USB 2.0 PC Based Oscilloscope & Spectrum Analyzer

The PicoScope 3000 series PC based oscilloscopes are compact and portable, making them versatile instruments in a wide range of settings.

All of the PicoScope 3000 series PC based oscilloscopes connect directly to the USB 2.0 (USB 1.1 compatible) port on any recent model of desktop or laptop PC, and are powered by the USB bus (or a powered hub), eliminating the need for an external power supply in most applications.

These scopes can go from lab to field and back again, or from desktop to laptop.  Users can easily export data to other applications such as excel and the ability to store waveform data is limited only by the capacity of the PC itself. Captured data and instrument settings can also be quickly and easily shared between multiple users, making product development teams and other multi-user applications more efficient.

Although portable and lightweight like handheld oscilloscopes, the PicoScope pc oscilloscopes use the PC screen to display data, making results easier to see, store, and share with other users. Usage of the USB 2.0 port provides for fast data transfer, and the high bandwidth and sampling rates of these products delivers enough power to replace traditional, stand-alone oscilloscopes.

» Read a review of the PicoScope 3000 series by eeProductCenter

» Review of PS 3205 by Robert Penford, Everyday Practical Electronics

» PicoScope 3000 Series Oscilloscope Press Release

All three oscilloscopes in the PicoScope 3200 series feature high bandwidths and sampling rates previously not available with a cost affective PC-based oscilloscope. The PicoScope 3206 has an impressive 200 MHz analog bandwidth and a single-shot sampling rate of 200 MS/s. Using Equivalent Time Sampling (ETS) for repetitive signals, the sampling rate is increased to a staggering 10 GS/s.

» Product Information, Specifications and Pricing

The PicoScope, PS 3224 (2-channel) and PS 3424 (4-channel) are precision oscilloscopes featuring 12 bit vertical resolution and ±1% accuracy allowing changes as small as 0.024% (244ppm) to be detected.  When using the spectrum analyzer, the 72dB dynamic range makes these units suitable for working with signals within the frequency domain. They are ideal for applications such as testing audio circuits, fast transient analysis and for measuring noise and vibrations. The 3224 and 3424 scopes offer a 20MS/s sampling rate which is divided between the channels.  The ADC 212/50 and ADC 212/100 (parallel port) pc based oscilloscopes are recommended for applications requiring higher sampling rates and 12 bit resolution.

» PS 3424 (4-channel) Product Information, Specifications and Pricing

» PS 3224 (2-channel) Product Information, Specifications and Pricing

All digital oscilloscopes collect data into a waveform buffer, the bigger the buffer memory the longer the scope can collect data without reducing its sampling rate. PicoScope USB 3000 PC oscilloscopes all feature large buffer memory — from an impressive 256 thousand samples for the PicoScope 3204 up to a remarkable one million samples for the PicoScope 3206.

Most oscilloscopes in the same price bracket as the PicoScope 3206 have buffer memories of below 32 kB. With 1 MB of memory, the 3206 can capture at least 30 times as much data allowing complex waveforms to be captured in great detail even if they last for long periods of time. Once captured, PicoScope oscilloscope software allows you to zoom-in on your signal at up to 2000 times magnification — allowing you to examine every last details of the signal.

» More information on the benefits of a large buffer memory

PicoScope 3000 series PC oscilloscopes connects to the USB port on any modern laptop or desktop PC. The fast USB 2.0 (480 Mb/s) interface ensures a quick screen update rate even when collecting large amounts of data, while remaining backward compatible with PC's using USB 1.1.

PicoScope USB oscilloscopes can be powered directly by the USB bus, eliminating the need for an external power supply in most applications and making the PicoScope 3000 series ideal for use in the lab and the field.

Why USB?
The Universal Serial Bus (USB) has become the standard method for interfacing peripherals to PCs. Today virtually all PCs, including laptops and notebooks, are fully USB-ready and include at least one USB port.

The PicoScope 3000 series uses the latest, and fastest, USB standard — USB 2.0 (Hi-Speed USB). Unlike many PC oscilloscopes that are only “usb 2.0 compatible”, and only offer USB1.1 performance, the PicoScope 3000 series are true USB 2.0 oscilloscopes. This allows PicoScope 3000 USB oscilloscopes to take advantage of the fast data transfer rate that ensures a quick screen update rate, even when collecting large amounts of data.

USB 2.0 is backward compatible with USB 1.1 allowing PicoScope 3000 USB oscilloscopes to be used on older PCs with USB 1.1 ports. Although the data transfer rate will be slower when using USB 1.1, it is still faster than a parallel port connection.

Connecting and using a PicoScope 3000 series USB oscilloscope could not be easier. Simply connect the oscilloscope to the PC using a standard USB cable (supplied). The host PC will automatically detect the PicoScope avoiding the need for any complex setup procedures, and without the need to reboot the PC.

All three 8 bit models include a built in signal generator output which also serves as a ±20 V variable threshold external trigger input .  The PicoScope 3204 oscilloscope can output a fixed 1 kHz square wave for compensating oscilloscope probes. The signal generators built into the PicoScope 3205 and 3206 can output sine, square and triangle waves up to 1 MHz in frequency. A useful feature is the sweep function that can be combined with the spectrum analyzer peak hold function to quickly test the bandwidth response of filters and amplifiers.

The PicoScope line is supplied with PicoScope software that provides oscilloscope, spectrum analyzer and multimeter functions. PicoScope software makes full use of your PC's processing capabilities allowing you to view real-time signals, zoom in on your signal, and save and print captured waveforms. The familiar Windows graphical interface makes PicoScope intuitive to use.

The PicoScope oscilloscope software includes FFT spectrum analyzer capabilities.  The 12 bit PS  3224 and PS 3424 scopes offer a 72dB dynamic range making these scopes ideal for working with in the frequency domain.  

With eight bit oscilloscopes, noise can be an issue when analyzing lower frequency signals with the spectrum analyzer. PicoScope software allows over-sampling to be used to reduce noise and effectively increase resolution and dynamic range.

Also supplied is PicoLog data acquisition software for high speed data logging.

» PicoScope Software

» More information on over-sampling and other technical tips