Mixed Signal Scopes & Analyzers

BitScope PC Based Mixed Signal Oscilloscopes and Logic Analyzers are a popular choice for engineers and technicians working in manufacturing, testing, service and equipment repair.

Connected via USB, Ethernet or RS-232, they are widely used in R&D in applications ranging from fusion research to embedded systems design, process monitoring, undergraduate university labs and customized data acquisition. Larger BitScopes are housed in robust extruded aluminium desktop cases offering full EMI protection.

Whether it's the rough and tumble of a typical student lab or hard at work in a heavy engineering workshop, BitScopes are built to take the hard knocks.

BitScopes are an investment built to last a lifetime too. There are units first deployed more than 12 years ago still in active service and all 23 models since the award winning original are compatible with the latest software.

Key to BitScope is the virtual machine at the heart of every model. It means they can be upgraded and extended without the need for firmware upgrades or hardware replacement and software written for one model will work with any other with very few modifications. This makes them ideal for use in custom data acquisition applications or with open source software. It is even possible to program the VM in BitScope directly for completely custom solutions which do not rely on third party software or libraries.

The larger models support a range of standard oscilloscope probes and accessories with connection via both BNC terminated analog inputs and IDC-26 based Smart Port connector. The SmartPOD provides access to 2 or 4 analog channels, 8 logic channels, power, ground and I/O control signals in the same way regardless of the BitScope model.

The smaller models BS10 and BS05 both have industry standard 1M/20pF analog inputs but no BNC connectors. However, BNC adapters can be used to connect standard oscilloscope probes to these models as well.

BitScope Model 10 has another option; a low cost active dual channel differential probe (DP01) which makes possible unreferenced measurements.

The differential probe has dual analog prescalers and very high input impedance (10M/5pF) which together with twisted pair inputs makes for exceptionally sensitive and quiet analog signal capture, comparable to high quality coaxial oscilloscope probes without the bulk or cost. The sensitivity is convenient when measuring small shunt voltages for making current measurements for example.

For an even smaller go anywhere solution there is BitScope Micro. Like all BitScopes it's a full mixed signal oscilloscope, waveform and clock generator. It's a light weight and compact scope in a probe housed in a water resistant heat shrink case ideal for throwing in the kit bag for use in the field. Its very low current USB powered design makes it ideal for use with notebooks on battery power in the field.

Whether you need a PC based oscilloscope, USB logic analyzer, waveform generator, spectrum analyzer or industrial strength network connected acquisition system or low cost portable test and measurement system, BitScope has a solution for you.

Original Award Winning Design The first award winning BitScope design was published in Circuit Cellar. This original BitScope had two analog inputs and a fixed 25 MSps A/D convertor plus 8 logic channels operating synchronously with the analog channel. Initially released as a DIY kit, BitScope became very popular with electronics enthusiasts around the world. This was followed by the classic BS300 which offered an improved A/D, Ethernet and USB options. This design is still published online so you can learn how it works. BitScopes have come along way since then but they all share the same core design.

Unified Mixed Signal Architecture There have been many new models since the original, each one adding new features and capabilities, but all of them are based on the same Digital+Analog Virtual Machine. This why they all work with the same powerful BitScope Software. For example, BitScope Mini packs lot in its tiny case but it works the same way as the larger models. Whether it's this model or one of the larger versions such as BS120, BS325 or BS445, they all capture logic concurrently with analog because they are all members of the same programmable mixed signal product family.

Multi-platform Software Solutions All BitScopes include BitScope DSO integrated test & measurement software compatible with Windows, Macintosh, Linux (x86 and ARM) and Raspberry Pi. DSO integrates a mixed signal and storage oscilloscope, logic analyzer, waveform generator and spectrum analyzer in one easy to use software application but there are many other applications available for BitScope. Use BitScope Logic for protocol and logic timing analysis or BitScope Chart for data recording. For other types of measurement BitScope Meter is available for automated voltage and signal analysis as well as live waveform display. There is a growing list of other applications and some models such as BS120 and BS10 also support DSP waveform generation via BitGen and DSO.

Fully User Programmable Off-the-shelf software may not suit every need so BitScope is fully user programmable. All models make available the same seamless mixed signal waveform acquisition and generation capabilities via one published programming API. This is possible because they all based on the same core BitScope Virtual Machine Architecture. The only programming differences relate to hardware specifications (e.g. channels, sample rates, buffer sizes etc) so maintaining software solutions for many different models or upgrading software to new host platforms is easy. It means custom software developed for BitScope data acquisition systems will last the distance as future models will always be based on the same API. Of course, for those who prefer more packaged solutions we also offer the BitScope Applications Library for Windows, Linux and Mac OS X. With bindings for C/C++, Python, Pascal among others, the library make integrating BitScope with third party systems or developing application specific software solutions very easy.