What’s new in PicoScope 7.2.6 Early Access
Export/Saving feature of PicoScope 7 Automotive to .png format to include extra print details
A .png export will now include extra information appended to the bottom of the image, including:
- Notes
- Measurements
- Rulers
You can see in the image below that we have deliberately added a signal ruler, 2-time rulers, measurements and a note.
Click on the Save (1) button to reveal the vehicle details and the Save dialog.
Click File type (2), click the drop-down arrow and select PNG image (3).
Save the PNG image to your desired location (4).
Navigate to the saved PNG image, open and note the additional appended information beneath the waveform image.
Note: The additional appended information also applies to Copy as image and Print.
Feedback on the design and function of the Export/Save as PNG image feature would be most welcome. Click on More > Help and support >Send Feedback within the software.
Additional measurement indicators
Please also refer to our Knowledge base here https://www.picotech.com/library/knowledge-bases/oscilloscopes/measurement-indicators
Following on from the introduction of our measurement indicators here viewtopic.php?p=106217#p106217, here viewtopic.php?p=106383#p106383 and here viewtopic.php?p=106543#p106543, we have now added:
- Overshoot measurement indicators
- Crest factor measurement indicator
- Duty cycle graph indicators
Overshoot measurement indicators
The dashed horizontal line indicates 0 V over the time span of the capture, accompanied by a right-facing arrow (adjacent to the Y axis) to denote the positive direction of time. As you move to the right along that horizontal line, the abscissa value (time) is increasing.
The dashed vertical line denotes the location of the overshoot on the X axis and the chosen overshoot measurement point (ordinate/amplitude value) is indicated by a downward arrow, indicating the Maximum measurement. Click on the Maximum measurement lozenge.
More information on Overshoot measurements can be found here: https://www.picotech.com/library/knowledge-bases/oscilloscopes/how-to-measure-overshoot-in-picoscope-7
Crest Factor measurement indicators
The dashed horizontal line denotes the RMS ordinate value (amplitude) over the time span of the capture, accompanied by a right-facing arrow (adjacent to the Y axis) to denote the positive direction of time.
As you move to the right along that horizontal line, the abscissa value (time) is increasing.
The dashed vertical line denotes both the location of the Maximum on the X axis and the chosen Maximum measurement point (ordinate/amplitude value), indicated by a downward arrow.
Note: A downward-facing arrow is used to denote a positive peak and an upward-facing arrow for a negative peak.
Note: The Measurement lozenge with the bold border above (Crest Factor) denotes which of the three measurements the indicators belong to. To change the measurement indicators to the Maximum measurement, click on the Maximum measurement lozenge.
More information on Crest factor measurements can be found here: https://www.picotech.com/library/knowledge-bases/oscilloscopes/how-to-measure-calculate-crest-factor-in-picoscope-7
Duty cycle graph indicators
The high/low pulse widths of the cycle of interest (high pulse for positive duty cycle, low pulse for negative duty cycle) are indicated as follows:
For a negative duty cycle (above)
Low pulse width, pulse starts on a falling edge and ends on a rising edge.
Falling edge – left-facing arrowhead pointing to pulse start time, at lower crossing level.
Rising edge – right-facing arrowhead pointing to pulse end time, at upper crossing level.
For a Positive duty cycle (above)
High pulse width, pulse starts on a rising edge and ends on a falling edge.
Rising edge – left-facing arrowhead pointing to pulse start time, at upper crossing level.
Falling edge – right-facing arrowhead pointing to pulse end time, at lower crossing level.
Connecting lines (Inside each pulse width; refer to image below)
The chosen pulse width of interest (positive or negative) has solid horizontal lines spanning the mid-point of the signal (approx. 7.3 V above), where their arrowheads meet the respective dashed vertical lines to denote the crossing level used to define the completion of a positive or negative pulse.
The dashed vertical lines denote the location of the pulse width edges with respect to the X axis, while serving as a definitive marker point (ordinate/amplitude value) for the left & right arrowheads upon each rising/falling edge of the signal.
When Negative duty cycle measurement indicators are displayed, a positive pulse width is indicated by dashed horizontal lines (spanning the mid-point of the waveform) without arrowheads.
When Positive duty cycle measurement indicators are displayed, a negative pulse width is indicated by dashed horizontal lines (spanning the mid-point of the waveform) without arrowheads.
Note: When a pulse width is too narrow to show the arrowheads, these will not be shown and only the horizontal lines will be visible.
In addition to the above, Measurement indicators are also included with:
- Pk to Pk
- Min/Max/Mean
- Edge count
- Rise/Fall time & Rise/Fall rate
- RMS & RMS Ripple
- Top & Base
- Amplitude
- Phase & Delay (See below)
Further information on Measurement indicators for Phase & Delay can be found here https://www.picotech.com/library/knowledge-bases/oscilloscopes/phase-measurements-and-math-channels and here https://www.picotech.com/library/knowledge-bases/oscilloscopes/time-delay-measurement-and-math-channel
Feedback on the design and function of the new Measurement indicators feature would be most welcome. Click on More > Help and support > Send Feedback within the software.
New isoSPI decoder added to Serial Decoder menu
Whilst not a typical automotive protocol, isoSPI is becoming more common in automotive environments with the adoption of EVs. isoSPI tends to provide internal communication between nodes rather than outside, such as CAN, which links external nodes together.
Click on More in the left-hand tool panel to reveal the Serial decoding button.
Note: Clicking on the Star symbol to the left of the Serial decoding button will place the decoding feature in the left-hand tool panel, where it will remain ready for use without having to select More.
Clicking the Serial decoding button will open the Serial decoding wizard.
Select isoSPI decoder and follow the wizard for configuration settings.
More advanced information on our isoSPI decoder can be found here https://www.picotech.com/library/knowledge-bases/oscilloscopes/isospi-serial-protocol-decoding
Feedback on the design and function of the new isoSPI decoder feature would be most welcome. Click on More > Help and support > Send Feedback within the software
Changes to Normal default Sample rate and Buffer memory settings
Based on feedback from automotive customers and user statistics, the default Normal sampling controls have been lowered:
- Normal Sample rate setting now 1 MS/s (previously 2 MS/s).
- Normal Buffer memory setting now 1 MS (previously 5 MS).
Both above serve as ideal sample and buffer memory settings for most automotive signals, returning excellent resolution while simultaneously conserving PC resources.
Should you wish to increase the above settings, please select Fast or enter your desired Sample/Buffer settings using the Custom option.
Feedback on the design and function of the Normal Sample rate and Buffer memory settings would be most welcome. Click on More > Help and support > Send Feedback within the software.