Series of high-performance PC oscilloscopes offer sampling rates up to 10GS/s, record lengths up to 1MB, multi-cycle colour display modes, automated measurements, and connection via USB2.0
Pico Technology has announced a new series of high-performance PC oscilloscopes.
The 3000 series debuts with three instruments: the PicoScope 3204, 3205 and 3206.
All three are said to be cost-effective replacements for traditional bench top instruments.
The top of the range oscilloscope boasts a sampling rate of 10GS/s, an analogue bandwidth of 200MHz, and a record length of 1MB.
Alan Tong, Pico Technology's technical director, comments: "The combined high sampling rate and large memory buffer of the PicoScope 3206 enables the capture and display of fast-occurring and complex signals.
"Most oscilloscopes in the same price bracket as the PicoScope 3206 have sub-32K memories.
"With 1MB of memory, the 3206 can capture at least 30 times as much data, allowing the user the ability to zoom in on areas of interest".
All three PicoScopes in the 3000 series connect to a PC via USB2.0, drawing their power from the PC, so need no separate power supply.
In addition to being high-performance oscilloscopes, the PicoScope 3204, 3205 and 3206 all feature a spectrum analyser mode and (when used with PicoLog software) can also be used for high-speed data acquisition.
The 3205 and 3206 also include built-in signal generators, capable of sweeping up to 1MHz.
The signal, output on the oscilloscopes' external trigger BNCs, can be a sine, square, or triangular wave.
The PicoScope 3000 series features more than 30 automated measurements such as frequency, pulse width, rise time, THD, and SNR; and five enhanced display modes including digital colour (ideal for spotting intermittent glitches in digital signals) and analog intensity (useful for displaying video waveforms and analog modulation signals).
The three instruments in the PicoScope 3000 series have the following features.
PicoScope 3204 - 2.5GS/s sampling rate (repetitive signals), 50MS/s single shot sampling, 50MHz analogue bandwidth, and record length of 256K.
Spectrum range 0 to 25MHz.
PicoScope 3205 - 5GS/s sampling rate (repetitive signals), 100MS/s single shot sampling, 100MHz analogue bandwidth, and record length of 512K.
Spectrum range 0 to 50MHz.
PicoScope 3206 - 10GS/s sampling rate (repetitive signals), 200MS/s single shot sampling, 200MHz analogue bandwidth, and record length of 1MB.
Spectrum range 0 to 100MHz.
They have the following advantages over traditional bench top instruments, according to Pico Technology:.
Waveform storage is limited only by the PC's storage capability.
It is easy to share waveforms and instrument settings with other users (and waveforms can even be exported as Jpegs for posting on a web site or using in reports.
The plug-in nature of the instruments means they can easily be interchanged.
Small form factor (less bench space required) and portability.
Lower cost.
New functionality through software upgrades.
Tong concludes: "Once again Pico has pushed the 'sample rate/memory depth' envelope to deliver three high-performance PC oscilloscopes. "Essentially, we've repeated our well-proven formula of making full use of today's PCs' processing capabilities, large screens and familiar user interfaces, and focused our efforts on developing signal acquisition techniques, enhanced display modes and automated measurements".
The three new PicoScopes are available immediately and are supplied with PicoScope and PicoLog software - demo and full versions of which can also be downloaded free of charge.
The 3204 retails for £399, the 3205 for £599 and the 3206 for £799 (all +VAT).
