Digital Storage Oscilloscope

1.
A digital storage oscilloscope is an
oscilloscope which stores and analyses
the signal digitally rather than using
analogue techniques.

2.
It is now the most common type of
oscilloscope in use because of the
advanced trigger, storage, display and
measurement features which it typically
provides.
3.
The input analogue signal is sampled
and then converted into a digital record
of the amplitude of the signal at each
sample time.
4.
The sampling frequency should be
not less than the Nyquist rate to avoid
aliasing.
5.
These digital values are then turned
back into an analogue signal for display

on a cathode ray tube (CRT), or

transformed as needed for the various
possible types of outputliquid crystal
display, chart recorder, plotter or
network interface.
Comparison with analog storage
1.The principal advantage over analog storage is
that the stored traces are as bright, as sharply
defined, and written as quickly as non-stored
traces.
2.Traces can be stored indefinitely or written out
to some external data storage device and
reloaded. This allows, for example, comparison
of an acquired trace from a system under test
with a standard trace acquired from a knowngood system. Many models can display the
waveform prior to the trigger signal.
3.Digital oscilloscopes usually analyses waveforms
and provide numerical values as well as visual
displays. These values typically include
averages, maxima and minima, root mean
square (RMS) and frequencies. They may be
used to capture transient signals when operated
in a single sweep mode, without the brightness

and writing speed limitations of an analog

storage oscilloscope.
4.The displayed trace can be manipulated after
acquisition; a portion of the display can be
magnified to make fine detail more visible, or a
long trace can be examined in a single display to
identify areas of interest. Many instruments
allow a stored trace to be annotated by the user.
5.Many digital oscilloscopes use flat panel displays
similar to those made in high volumes for
computers and television displays.

Disadvantages of storage cathode ray

tube

1. There are distinct disadvantages of

the storage cathode ray tube. First,
there is a finite amount of time that
the storage tube can preserve a
stored waveform; eventually the
waveform will be lost.
2. The power to the storage tube
must be present as long as the image
is to be stored.

3. The trace of a storage tube is

generally not as fine as a normal
cathode ray tube.
4. The writing rate of the storage tube
is less than a conventional cathode
ray tube, which limit the speed of the
storage oscilloscope.
5. The storage cathode ray tube is
considerably more expansive than a
conventional tube and requires
additional power supplies.
6. Only one image can be stored. If
two traces are to be compared, they
must be superimposed on the same
screen and displayed together.
Advantages
Oscilloscope

of

Digital

storage

1. A superior method of trace storage is

the digital storage oscilloscope. In this
technique, the waveform to be stored is
digitized, stored in a digital memory,

and retrieved for display on the storage

oscilloscope.
2. The stored waveform is continually
displayed by repeatedly scanning the
stored waveform and, therefore, a
conventional oscilloscope tube can be
used for display.
3. The stored waveform can be displayed
indefinitely as long as power is applied
to the memory, which can be supplied
with a small battery.
4. The digitized waveform can be further
analyzed by either the oscilloscope or
by loading the contents of the memory
into a computer.

Interface digital storage oscilloscope

with single board computer.
Digital storage oscilloscope can be interface with
the single board computer. The various input and

output connections to the single board computer

are brought out to solder less connector strips
around the edge of the bread board area to allow
the students to connect the circuits they construct
on their bread boards. In the single board computer
bread boards are the parts of the SBC and they are
built in. the oscilloscope meter allows the students
to test and exercise the circuits they construct.

BLOCK DIAGRAM
1.
Figure shows the block diagram of
digital storage oscilloscope. The input is

amplified and attenuated with input

amplifiers as in any oscilloscope.
2.
The digital storage oscilloscope uses
the same type of input circuitry and
oscilloscope probes as a conventional
oscilloscope and many digital storage
oscilloscopes
can
operate
in
a
conventional
mode,
bypassing
the
digitizing and storing features.
3.
The power supply block provides the
voltages required by the cathode ray tube
to generate and accelerate the electron
beam, as well to supply the required
operating voltages for the other circuits of
the oscilloscope.

4.Relatively high voltages are required for the

cathode ray tube on the order of a few

thousands volt, for acceleration, as well as a low

voltage for the heater of the electron gun, which
emits the electron. Supply voltages for the other
circuits are various values, usually not more
than a few hundred volts.
5.The signal to be viewed is fed to a vertical
amplifier, which increase the potential of the
input signal to a level that will provide a usable
deflection of the electron beam.
6.To synchronize the horizontal deflection with the
vertical input, such that the horizontal deflection
starts at the same point of the input vertical
signal each time it sweeps, a synchronizing or
triggering circuit is used. The circuit is the link
between the vertical input and the horizontal
time base.
7.A DSO uses an A/D converter to change the
input waveform into a series of discrete timeordered samples, which are stored in memory.
8.The output of the input signal amplifiers feeds
an analog-to-digital (A/D) converter.
9.Typical resolution for the A/D conversion is 8 or 9
bits, which divides the input waveform into 256
parts for the 8-bit conversion and 512 parts for
the 9-bit conversion.
10.
Another type of A/D converter known for its
blazing speed is called the flash converter and
is often found in digitizing oscilloscopes. The

significant characteristics of the flash converter

are great speed.

Screens for CRTs

1.
When the electron beam strikes the
screen of the CRT, a spot of light is
produced.
2.
The screen material on the inner
surface of the CRT that produces this
effect is the phosphor.
3.
The phosphor absorbs the kinetic
energy of the bombarding electrons and
reemits energy at a lower frequency in the
visual spectrum. The property of some
crystalline material such as phosphor or
zinc oxide, to emit light when stimulated
by radiation is called fluorescence.
4.
Fluorescence material has a property
called phosphor scene which refers to the
property of the material to continue light
emission over after the source of
excitation (electron beam) is cutoff.
5.
The length of time during which
phosphor scene or afterglow, occurs is
called the persistence of the phosphor.

6.
The intensity of the light emitted from
the CRT screen, called luminance.
7.
The light intensity is controlled by the
number of bombarding electrons striking
the screen per second.
Difference b/w digital storage
oscilloscope and conventional storage
oscilloscope
Conventional Storage Oscilloscope

1.
It can store the given signal
indefinitely as long as the small
amount of power is supplied to the
memory.
2.
It always collects the data and
stops when triggered.
3.
It employs normal CRT, hence the
cost of the tube is much cheaper than
the storage tube used in ASO.
4.
It can produce bright image even
for high frequency signals.
5.
In this oscilloscope, time base is
generated, by a crystal clock.

6.
It has higher resolution than ASO.
7.
It has less operation speed than
ASO.
8.
Because of the aliasing effect the
useful storage bandwidth is limited.

Conventional Storage Oscilloscope

1.
In this oscilloscope heavy amount
of power is to be supplied to the
storage CRT.
2.
It collects the data only after
triggering.
3.
The cost of the tube is costlier than
the storage tube used in DSO.
4.
It cannot produce bright image for
high frequency signals.
5.
In this oscilloscope, time base is
generated by a ramp circuit.
6.
It has lower resolution than DSO.
7.
It has high operating speed than
DSO.
8.
It does not have aliasing effect.