful damage, negligence, abnormal working conditions or

failure to follow Pico Technology's spoken or written advice on the storage, installation,

commissioning, use or maintenance of the Goods or (if no advice has been given) good

trade practice; or if the Customer alters or repairs such Goods without the written consent

of Pico Technology.

Address:

Pico Technology Limited

The Mill House

Cambridge Street

St Neots

Cambridgeshire

PE19 1QB

United Kingdom

Phone:

+44 (0) 1480 396 395

Fax:

+44 (0) 1480 396 296

Email:

Technical Support:

tech@picotech.com

Sales:

sales@picotech.com

Web site:

www.picotech.com

PicoScope 3000 Series User Guide

1.8

1.9

Warranty

Company details

PS3000044 1.4

Product information

For PicoScope 3000 Series PC Oscilloscopes to operate, you must have a computer with

the minimum system requirements to run Windows or the following (whichever is the

higher specification):

Processor

Pentium class processor or equivalent minimum.

Memory

32 MB minimum.

Disk space

10 MB minimum.

Operating system

Microsoft Windows 98 SE, ME, 2000, XP or later.

Ports

USB 1.1 compliant port minimum. USB 2.0 compliant port

recommended. Must be connected direct to the port or a

powered USB hub. Will not work on a passive hub.

Important

Do not connect your

PicoScope 3000 Series

PC Oscilloscope to the PC

until you have installed the software.

Procedure

Follow the instructions in the Quick Start Guide included with your product package.

Connect your PC Oscilloscope to the PC using the USB cable supplied.

There is no need for an additional power supply, as the unit obtains its power from the

USB port.

Checking the installation

Once you have installed the software and connected the PC Oscilloscope to the PC, start

the

PicoScope

or

PicoLog

software. The software should now display the voltage that you

have connected. If you are using the PicoScope software and have a probe connected to

your oscilloscope, you should see a small 50Hz or 60Hz mains signal in the oscilloscope

window when you touch the probe tip with your finger .

Standard oscilloscope connectors

PicoScope 3000 Series

PC Oscilloscopes have standard oscilloscope connectors. The

input impedance is also standard, so the x10 function on scope probes works correctly.

6

2

2.1

2.2

Product information

Minimum system requirements

Installation instructions

PS3000044 1.4

7

Connector diagrams

3204

3205

3206

3224

3424

1

USB port.

2

LED. When lit, indicates the oscilloscope is sampling data.

3

Power socket. 12 V DC at 500 mA.

A

Input channel A.

B

Input channel B.

C

Input channel C.

D

Input channel D.

E External trigger

input /

Signal generator

output.

The BNC connector labelled '

E

' on the 3204/5/6 models has two functions. In normal use

it is the external trigger input with an adjustable threshold. Alternatively, on some

oscilloscopes, this connector can also be used to output sine, square and triangle

waveforms which can be swept back and forth at a user-defined frequency. The

integrated signal generator can be controlled via the PicoScope software or by API calls.

The signal generator can also be used to compensate x10 scope probes when set to

output a square wave.

Ground loops

If you experience excessive noise or voltage offsets when using the PicoScope 3204/5/6

variants, you may have a ground loop problem. See

Powering the 3204/5/6

for advice on

overcoming this.

Moving your PicoScope PC Oscilloscope to another USB port

When you install the PicoScope 3000 Series PC Oscilloscope by plugging it into a

USB

port, Windows associates the Pico

driver

software with that port. If you later move the

oscilloscope to a different USB port, Windows will display the "New Hardware Found

Wizard" again. When this occurs, simply follow the steps listed in the Quick Start Guide

after the instruction "Connect the PicoScope 3000 Series PC Oscilloscope to the PC..."

As all the software you need is already installed on your computer, there is no need to

insert the Pico Software CD again.

PicoScope 3000 Series User Guide

PS3000044 1.4

Product information

Variant

3204

3205

3206

3224

3424

Vertical resolution

8 bits

12 bits

Analog bandwidth

50 MHz

100 MHz

200 MHz

10 MHz

Max. sampling rate

Single channel

Dual channel

Triple or quad channel

Repetitive signals

50 MS/s

-

2.5 GS/s

100 MS/s

-

5 GS/s

200 MS/s

100 MS/s

-

10 GS/s

20 MS/s

10 MS/s

--20 MS/s

10 MS/s

5 MS/s

-

Trigger bandwidth

50 MHz

100 MHz

150 MHz

10 MHz

Buffer size

(samples per channel)

One channel in use

Two channels in use

3 or 4 channels in use

256 K

128 K

-

512 K

256 K

-

1 M

512 K

-

512 K

256 K

-

512 K

256 K

128 K

Inputs

2 BNC channels

4 BNC

channels

1 MW impedance

AC/DC coupling

20 pF capacitance

Outputs

Signal generator

Fixed

(Note 1)

Variable

(Note 2)

None

External trigger

1 BNC input shared with signal generator

Variable trigger threshold ± 20 V

Rising/falling

12.2 mV resolution

1 MW impedance

None

Voltage ranges

± 100 mV to ± 20 V in 1, 2, 5 steps

± 20 mV to ± 20 V

Accuracy

3% voltage

100 ppm time

1% voltage

100 ppm time

Operating environment

Temperature range

Humidity

0°C to 70°C (25°C for quoted accuracy)

25% to 75% RH

0°C to 70°C

(20°C to 30°C for

quoted accuracy)

25% to 75% RH

Overload protection

Channels

External trigger

± 50 V

± 30 V

± 100 V

-

PC connection

USB 2.0

Compatible with USB 1.1

Power supply

From USB port: 4.6 to 5.25 V 500 mA

External power supply is not required

From USB port

Dimensions

140 mm x 190 mm x 45 mm

Compliance

CE standard

;

FCC rules

(1)

1 BNC shared with external trigger. Fixed frequency 1 kHz. 5 V square wave. 600

W

output

impedance.

(2) 1 BNC shared with external trigger. Variable frequency 100 Hz to 1 MHz. 5 V square wave, 1 V

sine wave and triangle functions. Repeat sweep function. Dual slope function. 600

W

output

impedance.

