PCB scope
Product Details
Many people who enjoy electronics as a hobby or in education (where budgets are always tight) don't always need a super-high-end oscilloscope but instead rather require something that is very affordable yet highly usable in practice.
The PCB-scope is just that - simple to use, yet with a full feature set as you will find on professional instruments. The Windows software is free of charge and the PCB-scope connects via a standard micro-USB cable (as used by most cameras, mobile phones and e-readers, not included).
PCB-scope grew out of the earlier DPScope project to see how a PCB based scope design could be simplified yet still give the functionality, look and feel of a real oscilloscope. It is primarily geared towards education and beginners and is ideal for use within PICAXE microcontroller projects.
PCB-scope highlights:
- Oscilloscope, logic analyzer and datalogger in one instrument.
- Two analogue input channels (for scope and datalogger modes) - many of the low-end scopes on the market only have a single channel which makes them very limited as you often need to display one signal with respect to another (e.g. clock vs. data), or trigger on a signal different to the one you want to look at.
- Four digital input channels (for logic analyzer and datalogger modes)
- Triggering on CH1, a dedicated trigger channel, or free running. (Logic analyzer can trigger on any of the digital channels).
- Trigger on rising or falling edge (selectable), or free running.
- Covers the typical applications in a hobby/PICAXE environment: Analogue signals like audio (0 - 20 kHz), ultrasound, infrared sensors (38 kHz), servo motor control (a few kHz). Logic signals like e.g. RS-232, CAN, I2C, SPI, one-wire. Slow changing signals like temperature sensors etc.
- Spectrum analyzer functionality (real-time Fast Fourier Transformation) so one can look at things like 50 (or 60) Hz interference, distortion in an audio amplifier or look for oscillations in a power supply.
- Fast and smooth acquisition - shows the signals "as they happen", with a screen update rate up to 20 frames/sec.
- Wide input range - from millivolts to > 20V (> 200V with an optional 1:10 scope probe)
- Very low-cost
- Small and easy to use so even a user without much experience with oscilloscope gets a quick start, and compact so it doesn't use much desk space.
- Uses standard micro USB to connect to a computer as well as for power supply
- Dual connectors (supplied) for easy breadboard connection.
Specification
PCB-scope Specifications
| Feature | PCB-scope |
| Number of analogue (scope) channels | 2 signal channels + external trigger input |
| Number of digital (logic analyzer) channels | 4 |
| Analogue bandwidth (scope channels) | > 300 kHz |
| Input impedance |
Scope channels: 1 Mohm || 15 pF |
| Signal connection | Scope: 0.1" jumper posts Logic analyzer: 0.1" jumper posts |
| Vertical sensitivity (analog channels) | 50 mV/div to 2 V/div (1:1 probe) |
| Logic threshold (logic analyzer channels) | TTL (also works for 5V / 3.3V / 2.5V CMOS, RS-232) |
| Vertical resolution | 8 bits (scope mode) 10 bits (datalogger mode) |
| Vertical offset | +/-6 divisions |
| Maximum voltage range | Scope inputs: -24V ... 24V (1:1 probe) External trigger input: -1 ... +6V Logic analyzer: -1 ... +6V |
| Offset adjustment | yes |
| Max. sample rate (single shot) | Scope: 50 kSample/sec Logic analyzer: 1 MSamples/sec |
| Max. sample rate (repetitive signals) | 2 MSamples/sec (scope mode only) |
| Timebase settings | Scope: 5 usec/div ... 1 sec/div Logic analyzer: 10 usec/div ... 1 sec/div Datalogger: 0.5 sec/div ... 1 hr/div |
| FFT (frequency spectrum) frequency range | up to 25 kHz |
| Trigger source | Scope mode: CH1, external, auto (free run) Logic analyzer: any of the 4 digital channels |
| Trigger polarity | rising edge, falling edge |
| Max. trigger rate | Scope: ~60 kHz Logic analyzer: > 1 MHz |
| Record length (normal mode) | Scope mode: 200 points/channel FFT (frequency spectrum): 400 points/channel Logic Analyzer: 850 points/channel Datalogger (roll) model: unlimited |
| Max. screen refresh rate | up to 20+ frames/sec (both channels on) (sufficiently fast PC required) |
| Datalogger mode (roll mode) | yes (data can be logged to file in real time) |
| Real-time FFT | yes |
| FFT filters | Rectangular, Hanning, Hamming, Blackman |
| Averaging | yes (1 / 2 / 5 / 10 / 20 / 50 / 100) |
| Display styles (can be combined) | Points, Vectors (Lines), Infinite Persistence |
| Fully automated measurements | Level: low, high, mid level, amplitude, DC average, AC RMS Time: period, frequency, duty cycle, pos. width, neg. width, rise time, fall time |
| Waveform cursors | yes (horizontal and vertical pairs) |
| Waveform export (e.g. to Excel) | yes (CSV format) |
| Save/restore of scope setups | yes |
| PC connection | USB (HID device), no special driver needed |
| PC software | Windows 2000, XP (SP3), Vista, 7, 8 |
| Minimum screen size | 1024 x 768 pixel |
| Power supply | through USB (5V / 70mA) |
| Microcontroller and USB interface | Fully pre-programmed; no programming required |
Resources
| PCBscope Software v1.04 (approx 3MB, Windows XP, Vista, 7, 8) | PCBscope Software |
| PCBscope Manual | PCBscope Manual |
| PCBscope Schematic | PCBscope Schematic |
| PCBscope Design History | PCBscope Design |
Video
Revision History
1.0.4
' 2013-12-15 fixed bug - at 50 kSa/sec with one channel turned on, averaging did not work
1.0.3
' 2012-06-22 now writing logic analyzer channel when exporting data (logic analyzer mode and roll mode)
Archive:
' 2012-02-08 fized bug: contents/settings of DMM window got lost when window closed and opened again
' 2012-02-05 implemented DMM display window
' 2012-02-05 several small GUI fixes from JW's feedback
' 2012-02-05 leave current mode radio button enabled
' 2012-02-05 prevent both lines and dots turned off
' 2012-01-13 added "trig'd" indicator
' 2012-01-13 explicitly calling Draw_Cursors in click of Cursors/CursorCh1/CursorCH2, Scope/Datalogger/LA-Mode
' 2012-01-13 reduced LA record length to 840pts (smaller record because of ETS firmware changes)
' 2012-01-12 fixed vertical position of logic analuzer traces (were off due to grid change from 2011-12-31)
' 2012-01-11 changed VID/PID to values sublicensed from Microchip
' 2012-01-08 added Playground panel, added snd tested read/write RAM, read/write EEPROM
' 2011-12-31 UpdatePlot: second half of grid -1 not +1, otherwise last line is off screen
' 2011-12-31 UpdatePlot: also when turning on/off bold, points even when acq stopped
' 2011-12-30 finished logic analyzer mode, triggered, up to 1 MSa/sec
' 2011-12-29 clock output through trigger pin; a lot of jitter when acquisition is running
' 2011-12-27 logic analyzer mode (untriggered) & necessary GUI extensions and changes
' 2011-12-26 added logic analyzer channel display in roll mode
' 2011-12-25 bug fix - start/stop button caption did not revert to "Start" in single shot mode
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