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Osciloscope tutorial

In this tutorial we will learn to use the Tektronix TPS2014 oscilloscope, this is the only one I have access, but the idea is the same for all of them.

Description of commands and buttons

Giving a "zoom" we can see each button and explain each command.

Let's start from the bottom up ....

Input Channels

In the input channels of the oscilloscope we will connect the probe, each probe will analyze the waveform of a particular point of the circuit. In the picture bellow we see that this oscilloscope has 4 channels and a channel called "EXT TRIG" this channel used to indicate the oscilloscope the moment that the osciloscope will capture the signal.

Vertical

This part will set the amplitude of each channel and select the channels that will be seen on the oscilloscope screen, and their vertical positions. An observation the "MATH MENU" who will do mathematical operations between the signals, as addition, subtraction, multiplication, and FFT. Another important point is the configuration channel in DC or AC.

Horizontal

This area will set the "time-base" of the oscilloscope, that is the size of the Capture window in seconds, for example imagine that you want to see the electrical signal of the output of wall outlet (In Brazil is sine wave of 60Hz and amplitude of 110V RMS), the "time-base" must be at least 5 times the period of this signal (about 100ms). Indeed even there is no calculation, the user will just press the "Autoset" and expect the oscilloscope is set to see the "time-base" automactically.

We can also change here the horizontal position, and the trigger horizontal posotion.

Triggers

As mentioned before, the trigger is used to indicate when the oscilloscope will get the signal. Normally the moment of trigger has two sources:

• The signal itself
• An external signal

When the trigger comes from the signal itself, we can choose a voltage level to indicate the trigger moment, for example, when the signal rise or fall from a certain level.

Autoset, Single Seq, RUN/STOP

• Autoset: Automatically sets the "time base", amplitude and trigger to get the signal more "visible" on the input
• SINGLE Seq: Set up the oscilloscope to start, aquire a portion of the signal and stop.
• RUN / STOP: If you are SINGLE SEQ mode resumes the aquisiton, if in AUTO, get the signal on screen at the moment.

Other functions

Now we will explain some of the other function buttons.

• Medidas: Opens a menu on the screen to get some measures such as frequency, amplitude (Peak to peak and RMS) and period.
• LOAD/STORE: Store the signal in a ASCII .csv file or the screen content in a .bmp file
• DISPLAY: Set screen parameters.
• CURSORES: Use cursors to measure time and aplitude manually

Using osciloscopes in real life

We're going to watch now some videos about how to use osciloscopes.

Calibrating and testing probes:

Senoidal signal from Waveform generator

Square wave from Waveform generator

FFT and MATH Menu

Engineering Tutorials