8

2.3

Specifications

PS3000044 1.4

9

The Windows 98SE/ME/2000/XP/2003 32-bit driver,

picopp.sys

, is installed in

Windows. It is loaded using an inf file,

picopp.inf

.

Once you have installed the PicoScope and PicoLog software, and the PicoScope 3000

Series PC Oscilloscope is plugged in for the first time, Windows will automatically install

the driver.

This section is aimed at those people who intend to write their own programs for use with

the driver. A description of the driver error codes is given below.

If the PicoScope or

PicoLog software reports an error, refer to the

FAQ

.

Code

Enumeration

Description

0

PS3000_OK

The oscilloscope is functioning correctly.

1

PS3000_MAX_UNITS_OPENED

Attempts have been made to open more than

PS3000_MAX_UNITS.

2

PS3000_MEM_FAIL

Not enough memory could be allocated on the

host machine.

3

PS3000_NOT_FOUND

An oscilloscope could not be found.

4

PS3000_FW_FAIL

Unable to download firmware.

5

PS3000_NOT_RESPONDING

The oscilloscope is not responding to

commands from the PC.

6

PS3000_CONFIG_FAIL

The configuration information in the

oscilloscope has become corrupt or is missing.

7

PS3000_OS_NOT_SUPPORTED

Driver supports Windows 98SE, ME, 2000, XP,

2003 or later.

PicoScope 3000 Series User Guide

3

3.1

3.2

Technical reference

Driver

Driver error codes

PS3000044 1.4

Technical reference

short ps3000_open_unit

( void)

This function opens a PicoScope 3000 Series PC Oscilloscope. The API driver can

support up to four oscilloscopes.

Arguments

None.

Returns

-1

if the oscilloscope fails to open,

0

if no oscilloscope is found,

>0

(handle) if the device opened.

10

3.3

3.3.1

Functions

ps3000_open_unit

PS3000044 1.4

11

short ps3000_get_unit_info (

short

handle,

char

* string,

short

string_length,

short

info

)

This function writes oscilloscope information to a character string. If the oscilloscope fails

to open, only infos 0 and 6 are available to explain why the last open unit call failed.

Arguments

handle

, the handle to the device from which info is required. If an

invalid handle is passed, the error code from the last unit that failed to

open is returned from line 2.

* string

, a pointer to the character string buffer in the calling function

where the unit information string (selected with line) will be stored. If a

null pointer is passed, no information will be written.

string_length

, the length of the character string buffer. If the string

is not long enough to accept all of the information, only the first

string_length

characters are returned.

info

, is an enumerated type specifying what information is required

from the driver.

Returns

The length of the string written to the character string buffer, string, by

the function. If one of the parameters are out of range, or a null pointer

is passed for string, zero will be returned.

info

Description

Example

PS3000_DRIVER_VERSION

(0)

Returns the version number of the

DLL used by the oscilloscope driver.

"1, 0, 0, 2"

PS3000_USB_VERSION

(1)

Returns the type of USB connection

that is being used to connect the

oscilloscope to the computer.

"1.1" or "2.0"

PS3000_HARDWARE_VERSION

(2)

Returns information about what is

the hardware version of the attached

oscilloscope.

"1"

PS3000_VARIANT_INFO

(3)

Returns information about what

model of PicoScope 3000 Series PC

Oscilloscope is attached to the

computer.

"3206"

PS3000_BATCH_AND_SERIAL

(4)

Returns the batch and serial number

of the oscilloscope.

"CMY66/052"

PS3000_CAL_DATE

(5)

Returns the calibration date of the

oscilloscope.

"21Oct03"

PS3000_ERROR_CODE

(6)

Returns one of the

Error codes

.

"4"

PicoScope 3000 Series User Guide

3.3.2

ps3000_get_unit_info

PS3000044 1.4

Technical reference

short ps3000_flash_led ( short handle )

Flashes the LED on the front of the oscilloscope three times and returns within one

second.

Arguments

handle

, the handle of the PicoScope 3000 Series PC Oscilloscope.

Returns

1

if a valid handle is passed,

0

if not.

12

3.3.3

ps3000_flash_led

PS3000044 1.4

13

short ps3000_close_unit

(short handle)

Shuts down a

PicoScope 3000 Series

PC Oscilloscope.

Arguments

handle

, the handle, returned by

ps3000_open_unit

, of the

oscilloscope

being closed.

Returns

1

if a valid handle is passed,

0

if not.

PicoScope 3000 Series User Guide

3.3.4

ps3000_close_unit

PS3000044 1.4

Technical reference

short ps3000_set_channel (

short

handle,

short

channel,

short

enabled,

short

dc,

short

range )

Specifies if a is to be enabled, the position of the

AC\DC switch and the input range.

Arguments

handle

, the handle to the required device.

channel

, an enumerated type, use PS3000_CHANNEL_A (0),

PS3000_CHANNEL_B (1), PS3000_CHANNEL_C (2) or

PS3000_CHANNEL_D (3). Channels C and D are not available on all

models.

enabled

, specify if the channel is active: TRUE=active,

FALSE=inactive.

dc

, specifies the position of the AC/DC switch: TRUE=DC, FALSE=AC.

range

, a code between 0 and 12. See the table below.

Returns

0

if unsuccessful, or if one or more of the arguments are out of range.

1

if successful.

Code

Enumeration

Range

0

PS3000_10MV

±10 mV

Not available on all variants.

1

PS3000_20MV

±20 mV

Not available on all variants..

2

PS3000_50MV

±50 mV

Not available on all variants.

3

PS3000_100MV

±100 mV

4

PS3000_200MV

±200 mV

5

PS3000_500MV

±500 mV

6

PS3000_1V

±1 V

7

PS3000_2V

±2 V

8

PS3000_5V

±5 V

9

PS3000_10V

±10 V

10

PS3000_20V

±20 V

11

PS3000_50V

±50 V

Not available on all variants.

14

3.3.5

ps3000_set_channel

PS3000044 1.4

15

short ps3000_get_timebase (

short

handle,

short

timebase,

long

no_of_samples,

long

* time_interval_ns,

short

* time_units,

short

oversample,

long

* max_samples)

This function discovers which

timebases are available on the oscilloscope. This function

should be called after channel and

ETS options have been set.

