{"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/c\/cf\/Choose-a-USB-Oscilloscope-Step-1.jpg\/v4-460px-Choose-a-USB-Oscilloscope-Step-1.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/c\/cf\/Choose-a-USB-Oscilloscope-Step-1.jpg\/aid5947479-v4-728px-Choose-a-USB-Oscilloscope-Step-1.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":345,"bigWidth":"728","bigHeight":"546","licensing":"<div class=\"mw-parser-output\"><p>License: <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noreferrer noopener\" class=\"external text\" href=\"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by-nc-sa\/3.0\/\">Creative Commons<\/a><br>

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<\/p><\/div>"} 1 Consider the bandwidth range. Depending on what you use the oscilloscope for, the range of the bandwidth it can process should be the primary consideration. The reliable rule of five is something to stick to. According to this rule, the instrument’s bandwidth should be capable of measuring a maximum of five times the amount of bandwidth that you could possibly require. This will ensure that frequencies are captured up to the crucial fifth harmonic, a decisive factor in determining the shape of the signal.

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<\/p><\/div>"} 2 Evaluate the rise time. Rapid transitions can potentially be lost if rise time measures are not up to scratch. So, the faster the rise time, the higher the accuracy of measurement for those rapid transitions. The rule of five can apply here too, meaning the oscilloscope should be less than 1/5 times the fastest rise time of the signal being measured.

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<\/p><\/div>"} 3 Ensure that the sample rate is 5x your circuit’s highest frequency. A sample rate to an oscilloscope is a frame rate to a camera. It is the regularity with which the oscilloscope captures waveform details. The rule of five applies here too, so, your required sample rate should be five times that of your circuit’s highest frequency. Also pay attention to the minimum sample rate if your requirement is monitoring signals that change slowly and over a length of time. Remember that a faster sample rate means more memory consumed in the recording of the signal, so your device’s memory must be up to the task as well.

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<\/p><\/div>"} 4 Ensure that the probes match up to the sample rate. Having the most top-of-the-line oscilloscope with the massive bandwidth and sample rates won’t help much if the probes aren’t up to the challenge as well. Because probes are the primary instruments for measurement in an oscilloscope, if they aren’t of the same grade as the rest of the device, the whole process becomes futile. So make sure your probes match up to the bandwidth and sample rate requirements for optimal performance.

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<\/p><\/div>"} 5 Confirm your oscilloscope has enough input channels. The more input channels your oscilloscope has, the more data it can process. Obviously, the price of the oscilloscope will increase for these higher input channel devices, but there’s no point skimping for a oscilloscope that doesn’t have enough input to carry out whatever tasks you require it for.

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<\/p><\/div>"} 6 Look out for versatile triggering capabilities. Triggering stabilizes the display of signals to the naked eye, making for more comfortable and accurate viewing. While edge and pulse width triggering is a common offering among oscilloscopes, it is worth looking for one that offers a wider ambit and a greater versatility in terms of triggering capabilities while deciding which particular product you want to lease or purchase.

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<\/p><\/div>"} 7 Make sure you have standard USB 2.0 ports and enough memory. When data is transferred from oscilloscope to a PC, this is done through available input solutions such as a USB port, while solutions such as PCI and LAN ports were used earlier. Time taken to complete data transfer will vary depending on the capabilities of your onboard USB port’s speed. Data storage capacity too will depend on hard disk space available, so make sure you have at least the current standard USB 2.0 ports on any PC you will use the USB oscilloscope with, and you have enough memory to support extended length data transfers.

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<\/p><\/div>"} 8 Shop from an ISO certified vendor. Having globally recognized certification is important as it guarantees the quality and reliability of the product to a certain degree. As TRS-RenTelco explains, “ISO/IEC 17025:2005 is becoming the main standard used by testing and calibration laboratories. There are many commonalities with the ISO 9001:2008 standard, but ISO 17025 adds the concept of competence to the equation.”So vendors that have been recognized and accredited for their quality are clearly preferable.

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<\/p><\/div>"} 9 Use compatible software. Any hardware linkup to the PC requires compatible software for the operation to function. This means a USB oscilloscope must come bundled with matching software as well, and that software should be user friendly and easy to navigate through, for maximum comfort and speed while using the device.