Pico releases PicoScope 2200 compact USB Oscilloscopes

Pico Technology (www.picotech.com) has released its PicoScope 2200 Series of ultra-compact USB oscilloscopes, which feature an oscilloscope, arbitrary waveform generator and spectrum analyzer all in one affordable and powerful device.

These compact oscilloscopes deliver the performance and features of other oscilloscopes that are several times their price and size. These oscilloscopes can also be conveniently taken anywhere, since they are small enough to fit in laptop bags.

The PicoScope 2200 dual-channel PC Oscilloscopes feature up to 200 megasamples per second real-time sampling rates, which can be increased using equivalent-time sampling to as much as 4 gigasamples per second in case of repetitive signals. The range’s high sampling rates combined with 25 MHz analogue bandwidth and 16,000 sample buffer memory make it ideal for use in various applications.

The scopes also eliminate the need for external power supply or batteries, as they obtain their power from the USB 2.0 interface. The scope’s USB port provides high-speed data to PC and delivers high-resolution and responsive display.

The PicoScope 2200 range of USB oscilloscopes are designed with similar software functions and features available in high-end oscilloscopes only, such as the PicoScope 6 software for Windows. This software allows easy saving of data in various formats including PNG and BMP images, CSV text and MATLAB binary files. It also features examples and drivers for C/C++, LabVIEW, Visual Basic and Delphi for integration into custom applications.

A click of a button in the scope allows users to shift from time domain to frequency domain and use the scope as a spectrum analyzer. Its full range of settings provides control over various spectrum bands, display modes and window types.

USB DAQ Box Offers Galvanic Isolation Of Input Signals

The DEWE-50-USB2-8 brings unprecedented power to USB data acquisition. There are a lot of USB based data acquisition instruments on the market today, but few of them provide real galvanic isolation of the input signals. Isolation is essential to protecting the test engineer and equipment from the effects of ground loops and high common mode voltages.

Most of the new crop of USB boxes emphasize low cost and convenience, but they achieve this by skipping real signal conditioning for serious data acquisition applications.

The DEWE-50-USB2-8 from Dewetron changes this completely, taking a fresh approach to USB data acquisition, incorporating real plug-in signal conditioning modules for low and high voltages, strain, pressure, acceleration, sound, temperature, force, and more.

The DAQP-HV high voltage module, for example, has selectable input ranges from ±20V to ±1400V (AC or DC), has a bandwidth of 300 kHz, and real galvanic isolation of 1800 Vrms. Therefore it can be used in demanding high voltage environments safely and with excellent performance. With this kind of isolation the test engineer can forget about CMV and focus on making the measurement.

The DEWE-50-USB2-8 has a powerful digitizer inside which features eight separate 24-bit ADCs – one per analog channel, for simultaneous sampling of all channels with very high resolution on the vertical axis. 24- bit resolution provides the test engineer the luxury of such a high dynamic range that he or she can use a single gain setting for a widely varying signals, and still get great resolution recordings.

Any combination of 8 DAQP series plugin modules plug into the front of the small DEWE-50-USB2-8 box, while the rear panel provides several more inputs:

o Two synchronous counter inputs, which can handle a wide variety of encoders and tachometers

o Each counter can alternatively be used as three digital inputs, for recording multiple bi-state TTL “event” inputs

o Two high speed CAN BUS interfaces, so that you can connect up to the data buses in all kinds of cars, trucks, aircraft, trains, and more. Everything is recorded synchronously to a single data file within DEWESoft

The rear panel also contains the DC power input connector, because the system runs from 10-30 VDC directly (AC/DC adapter and line cord is included). There is also a locking USB connector, of Dewetron’s own design, so that it cannot be pulled out of the chassis by accident. Conditioned analog outputs from the inputs are also available as an option, so you can access ±5V outputs from each of them.

Countless uses…

Power plants, flight test, train testing, automotive testing, factory troubleshooting…

Power plant testing

From rod control and rod drop testing in nuclear plants, to walk-around
trouble-shooting in a wide variety of applications. Advanced uses: 1-phase
and 3-phase – all power quality properties are calculated in real time
and displayed graphically. Easy report generation.

Flight test

Add ARINC 429 and MIL-STD-1553 interfaces, as well as IRIG time code and PCM data inputs to this Dewetron system, creating a powerful flight test data acquisition recorder.

Train test

New car inspection, speed tests, braking and emergency braking applications, using GPS, video and other speedometer sensors.

Automotive test

Drivability, Road load testing, CAPS and related applications, pass-by noise
tests, and all manner of in-vehicle and test cell applications.

Factory trouble-shooting

Machine diagnosis, shock and vibration testing, thermovac chambers,
and hundreds of physical measurement test and measurement applications.
Channel Expansion You can also plug in a second DEWE-50-USB2-8 to this one using the SYNC and USB DEVICE interface.

The system runs from 9-36 VDC power, and a convenient AC/DC converter is
included so that you can power the system from standard 120 VAC or 240 VAC power.