Arguments

handle

, the handle to the required device.

timebase

, a code between 0 and the maximum timebase (dependant

on variant). Timebase 0 is the fastest timebase, timebase 1 is twice the

time per sample as timebase 0, timebase 2 is four times, etc.

no_of_samples

, the number of samples required. This value is used

to calculate the most suitable time unit to use.

time_interval_ns

, a pointer to the time interval, in ns, between

readings at the selected timebase. If a null pointer is passed, nothing will

be written here.

time_units

, a pointer to the most suitable time units to return data in,

when calling

ps3000_get_times_and_values

. If a null pointer is passed,

nothing will be written here.

oversample

, the amount of oversample required. An oversample of 4

would quadruple the time interval and quarter the maximum samples. At

the same time it would increase the effective resolution by the amount

given by the equation below:

Increase in resolution (bits) = ( log oversample ) / ( 2 log 2 )

max_samples

, A pointer to the maximum samples available. The

maximum samples may vary depending on the number of channels

enabled, the timebase chosen and the oversample selected. If this

pointer is null, nothing would be written here.

Returns

1

if all parameters are in range, otherwise

0

.

PicoScope 3000 Series User Guide

3.3.6

ps3000_get_timebase

PS3000044 1.4

Technical reference

long ps3000_set_siggen (

short

handle,

short

wave_type,

long

start_frequency,

long

stop_frequency,

float

increment,

short

dwell_time,

short

repeat,

short

dual_slope)

This function is used to enable or disable the

signal generator

and sweep functions.

Sweep functions are not available if the oscilloscope is in

streaming mode

.

The signal generator is available only on the PicoScope 3204/5/6 PC Oscilloscope

variants. See remarks and

specifications

for more information.

16

3.3.7

ps3000_set_siggen

PS3000044 1.4

17

Arguments

handle

, the handle of the required device.

wave_type

, the type of wave. Choose

PS3000_SQUARE (0),

PS3000_TRIANGLE (1)

or

PS3000_SINE (2)

.

This argument has no

effect if used with the PicoScope 3204 variant.

start_frequency

, the required frequency, in the range 0 < freq < 1

MHz, to start the sweep or the frequency generated in a non-sweep

mode.

0

switches the signal generator off.

stop_frequency

, the required stop frequency of the sweep, in the

range 0 < freq < 1 MHz but not necessarily greater than

start_frequency

. If the start and stop frequencies are the same, the

signal generator will be run with a constant frequency.

This argument

has no effect if used with the PicoScope 3204 variant..

increment

, the size of the steps to increment or decrement the

frequency by in a sweep mode. This must always be positive; the start

and stop frequencies will determine whether to increment or decrement.

This must be a frequency in the range 0.1 Hz <

increment

<|stop_frequency

-

start_frequency

|. This is not used in a non-

sweep mode.

T

his argument has no effect if used with the PicoScope

3204 variant..

dwell_time

, This is the time, in ms, to wait before increasing the

frequency by

increment

in a sweep mode. This is unused in a non-

sweep mode.

This argument has no effect if used with the PicoScope

3204 variant..

repeat

,

TRUE

restarts the sweep when the

stop_frequency

is

reached,

FALSE

continues indefinitely at

stop_frequency

when it is

reached.

This argument has no effect if used with the PicoScope 3204

variant..

dual_slope

, if repeat is

TRUE

this specifies what to do at the

stop_frequency

.

TRUE

will sweep back towards the

start_frequency

,

FALSE

will restart the sweep from

start_frequency

.

This argument has no effect if used with the

PicoScope 3204 variant..

Returns

The actual frequency or start frequency, in hertz, that is generated. Zero

if one of the parameters are not in range.

Remarks

The PicoScope 3204 variant has a simple 1 kHz square wave signal generator for scope

probe calibration. With this variant, therefore, only two arguments of this function have

any effect:

To switch the square wave on, use a valid

handle

and set

start_frequency

to a non-

zero value. To switch the square wave off, use a valid

handle

and set

start_frequency

to 0.

PicoScope 3000 Series User Guide

PS3000044 1.4

Technical reference

long ps3000_set_ets (

short

handle,

short

mode,

short

ets_cycles,

short

ets_interleave)

This function is used to enable or disable

ETS

(equivalent time sampling) and to set the

ETS parameters.

Note: The 3224 and 3424 variants do not have an ETS mode.

Arguments

handle

, the handle to the required device.

mode

,

PS3000_ETS_OFF

(0) - disables ETS,

PS3000_ETS_FAST

(1) -

enable ETS and provides ets_cycles of data, which may contain data

from previously returned cycles,

PS3000_ETS_SLOW

(2) - enable ETS

and provide fresh data every

ets_cycles

cycles.

PS3000_ETS_SLOW

takes longer to provide each data set, but the data sets are more stable

and unique.

ets_cycles

, Specifies the number of cycles to store: the computer can

then select

ets_interleave

cycles to give the most uniform spread of

samples.

ets_cycles

should be between two and five times the value

of

ets_interleave

.

ets_interleave

, Specifies the number of ETS interleaves to use. If

the sample time is 20 ns and the interleave 10, the approximate time per

sample will be 2 ns.

Returns

If ETS is enabled, the effective sample time will be returned.

Zero if ETS is disabled or one of the parameters is out of range.

18

3.3.8

ps3000_set_ets

PS3000044 1.4

19

short ps3000_set_trigger (

short

handle,

short

source,

short

threshold,

short

direction,

short

delay,

short

auto_trigger_ms)

This function is used to enable or disable triggering and its parameters. Triggering is not

available in

streaming mode

.

Arguments

handle

, the handle to the required device.

source

, specifies where to look for a trigger. Use

PS3000_CHANNEL_A

(0),

PS3000_CHANNEL_B

(1),

PS3000_CHANNEL_C

(2),

PS3000_CHANNEL_D

(3),

PS3000_EXTERNAL

(4) or

PS3000_NONE

(5).

Channels C, D and External are not available on all models.

threshold

, the threshold for the trigger event. This is scaled in 16-bit

ADC counts at the currently selected range. If an external trigger is

enabled the range is fixed at +/-20V.

direction

, use

PS3000_RISING

(0) or

PS3000_FALLING

(1).

delay

, This specifies the delay, as a percentage of the requested

number of data points, between the trigger event and the start of the

block. It should be in the range -100% to +100%. Thus, 0% means that

the first data value in the block, and -50% means that the trigger event

is in the middle of the block.

auto_trigger_ms

, the delay in ms after which the

o

scilloscope will

collect samples if no trigger event occurs. If this is set to zero the

oscilloscope

will wait for a trigger indefinitely.

