Fundamentals of Oscilloscopes

As with all electronic test equipment, digital oscilloscopes have an array of key specifications. Some are basic and easy to understand. Other specifications (which may have a greater impact on the accuracy of your measurements) are not as clear and are often dependent on the manufacturer. This primer gives insight into the most important specifications to consider when using an oscilloscope — beyond the banner specs.

Main topics include:

• Types of digital oscilloscopes
• Basic elements of digital oscilloscopes
• The display system and user interface
• Probes
• Oscilloscope benchmark specifications
• Typical oscilloscope measurements