Plug-in Modules

There are DAQ series plug-in modules available which can handle a wide variety of sensors, including the DAQP-STG, developed by Dewetron for NASA, who have more than 1000 of these modules. The DAQP-STG can handle any kind of DC strain gage, voltages, resistive and ohmic measurements natively, and with the addition of our MSI plug-in interfaces, can additionally handle IEPE accels and mics, charge sensors, 200V, and more. This module has a bandwidth of 300 kHz.

If you don’t need such high performance, a lower cost version is available called the DAQP-MULTI, which can directly handle bridge, resistance, thermocouples, and RTDs, at a more attractive cost per channel.

The DAQP-HV is a high voltage module with ranges up to ±1400V, and the DAQP-LV low/medium voltage module with ranges from ±10 mV to ±50V, and still with high isolation. The DAQP-ACC-A is a 300 kHz bandwidth IEPE (ICP) signal conditioner amplifier which powers microphones and accelerometers.

Of course, CHARGE sensors are also supported with the DAQP-CHARGE-A and -B modules. Several other DAQP series modules are available for frequency to voltage, and other kinds of sensors.

Software

When you install the DEWE-50-USB2-8 on your computer, in addition to the driver,
Dewetron’s award winning DEWESoft data acquisition software will be installed.
DEWESoft provides incredible graphical control over the user interface, from system
setup through screen design, acquisition, triggering, and replay.

Version 7 now includes many more capabilities in the analysis mode. Data files can be processed using a wide range of math functions, from programmable filtering, (statistical analysis, integration and differentiation, and much more.

Standard displays include strip chart recorder, scope, digital and analog meters, FFT, and tabular numeric displays. You can connect video cameras to your computer and record video in sync with the data, adding a whole new level of understanding to it.

Software options are available for 3-phase power quality analysis, modal analysis, sine processing order tracking, torsional vibration, sound level meter, and many more advanced capabilities.

Size/performance

Instruments like the DEWE-50-USB2-8 are commonly sold at a much higher price point due to their isolation, 200 kS/s/ch sample rate, and 24-bit resolution.

Instruments like this are usually also much larger and occupy a bigger footprint than the DEWE-50-USB2-8.

www.dewamerica.com

New USB DAQ Devices From NI Useful For Multiple Applications

National Instruments announced NI X Series multifunction data acquisition (DAQ) devices for USB. USB X Series devices integrate high-performance analog measurement and control channels, digital I/O and counter/timers onto a single plug-and-play device, which engineers and scientists can use for a wide variety of portable test, measurement and data-logging applications. USB X Series DAQ devices include up to 32 analog inputs, four analog outputs, 48 digital I/O lines and four counters. The eight new devices range from 500 kS/s multiplexed AI to 2 MS/s/channel simultaneous sampling AI.

NI LabVIEW graphical programming makes it easy for engineers and scientists to develop completely custom test and measurement applications for USB X Series using intuitive graphical icons and wires that resemble a flowchart. LabVIEW 2010 simplifies data logging and analysis with a new technical data management streaming option within the NI DAQ Assistant and the ability to export data from a waveform graph to Microsoft Excel or NI DIAdem for post processing. USB X Series devices use the same multithreaded NI-DAQmx driver software as other National Instruments DAQ devices, making it easy to port LabVIEW or text-based code from previous applications for use with X Series.

USB X Series devices include two key technologies that make them as powerful as they are easy to use: NI-STC3 technology for advanced timing and triggering and NI Signal Streaming for high-speed, bi-directional data streaming.

At the core of all USB, PCI Express and PXI Express X Series devices is NI-STC3 timing and synchronization technology, which coordinates the timing and triggering of the analog, digital and counter subsystems. NI-STC3 technology provides X Series devices with independent timing engines for the onboard analog and digital I/O subsystems, making it possible for analog and digital I/O to execute independently at different rates or together with synchronization. X Series devices include four enhanced 32-bit counters for frequency, pulse-width modulation (PWM) and encoder operations, as well as a new 100 MHz timebase that can generate analog and digital sampling rates with five times better resolution than previous devices.

USB X Series devices include NI Signal Streaming, a patented technology that uses message-based transfers and device-side intelligence to deliver high-speed, bidirectional data transfer over USB, making it possible to perform analog, digital and counter operations concurrently. With this technology, simultaneous sampling now is available on two new devices, which can sample at 1.25 MS/s and 2 MS/s on each of their eight analog inputs. These devices are available with 32 or 64 MS onboard memory to guarantee finite acquisitions even with heavy USB traffic. The high sampling rates on all channels make these devices well suited for portable ultrasonic test and transient recording applications.

Each USB X Series device features a redesigned, extruded aluminum enclosure. The new enclosure offers an easy-access lid to keep signal wiring secure and shielded, and device-specific pinout labels on the lid make it possible to quickly determine the corresponding screw terminals for a given channel. The enclosure also includes a lockable USB port to prevent accidental removal during operation.