Returns

0

if one of the parameters are out of range, otherwise

1

.

PicoScope 3000 Series User Guide

3.3.9

ps3000_set_trigger

PS3000044 1.4

Technical reference

short ps3000_run_block (

short

handle,

long

no_of_samples,

short

timebase,

short

oversample,

long

* time_indisposed_ms)

This function tells the oscilloscope to start collecting data in

block mode

.

Arguments

handle

, the handle to the required device.

no_of_samples

, the number of samples to return.

timebase

, a code between 0 and the maximum timebase available

(consult the driver header file). Timebase 0 gives the maximum sample

rate available, timebase 1 selects a sample rate half as fast, timebase 2

is half as fast again and so on. For the maximum sample rate, see the

specifications

. Note that the number of channels enabled may affect the

availability of the fastest timebases.

oversample

, the oversample factor, a number between 1 and 256.

time_indisposed_ms

, a pointer to the

time_indisposed_ms

. This

is the approximate time, in ms, over which the ADC will collect data. If a

trigger is set, it is the amount of time the ADC takes, in ms, to collect a

block of data after a trigger event, calculated as sample interval x

number of points required. Note: The actual time may differ from

computer to computer, depending on how fast the computer can

respond to I/O requests.

Returns

0

if one of the parameters is out of range, otherwise 1.

20

3.3.10

ps3000_run_block

PS3000044 1.4

21

short ps3000_run_streaming (

short

handle,

short

time_interval_ms,

long

max_samples,

short

windowed)

This function tells the oscilloscope to start collecting data in

streaming mode

. If this

function is called when a trigger has been enabled, the trigger settings will be ignored.

Arguments

handle

, the handle to the required device.

time_interval_ms

, the time interval, in ms, between data points. This

can be no shorter than 1 ms.

max_samples

, the maximum number of samples that the driver is to

store. This can be no greater than 60 000. It is the caller's responsibility

to retrieve data before the oldest values are overwritten.

windowed

, if this is

0

, only the values taken since the last call to get

values are returned. If this is

1

, the number of values requested by

get_values are returned, even if they have already been read by

ps_get_values

.

Returns

1

if streaming has been enabled correctly, otherwise

0

if a problem

occurred or a value was out of range.

PicoScope 3000 Series User Guide

3.3.11

ps3000_run_streaming

PS3000044 1.4

Technical reference

short ps3000_ready (

short handle)

This function checks to see if the

o

scilloscope has finished the last data collection

operation. This function does nothing if the

oscilloscope

is in

streaming mode

.

Arguments

handle

, the handle to the required device.

Returns

1

(meaning 'ready') is returned when the

oscilloscope

has collected a

complete block of data or the auto trigger timeout has been reached. If

an invalid handle is passed or if the oscilloscope is in streaming mode it

returns

0 ( meaning 'not ready').

-1

(meaning 'device not attached') is returned if the endpoint transfer

fails indicating that the unit may well have been unplugged.

22

3.3.12

ps3000_ready

PS3000044 1.4

23

void ps3000_stop (

short handle)

Call this function to stop the oscilloscope from sampling data. If this function is called

before a trigger event occurs, the oscilloscope may not contain valid data.

Arguments

handle

, the handle to the required device.

Returns

0

if an invalid handle is passed, otherwise

1

.

PicoScope 3000 Series User Guide

3.3.13

ps3000_stop

PS3000044 1.4

Technical reference

long ps3000_get_values(

short

handle

short

* buffer_a,

short

* buffer_b,

short

* buffer_c,

short

* buffer_d,

short

* overflow,

long

no_of_values )

This function is used to get values. This function does nothing if

ETS

triggering is

enabled.

Arguments

handle

, the handle to the required device.

buffer_a,

buffer_b,

buffer_c,

buffer_d,

pointers to the buffers that receive data from the specified

channels (A, B, C or D). A pointer is unused if the oscilloscope is not

collecting data from that channel. If a pointer is

NULL

, nothing will be

written to it.

overflow

, a bit pattern indicating whether an overflow has occurred on

a channel. Bit 0 is the LSB.

Bit 0 --> channel A

Bit 1 --> channel B

Bit 2 --> channel C

Bit 3 --> channel D

no_of_values

. The number of data points to return. In streaming

mode, this is the maximum no of values to return.

Returns

The actual number of data values per channel returned, which may be

less than

no_of_values

if streaming.

FALSE

is returned if one of the

parameters is out of range.

24

3.3.14

ps3000_get_values

PS3000044 1.4

25

long ps3000_get_times_and_values(

short

handle

long

* times,

short

* buffer_a,

short

* buffer_b,

short

* buffer_c,

short

* buffer_d,

short

* overflow,

short

time_units,

long

no_of_values )

This function is used to get values and times. It will not return any valid times if the

oscilloscope is in

streaming mode

. It is essential for

ETS

operation.

Arguments

handle

, the handle to the required device.

times

, a pointer to the buffer for the times. Each time is the interval

between the trigger event and the corresponding sample. Times before

the trigger event are negative, and times after the trigger event are

positive.

buffer_a,

buffer_b,

buffer_c,

buffer_d,

pointers to the buffers that receive data from the specified

channels (A, B, C or D). A pointer is unused if the oscilloscope is not

collecting data from that channel. If a pointer is

NULL

, nothing will be

written to it.

overflow

, a bit pattern indicating whether an overflow has occurred on

a channel. Bit 0 is the LSB.

Bit 0 --> channel A

Bit 1 --> channel B

Bit 2 --> channel C

Bit 3 --> channel D

time_units

, which can be one of:

PS3000_FS

(0),

PS3000_PS

(1),

PS3000_NS

(2),

PS3000_US

(3),

PS3000_MS

(4) or

PS3000_S

(5)

which are femtoseconds, picoseconds, nanoseconds (default),

microseconds, milliseconds and seconds respectively.

no_of_values,

the number of data points to return. In streaming

mode, this is the maximum number of values to return.

