CSE-250

Ali Fahim Khan

Systems Laboratory

Communication

Digital Oscilloscope
Introduction
The purpose of this lab is to introduce to the students the basics of digital oscilloscope. It is assumed that
the student already knows and have had used an analog oscilloscope. These are commonly used
engineering instruments and a thorough understanding of these is required for future labs.
A digital storage oscilloscope is an oscilloscope which stores and analyses the signal digitally rather than
using analogue techniques. 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. [1]
Objectives
During this lab, you will use a function generator to generate signals and will subsequently analyze them
using a digital oscilloscope. By the end of the lab, you should be able to get comfortable with using the
digital oscilloscope.
Setting up the oscilloscope
Triggering
Acquiring signals (waveforms)
Scaling and positioning waveforms
Measuring waveforms

Equipment
Table 1

Required equipment for the lab

Qt
y

Equipment

Function generator

1
1

BNC to 2 alligator clips cable

Techtronix TDS-2012
Oscilloscope
10X probes

CSE-250

Ali Fahim Khan

Systems Laboratory

Communication

Theory
Digital Storage Oscilloscope

Fig. 1 Front panel view of ED Tektronix TDS 2012 digital storage oscilloscope

Table 2 Specifications of Tektronix TDS 2012 digital storage oscilloscope

Specifications
Model
Channels
Sampling rate
Bandwidth
Acquisition modes
Input Impedance
P2200
probe
attenuation
Lower
frequency

Tektronix TDS 2012

2
1 GS/s max
100 MHz
Sample, Peak detect and Average
1 M 2% in parallel with 20 pF 3
pF
1X, 10X
10 Hz at BNC

CSE-250

Ali Fahim Khan

Systems Laboratory
range
Record length
Sec/Division range
Display resolution

Communication

2500 for each channel

5 ns/div to 50 s/div, in a 1, 2.5, 5
sequence
320 horizontal by 240 vertical
pixels

Table 3 Specifications of P2200 probe

Specifications
Bandwidth
Attenuation ratio
Compensation Range
Input resistance
Input capacitance
Rise time, typical

10X position
DC to 200 MHz
10:12%
18 pF to 35pF
10 M 3% at
DC
14.5 pf-17.5
< 2.2 ns

1X position
DC to 6 MHz
1:12%
18 pF to 35pF
1 M 3% at
DC
80 pf-110 pf
< 50.0 ns

Digital oscilloscopes have hundreds of different applications. Some of these include:

Taking simple measurements
signals and calculating gain
Measuring pulse width

Measuring
Measuring rise time

two

CSE-250

Ali Fahim Khan

Systems Laboratory

Analyzing signal detail

Communication

Looking at a noisy signal

Using the average function to separate a signal from noise

a single-shot signal
Optimizing the acquisition
width
Measuring propagation delay
video signal

Capturing

Triggering on a pulse
Triggering on a

Triggering on video fields and video lines

Fig. shows a block diagram of the various functions of the oscilloscope and their relationship to each
other.

CSE-250

Ali Fahim Khan

Systems Laboratory

Communication

CSE-250

Ali Fahim Khan

Systems Laboratory

Communication

CSE-250

Ali Fahim Khan

Systems Laboratory

Communication

Experiments No.1
Aim: Taking simple measurement
Steps

V =A sin(2p f )
Turn on the function generator and produce a wave

, where A=2 V and f=1Khz.

Push the CH 1 MENU button and set the Probe option attenuation to 10X.
Set the switch to 10X on the P2200 probe.
Connect the channel 1 probe to the signal.
Push the AUTOSET button.

