PicoScope: revolutionising electronic system debugging and validation

This article originally appeared in the June'23 magazine issue of Electronic Specifier Design – see ES's Magazine Archives for more featured publications.

As technology advances and designs become increasingly complex, traditional benchtop oscilloscopes are facing competition from PC-based instruments, including PicoScope with the latest PicoScope 7 user interface. Leveraging the power and versatility of personal computers, PC-based instruments offer several benefits that are revolutionising the way engineers debug and validate their electronic systems.

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PC-based instruments harness the processing power and graphical capabilities of personal computers, providing engineers with versatile platforms for complex debug and measurement tasks. PicoScope hardware, from the entry-level 2204A through to the high-performance 6000E Series products, connect to the users’ PC via a USB interface. PicoScope 7 software provides powerful oscilloscope functionality plus a Spectrum Analyser, Protocol Analyser, Function Generator, Arbitrary Waveform Generator (AWG) and, on MSO models, a Logic Analyser, and more. PicoScope models typically offer increased memory depth, higher resolution, and wider bandwidths, compared to traditional benchtop oscilloscopes at a given price point.

A major advantage of PC-based instruments is their cost and space efficiency. Unlike benchtop instruments, PC-based solutions eliminate the need for bulky and expensive hardware, saving both physical space and cost. By utilising existing PCs, engineers can significantly reduce their equipment expenses and optimise their workspace – ideal for the laboratory or working at home. Furthermore, as PCs become increasingly powerful and affordable, the performance-to-cost ratio of PC-based instruments continues to improve. Furthermore, due to their compact size, products such as the PicoScope 2000, 3000, and 5000 Series fit in a laptop bag and are readily portable to wherever they are needed.

PicoScope 7 provides unmatched flexibility and scalability. The software can easily adapt to address a broad range of testing challenges by selecting the appropriate software application for a specific task. This flexibility allows for seamless transitions between different measurement types, such as switching from an oscilloscope to a spectrum analyser with a couple of clicks or running both instruments in parallel. Additionally, PicoScope 7 software benefits from regular free-of-charge software updates that eliminate the need for hardware replacements and ensure compatibility with future technologies. Recent examples include addition of new serial protocol decoders such as I3C and CAN XL, on top of the 30+ decoders already included.

Features such as mask limit testing allows the comparison, in time- or frequency-domains, of live signals against known good signals. Results can be stored and displayed in up to 10,000 waveform buffers, showing all waveforms or just those that violate the mask, which is ideal for finding intermittent faults. Failure counts can be recorded to help with statistical analysis of a design performance.

Actions are things that PicoScope can be programmed to do when certain events occur, including mask failures. Actions include ‘Stop the capture’, ‘Save waveform to disk’, ‘Play a sound’, ‘Trigger the signal generator’, and ‘Run an external application’. Taken together, these tools enable engineers to perform extended testing and deep analysis of a circuit before signing it off as ‘good to go’.

The integration of PicoScope with software development tools and automation systems is a game-changer for engineers. Operating in the same Windows, Linux, or Mac platforms that designers have used to create their systems, PicoScope engineers can quickly execute complex measurement sequences, perform data analysis in real-time, and integrate the results into their overall design flow. This integration streamlines the debugging and validation process, improves efficiency, and enhances productivity. PicoScope facilitates collaboration among engineers, even across different geographical locations. As well as local control of a PicoScope, remote users can access and control instruments, share data, and collaborate on projects using third party client-server networking. This feature is particularly valuable for distributed teams and remote work scenarios, enabling seamless cooperation and knowledge sharing.

Conclusion

PC-based instruments are rapidly transforming the landscape of electronic system debugging and validation. By leveraging the computational power, flexibility, and scalability of personal computers, engineers can overcome the limitations of traditional benchtop oscilloscopes. With cost and space efficiency, integration and automation capabilities, and the ability to collaborate remotely, PC-based instruments provide a new level of flexibility, productivity, and adaptability. As technology continues to advance, the adoption of PC-based instruments is expected to grow, driving innovation, and further enhancing the efficiency of electronic system design and testing processes.