Returns

The actual number of data values per channel returned, which may be

less than the

no_of_values

if streaming.

0

is returned if one or more of the parameters are out of range or if the

times will overflow with the

time_units

requested. Use

ps3000_get_timebase

in order to acquire the most suitable

time_units

.

PicoScope 3000 Series User Guide

3.3.15

ps3000_get_times_and_values

PS3000044 1.4

Technical reference

PicoScope 3000 Series PC Oscilloscopes

can run in various sampling modes. At high

sampling rates, the oscilloscope collects data much faster than a PC can read it. To

compensate for this, the oscilloscope stores a block of data in an internal memory buffer,

delaying transfer to the PC until the required number of data points have been sampled.

This is called

block mode

. At very low sampling rates, you may want to switch to

streaming mode

. This allows accurately timed data to be transferred back to the PC in

short blocks, without gaps.

In block mode, the computer prompts a

PicoScope 3000 series

PC Oscilloscope to collect

a block of data into its internal memory. When the oscilloscope has collected the whole

block, it will signal it is ready, and transfer the whole block into computer memory via the

USB port.

The maximum number of values depends upon the size of the oscilloscope's memory. A

PicoScope 3000 Series PC Oscilloscope can sample at a number of different rates.

These rates correspond to the maximum clock frequency multiplied by 0.5, 0.25, 0.125,

and so on.

There is a separate memory buffer for each channel. When a channel is unused, its

memory can be utilised by the enabled channels. On the faster models, one input can be

routed to two circuits in the oscilloscope, thus doubling the effective sampling rate of a

single channel.

The driver for a PicoScope 3000 Series PC Oscilloscope normally performs a number of

setup operations before collecting each block of data. This can take up to 50 milliseconds.

If it is necessary to collect data with the minimum time interval between blocks, avoid

calling setup functions between calls to

ps3000_run_block()

,

ps3000_ready ()

,

ps3000_stop()

(not normally used) and

ps3000_get_values ()

.

In streaming mode, the computer prompts the

PicoScope 3000 Series

PC Oscilloscope to

start collecting data. The data is then transferred back to the PC without being stored in

oscilloscope memory. Data can be sampled with a period of between 1 ms and 60 s.

Data can be transferred by the oscilloscope's driver to a computer program either in

normal or windowed mode. In normal mode, any data collected since the last data

transfer operation is returned in its entirety. In windowed mode, a fixed number (n) of

samples is returned, where the oldest samples may have already been returned before.

Normal mode is useful if the computer program requires fresh data on every transfer.

Windowed mode is useful when the program requires a constant time frame of data.

Once the oscilloscope is collecting data in streaming mode, any setup changes (for

example, changing a channel range or

AC/DC

setting in the PicoScope software

application) will cause a restart of the data stream. The driver can buffer up to 32K

samples of data per channel, but the user must ensure that the

ps3000_get_values ()

function is called frequently enough to avoid buffer overrun.

26

3.4

3.4.1

3.4.2

Advanced features

Sampling modes

More on block mode

3.4.3

More on streaming mode

PS3000044 1.4

27

The

ps3000_get_times_and_values ()

function will always return FALSE (0) in streaming

mode.

The PicoScope 3000 Series PC Oscilloscope can either start collecting data immediately,

or it can be programmed to wait for a trigger event to occur. In either case, you need to

use the

ps3000_set_trigger ()

function. A trigger event can occur when the channel A or

B input crosses a threshold voltage, or when an external trigger input crosses a threshold

voltage. The trigger event can be either a rising or a falling edge.

The

external trigger

input uses the same physical connection as the

signal generator

output, so these two functions cannot be used at the same time. It is possible, however,

to use the output from the signal generator as a trigger. Triggering is available in block

mode only. Any call to the

ps3000_set_trigger ()

function has no effect in streaming

mode.

ETS

is a way of increasing the effective sample rate when working with repetitive signals.

It is not possible to use ETS with one-shot signals. ETS is controlled by the

ps3000_set_trigger ()

and

ps3000_set_ets()

functions. ETS is available in block mode

only. Calls to the

ps3000_set_trigger ()

function have no effect in

streaming mode

. As

ETS will return random time intervals, the

ps3000_get_times_and_values ()

function must

be used. The

ps3000_get_values ()

function will return FALSE (0).

Only the 3204/5/6 variants provide ETS.

It is possible to set the gain for each channel with the

ps3000_set_channel()

function.

This will give an input voltage range between ±20 mV (for the 3224 and 3424) or ±100 mV

(for the 3204/5/6) and ±20V. The

external trigger

has a fixed input range of ±20 V.

Using the

ps3000_set_channel

function, each channel can be set to either AC or DC

coupling. When AC coupling is used, any DC component of the signal is filtered out.

When the oscilloscope is operating in

block mode

at speeds less than the maximum, it is

possible to oversample. Oversampling is taking more than one measurement during a

time interval and returning an average. This reduces the effects of noise, and increases

the effective

vertical resolution

of the oscilloscope.

PicoScope 3000 Series User Guide

3.4.4

3.4.5

Triggering

ETS (Equivalent Time Sampling)

3.4.6

3.4.7

3.4.8

Voltage ranges

AC/DC operation

Oversampling

PS3000044 1.4

Technical reference

The PicoScope 3000 Series PC Oscilloscopes have resolutions that range from 8 bits to

12 bits, but the oscilloscope driver normalises all readings to 16 bits. This enables it to

take advantage of noise reduction from oversampling, when this is enabled. The following

table shows the relationship between the reading from the driver and the voltage of the

signal.

Reading

Voltage

-32 767

Minimum

0

Zero volts

32 767

Maximum

The PicoScope 3204/5/6 PC Oscilloscopes have a built-in

signal generator

which is set

using

ps3000_set_siggen()

. The output of the 3204 is a fixed-frequency square wave,

while the 3205 and 3206 can produce a selection of accurate frequencies from 100 Hz to

1 MHz, and the waveform can be set to sine, square or triangle and swept back and forth

in frequency. These options are selected under software control.

The signal generator output and external trigger input share the same connector, so

these two functions cannot be used at the same time. It is possible, however, to use the

output from the signal generator as a trigger.