CSE-250

Ali Fahim Khan

Systems Laboratory

Communication

The oscilloscope sets the vertical, horizontal, and trigger controls automatically. If you want to optimize
the display of the waveform, you can manually adjust these controls.
Experiment No.2
Aim: Measuring two signals
Steps
Generate two sinusoids from two function generators and connect the signal cables to the oscilloscope
If the channels are not displayed, push the CH 1 MENU and CH 2 MENU buttons.
Push the AUTOSET button.
To select measurements for the two channels, follow these steps:
Push the Measure button to see the Measure Menu.
Push the top option button; the Measure 1 Menu appears.
Push the Source option button and select CH1.
Push the Type option button and select Pk-Pk.
Push the Back option button.
Push the second option button from the top; the Measure 2 Menu appears.
Push the Source option button and select CH2.
Push the Type option button and select Pk-Pk.
Push the Back option button.
Read the displayed peak-to-peak amplitudes for both channels.

Experiment No. 3
Aim: To measure frequency, amplitude
Steps
Frequency
Generate a 1 KHz frequency of arbitrary amplitude.
Push the CURSOR button to see the Cursor Menu.

CSE-250

Ali Fahim Khan

Systems Laboratory

Communication

Push the Type option button and select Time.

Push the Source option button and select CH1.
Turn the CURSOR 1 knob to place a cursor on the first peak of the wave.
Turn the CURSOR 2 knob to place a cursor on the second peak of the wave.
You can see the delta time and frequency (the measured wave frequency) in the Cursor Menu as shown in
fig.

Amplitude
You measured the wave frequency in the previous example. Now you want to measure the amplitude of
the wave. To measure the amplitude, follow these steps:
1. Push the CURSOR button to see the Cursor Menu.
2. Push the Type option button and select Voltage.
3. Push the Source option button and select CH1.
4. Turn the CURSOR 1 knob to place a cursor on the highest peak of the ring.
5. Turn the CURSOR 2 knob to place a cursor on the lowest point of the ring.
You can see the following measurements in the Cursor Menu:
The delta voltage (peak-to-peak voltage of the ringing)

CSE-250

Ali Fahim Khan

Systems Laboratory

Communication

The voltage at Cursor 1

The voltage at Cursor 2

Experiment No. 4
Aim: To capture a single shot signal
Steps
To set up for a single-shot acquisition, follow these steps:
Turn the vertical VOLTS/DIV and horizontal SEC/DIV knobs to the appropriate ranges
for the signal you expect to see.
Push the ACQUIRE button to see the Acquire Menu.
Push the Peak Detect option button.
Push the TRIG MENU button to see the Trigger Menu.
Push the Slope option button and select Rising.
Turn the LEVEL knob to adjust the trigger level to a voltage midway between the
open and closed voltages of the relay.
Push the SINGLE SEQ button to start the acquisition.
Try to capture the power on and off of a voltage power supply!

CSE-250

Ali Fahim Khan

Systems Laboratory

Communication

Experiment No. 5
Aim: To understand triggering on a specific pulse width. You are testing the pulse widths of a signal in a
circuit. It is critical that the pulses all be a specific width and you need to verify that they are. Edge
triggering shows that your signal is as specified, and the pulse width measurement does not vary from the
specification. However, you think there might be a problem.
To set up a test for pulse width aberrations, follow these steps:
Display the suspect signal on Ch 1. If Ch1 is not displayed, push the CH1 MENU button.
Push the AUTOSET button to trigger a stable display.
Push the Single Cycle option button in the AUTOSET Menu to view a single cycle of the signal, and to
quickly take a Pulse Width measurement.
Push the TRIG MENU button.
Push the Type option button to select Pulse.
Push the Source option button to select CH1.
Turn the TRIGGER LEVEL knob to set the trigger level near the bottom of the signal.
Push the When option button to select = (equal).
Push the Set Pulse Width option button, and turn the USER
SELECT knob to set the pulse width to the value reported by the Pulse Width measurement in step 3.
Push -- more-- page 1 of 2 and set the Mode option to Normal.
You should achieve a stable display with the oscilloscope triggering on normal pulses.
Push the When option button to select , <, or >. If there are any aberrant pulses that meet the specified
When condition, the oscilloscope triggers.

CSE-250

Ali Fahim Khan

Systems Laboratory

Communication

References
[1]
http://www.tiepie.com/en/classroom/Measurement_basics/Digital_Data_Acquisition
[2] http://www.tek.com