With PicoLog or your own program it is possible to collect data using up to four

PicoScope 3000 Series PC Oscilloscopes

at the same time. Each oscilloscope must be

connected to a separate USB port. If a USB hub is used it must be a powered hub. The

ps3000_open_unit ()

function returns a handle to an oscilloscope. All of the other

functions require this handle for oscilloscope identification. For example, to collect data

from two oscilloscopes at the same time:

handle1 = ps3000_open ()

handle2 = ps3000_open ()

ps3000_set_channel (handle1)

... set up unit 1

ps3000_run(handle1)

ps3000_set_channel (handle2)

... set up unit 2

ps3000_run(handle2)

ready = FALSE

while not ready

ready = ps3000_ready (handle1)

ready &= ps3000_ready (handle2)

ps3000_get_values(handle1)

ps3000_get_values(handle2)

Note: It is not possible to synchronise the collection of data between oscilloscopes that

are being used in combination.

28

3.4.9

3.4.10

Scaling

Signal generator

3.4.11

Combining oscilloscopes

PS3000044 1.4

29

The previous section on advanced features supplied the programmer with extended

information on

PicoScope 3000 Series

PC Oscilloscopes. The C sample program,

ps3000con.c

, demonstrates how to use the functions of the driver software, and

includes examples showing how to use each of the modes available.

This is the general procedure for reading and displaying data in

block mode

:1Open the oscilloscope using

ps3000_open_unit

2

Select channel ranges and AC/DC switches using

ps3000_set_channel

3

Using

ps3000_set_trigger

, set the trigger if required

4

Using

ps3000_get_timebase

, select timebases until the required ns per sample is

located

5

If required, set the signal generator frequency using

ps3000_set_siggen

6

Start the oscilloscope running using

ps3000_run_block

7

Wait until the oscilloscope says it is ready using

ps3000_ready

8

Transfer the block of data from the oscilloscope using

ps3000_get_values

or

ps3000_get_times_and_values

9

Display the data

10

Repeat steps 6 to 9

11

Stop the oscilloscope using

ps3000_stop

.

This is the general procedure for reading and displaying data in

streaming mode

:1Open the oscilloscope using

ps3000_open_unit

2

Select channel ranges and AC/DC switches using

ps3000_set_channel

3

Start the oscilloscope running using

ps3000_run_streaming

4

Transfer the block of data from the oscilloscope using

ps3000_get_values

5

Display the data

6

Repeat steps 3 to 5 as necessary

7

Stop the oscilloscope using

ps3000_stop

This is the general procedure for reading and displaying data in

ETS

mode:

1

Open the oscilloscope using

ps3000_open_unit

2

Select channel ranges and AC/DC switches using

ps3000_set_channel

3

Using

ps3000_set_trigger

, set the trigger if required

4

Set ETS mode using

ps3000_set_ets

5

Start the oscilloscope running using

ps3000_run_block

6

Wait until the oscilloscope says it is ready using

ps3000_ready

7

Transfer the block of data from the oscilloscope using

ps3000_get_times_and_values

8

Display the data

9

Repeat steps 5 to 8 as necessary

10

Stop the oscilloscope using

ps3000_stop

Only the 3204/5/6 variants provide this function.

PicoScope 3000 Series User Guide

3.5

3.5.1

3.5.2

Using different modes

Introduction

Using block mode

3.5.3

3.5.4

Using streaming mode

Using ETS mode

PS3000044 1.4

Technical reference

There are two C example programs: one is a simple GUI application, and the other is a

more comprehensive console mode program that demonstrates all of the facilities of the

driver.

The GUI example program is a generic Windows application - that is, it does not use

Borland AppExpert or Microsoft AppWizard. To compile the program, create a new project

for an Application containing the following files:

ps3000.c

;

ps3000.rc

; and

ps3000bc.lib

(Borland 32-bit applications); or

ps3000.lib

(Microsoft Visual C 32-bit applications)

The following files must be in the compilation directory:

ps3000.rch

;

ps3000.h

;

and the following file must be in the same directory as the executable.

ps3000.dll

The console example program is a generic windows application - that is, it does not use

Borland AppExpert or Microsoft AppWizard. To compile the program, create a new project

for an Application containing the following files:

ps3000con.c

; and

ps3000bc.lib

(Borland 32-bit applications); or

ps3000.lib

(Microsoft Visual C 32-bit applications).

The following files must be in the compilation directory:

ps3000.h

;

and the following file must be in the same directory as the executable.

ps3000.dll

The Win32 sub-directory contains the following files:

ps3000.vbp

- project file

ps3000.bas

- procedure prototypes

ps3000.frm

- form and program

Note

:

The functions which return a TRUE/FALSE value, return 0 for FALSE and 1 for

TRUE, whereas Visual basic expects 65 535 for TRUE. Check for > 0 rather than =TRUE.

30

3.6

3.6.1

Programming

C

3.6.2

Visual Basic

PS3000044 1.4

31

The program

ps3000.dpr

demonstrates how to operate

PicoScope 3000 Series PC

Oscilloscopes

. The file

ps3000.inc

contains procedure prototypes that you can include

in your own programs. Other required files include

ps300fm.res

,

ps300fm.dfm

and

ps3000fm.pas

. This has been tested with Delphi versions 3.

1 Load the spreadsheet

ps3000.xls

2 Select

Tools | Macro

3 Select

GetData

4 Select

Run

Note

:

The Excel Macro language is similar to Visual Basic. The functions which return a

TRUE/FALSE value, return 0 for FALSE and 1 for TRUE, whereas Visual Basic expects

65 535 for TRUE. Check for > 0 rather than =TRUE.

The example function

ps3000.vee

is in the drivers sub-directory. It uses procedures that

are defined in

ps3000.vh

. It was tested using Agilent Vee version 5.

PicoScope 3000 Series User Guide

3.6.3

3.6.4

3.6.5

Delphi

Excel

Agilent Vee

PS3000044 1.4

Troubleshooting

Consult this section if your are a PicoScope or PicoLog user. If you are writing your own

program, refer to the

driver error codes

section.

PicoLog reports error code

1

.

This error is reported when more than 4 oscilloscopes are opened on one machine. It is

not possible to use more than 4 oscilloscopes with PicoLog.

PicoScope or PicoLog reports error code

2

.

This error is reported when the driver cannot allocate enough of the computer's memory

to operate the oscilloscope. Consult the

system requirements

section for more

information.

PicoScope or PicoLog reports error code

3

.

This error indicates that a

PicoScope 3000 Series PC Oscilloscope

could not be found on

your machine. Make sure the software is installed before the oscilloscope is plugged into

the USB socket and restart your computer.

Ensure that mention of the oscilloscope can be found in the USB section of the Windows

Device Manager

. If the oscilloscope is not mentioned there, consult

Pico Technical

Support

for further advice.

PicoScope or PicoLog reports error code

4, 5

or 6.

This error is reported when there is a problem with the oscilloscope itself. These problems

could arise from configuration settings being corrupted, or a firmware or hardware error.

Unplug the oscilloscope, wait a few seconds, and reconnect it to the USB port. If the error

is still reported, consult

Pico Technical Support

for further advice.

PicoScope or PicoLog reports error code

7

.

This error is reported if the operating system is not recent enough to support the

PicoScope 3000 Series PC Oscilloscope. Consult the

system requirements

section for

more information.

32

4

4.1

Troubleshooting

Software error codes

PS3000044 1.4

33

The

PicoScope

3204/5/6 PC Oscilloscopes are normally powered from the

USB

port of

the computer. If the computer and the equipment under test (EUT) are both referenced

to the same ground, a "ground loop" may be created. This may degrade the DC accuracy

and noise performance when measuring small signals.

Typically, a ground loop is created when the PicoScope is connected to a mains-powered

computer and is used to measure a signal on another mains-powered device. In this case

the ground loop is created through mains earth, as illustrated below:

The majority of laptop power supplies (chargers) are floating and have no ground

reference. If, however, connecting your grounded laptop power supply causes

noise/offset problems, you can either use the oscilloscope with the laptop running on its

batteries or power the oscilloscope using the supplied mains adaptor.

If necessary, you should plug the mains adaptor into the socket on the back of the

oscilloscope (near the USB socket). It can be safely connected and disconnected during

operation without risk of damage to the oscilloscope.

PicoScope 3000 Series User Guide

4.2

Powering the 3204/5/6

PS3000044 1.4

Glossary

AC/DC switch

To switch from AC coupling to DC coupling, or vice versa, select AC or DC from the

control on the oscilloscope toolbar of the PicoScope software application. The AC setting

filters out any DC component of the input signal, and is suitable for viewing small AC

signals superimposed on a DC or slowly-changing offset. In this mode you can measure

the peak-to-peak amplitude of an AC signal but not its absolute value. Use the DC setting

for measuring the absolute value of a signal.

Analog bandwidth

The input frequency at which the measured signal amplitude is 3 dB below its true value.

Block mode

A sampling mode in which the computer prompts the oscilloscope to collect a block of

data into its internal memory before stopping the oscilloscope and transferring the whole

block into computer memory. This mode of operation is effective when the input signal

being sampled is high frequency. Note: To avoid aliasing effects, the maximum input

frequency must be less than half the sampling rate.

Buffer size

The size of the oscilloscope buffer memory, measured in samples. The buffer memory is

used by the oscilloscope to store data temporarily. This allows the oscilloscope to sample

data independently of the speed at which it can transfer data to the computer.

Device Manager

Device Manager is a Windows applet that displays the current hardware configuration of

your computer. On Windows 98 or Windows ME, right click on 'My Computer' and choose

the 'Device Manager' tab. On Windows 2000 or XP, right-click on 'My Computer,' choose

'Properties', then click the 'Hardware' tab and the 'Device Manager' button.

Driver

A software application that controls a piece of hardware. The driver for the

PicoScope

3000 Series PC Oscilloscopes is supplied in the form of a 32 bit Windows DLL. This is

used by the PicoScope and PicoLog software to control the oscilloscopes.

ETS

Equivalent Time Sampling. ETS constructs a picture of a repetitive signal by accumulating

information over many similar wave cycles. This means the oscilloscope can capture fast

repeating signals that have a higher frequency than the maximum sampling rate. Note:

ETS should not be used for one-shot or non-repetitive signals.

External trigger

This is the BNC socket marked

E

on the PicoScope 3204/5/6 PC Oscilloscopes. It can be

used to start a data collection run but cannot be used to record data. As it shares the

same connector

as the signal generator output, these two functions cannot be used at the

same time. It is possible, however, to use the output from the signal generator as a

trigger.

Maximum sampling rate

A figure indicating the maximum number of samples the oscilloscope can acquire per

second. Maximum sample rates are usually given in MS/s (megasamples per second) or

GS/s (gigasamples per second.) The higher the sampling capability of the oscilloscope,

the more accurate the representation of the high-frequency details in a fast signal.

34

5

Glossary

PS3000044 1.4

35

PC Oscilloscope

The instrument formed by connecting a PicoScope 3000 Series PC Oscilloscope to a

computer running the PicoScope software application.

PicoLog software

This is a software product that accompanies all our oscilloscopes. It turns your PC into a

data logger and chart recorder.

PicoScope 3000 Series

An oscilloscope range comprising the PicoScope 3204, 3205, 3206, 3224 and 3424 PC

Oscilloscopes.

PicoScope software

This is a software product that accompanies all our oscilloscopes. It turns your PC into an

oscilloscope, spectrum analyser, and meter display.

Real time continuous mode

A sampling mode in which the software repeatedly requests single samples from the

oscilloscope. This mode is suitable for low sampling rates when you require the latest

sample to be displayed as soon as it is captured.

Signal generator

This is a feature on an oscilloscope which allows a signal to be generated without an

external input device being present. The signal generator output is the BNC socket

marked

E

on the oscilloscope. If you connect a BNC cable between this, and one of the

channel inputs, you can send a signal down one of the channels. On some units, the

signal generator can generate a simple TTL square wave, while on others it can generate

a sine, square or triangle wave that can be swept back and forth. Consult the

specifications

for further details.

Note: The signal generator output is physically the same as the external trigger input, so

these two functions cannot be used at the same time. It is possible, however, to use the

output from the signal generator as a trigger.

Streaming mode

A sampling mode in which the oscilloscope samples data and returns it to the computer in

an unbroken stream. This mode of operation is suitable when the input signal contains

only low frequencies.

Temperature range

The minimum and maximum temperatures between which the oscilloscope is guaranteed

to meet its specifications. The 3204/5/6 PC Oscilloscopes are specified at a nominal

temperature of 25°C, and the 3224/3424 are specified over the range 20°C to 30°C.

Timebase

The timebase controls the time interval that the width of the scope display represents. If

you select

Timebase is time per division

in the

Preferences

dialog box, it works like a

traditional bench top scope. There are ten divisions across the screen, so the total time

interval is ten times the timebase.

Trigger bandwidth

The m

aximum frequency at which the trigger circuit will reliably generate a trigger event.

PicoScope 3000 Series User Guide

PS3000044 1.4

Glossary

USB 1.1

Universal Serial Bus (Full Speed). This is a standard port that enables you to connect

external devices to PCs. A typical USB 1.1 port supports a data transfer rate of 12 Mbps

(12 megabits per second), and is much faster than a serial port.

USB 2.0

Universal Serial Bus (High Speed). This is a standard port that enables you to connect

external devices to PCs. A typical USB 2.0 port supports a data transfer rate 40 times

faster than USB 1.1, and all USB 2.0 ports are backwards-compatible with USB 1.1.

Vertical resolution

A value, in bits, indicating the degree of precision with which the oscilloscope can convert

input voltages to digital values. Calculation techniques can improve the effective

resolution.

Voltage range

The range of input voltages that the oscilloscope will measure in a given mode.

36

PS3000044 1.4

PicoScope 3000 Series User Guide37

Index

A

AC coupling 27 AC/DC switch 14, 26, 29 Accuracy 8 ADC 26, 28 Agilent Vee 31 Aliasing 27 Analog bandwidth 8 API 2

B

Bandwidth (analog) 8 Block mode 20, 26, 27, 29 BNC connector 6 Buffer 26, 27 Buffer size 8

F

Functions 26, 27, 28, 29

ps3000_close_unit 13 ps3000_flash_led 12 ps3000_get_timebase 15 ps3000_get_times_and_values 25 ps3000_get_unit_info 11 ps3000_get_values 24 ps3000_open_unit 10 ps3000_ready 22 ps3000_run_block 20 ps3000_run_streaming 21 ps3000_set_channel 14 ps3000_set_ets 18 ps3000_set_siggen 16 ps3000_set_trigger 19 ps3000_stop 23

G

Gain 27

C

C 29 C programming 30 Calibration 3 Channel 14, 15, 19, 24, 26, 27, 29 Compliance 8 Contact details 5

D

Data logger 2 DC coupling 27 Delphi programming 31 Device Manager 32 Dimensions 8 Driver 9, 26, 28, 29, 32 Driver error codes 9

E

Error codes 32 ETS 15, 18, 24, 25, 27, 29 Excel macros 31 External trigger 6, 8, 19, 27, 28

H

High speed 2, 26

I

Inputs 8

L

LED 12 Licence conditions 4

M

Macros in Excel 31 Maximum input range 3 Maximum sampling rate 8 Memory buffer 26, 27 Multi-unit operation 28

N

Normal mode 26

PS3000044 1.4

Index

38

O

One-shot signal 27 Operating environment 8 Oscilloscope probe 6 Outputs 8 Overload protection 8 Oversampling 27

P

PC connection 8 PC Oscilloscopes 2, 4 Pico Technical Support 32 PicoLog software 2, 9 picopp.inf 9 picopp.sys 9 PicoScope 3000 Series 2, 3, 4, 6, 9, 26, 27,

28, 29, 32 PicoScope software 2, 6, 9 Power supply 8 Pre-trigger 27 Programming in C 29, 30 Programming in Dephi 31 Programming in Visual Basic 30

T

Technical support 32 Test equipment 3 Threshold voltage 27 Time interval 27 Timebase 15, 20 Trademarks 4 Trigger bandwidth 8 Triggering 27

U

USB 2, 6 USB 1.1 2, 6 USB 2.0 2, 6 USB hub 28 USB port 32

V

Vertical resolution 8, 27 Visual Basic programming 30 Voltage ranges 8

R

Repair 3 Resolution (vertical) 8, 27

S

Safety symbols 2 Safety warning 3 Sampling rate 27 Sampling rate (maximum) 8 Scope probe 6 Signal generator 6, 8, 16, 27, 28, 29 Software control 28 Software error codes 32 Specifications 8 Spectrum analyser 2 Square wave 6 Streaming mode 21, 26, 29 Sweep 28 System requirements 6

W

Warranty 5 Windowed mode 26

PS3000044 1.4

PS3000044 1.4 17.10.05

Pico Technology Ltd

The Mill House

Cambridge Street

St Neots PE19 1QB

United Kingdom

Tel: +44 (0) 1480 396 395

Fax: +44 (0) 1480 396 296

Web: www.picotech.com

PICO picoscope 3204, picoscope 3206, picoscope 3224, picoscope 3205, picoscope 3424 User Manual

Specifications and Main Features

Frequently Asked Questions

User Manual

Introduction

Overview

Safety symbols

safety warning

FCC notice

CE notice

Licence conditions

Trademarks

Warranty

Company details

Product information

Minimum system requirements

Installation instructions

Specifications

Technical reference

Driver

Driver error codes

Functions

ps3000_open_unit

ps3000_get_unit_info

ps3000_flash_led

ps3000_close_unit

ps3000_set_channel

ps3000_get_timebase

ps3000_set_siggen

ps3000_set_ets

ps3000_set_trigger

ps3000_run_block

ps3000_run_streaming

ps3000_ready

ps3000_stop

ps3000_get_values

ps3000_get_times_and_values

Advanced features

Sampling modes

More on block mode

More on streaming mode

Triggering

ETS (Equivalent Time Sampling)

Voltage ranges

AC/DC operation

Oversampling

signal generator

Scaling

Combining oscilloscopes

Using different modes

Introduction

Using block mode

Using streaming mode

Using ETS mode

Programming

Visual Basic

Delphi

Excel

Agilent Vee

Troubleshooting

Software error codes

Powering the 3204/5/6

Glossary