Optascope 81M

Rosco

Hallo,

I am new to this forum so please forgive if there is already a topic about this device. Also never mind the English mistakes I make because my native language is Dutch.
Two years ago I bought the 81M and I downloaded the software with version v5.1.1. because version 4.0 is not compatible with my computer.

On the download page you can read : Version 5.1.1, which runs on Windows XP/Vista/7, does not support the Understanding Signals text.

That is no problem however, I can still do the projects. There is but one thing I cannot seem to find on my scope display and that is the FFT-function (Fast Fourier Transformation).

So can somebody please tell me wether this is not included in v5.1.1. or am I missing and overlooking something ?
I tried the help button in the software but the only thing that was visible was a blank page.

So please help me out here.

Thank you.

Rosco

This is the screenshot I get from version 5.1.1.

So where can I find the FFT-button ?

RDL2004

Unfortunately, according to the Oscilloscope program's "Help" section, version 5.1.1 does not support the FFT function.

Version 5.1 of the Parallax USB Oscilloscope software is compatible with Windows XP and Vista. Version 5.1 does not support the Stamps in Class text “Understanding Signals” text v1.0 or 1.0a, and does not have Zoom or FFT functionality.

I believe that the program's "Help" requires a web browser with JavaScript turned on. I know if I have JavaScript disabled it only shows a blank page. Maybe that is why you were having trouble seeing it.

Rosco

Thank you very much RDL2004, at least I can stop my search now for the FFT- function.
About Help, when I click the help that you can see in the right up-corner on the picture above you I still get a blank page, even after I uninstalled and installed again the latest version of Java 7 update 5.
I restarted my computer and nothing changes.
Can you tell me what happens and what do you see when you click this link ?
[URL]file:///C:/Program Files (x86)/Parallax Inc/USB Oscilloscope v5.1.1/OscilloscopeHelp/OscilloscopeHelp.htm[/URL]

I found an old topic about this same subject with the same question, I guess I was a bit unlucky to buy an oscilloscoop only two years ago that is now at the end of its life.
http://forums.parallax.com/showthread.php?81021-OPTAscope-81m-Help-Files
The link that Ken Gracey provides doesn't help me much though, it only redirects me to the parallax home page.

So, even if it would have been better to buy the Propscope in hindsight, I am still very pleased with the Optascope 81M because it gives me a nice tool to get more understanding of oscilloscopes.
Thank you for your support

RDL2004

It's too bad the older software doesn't work on your machine. I have the 4.0 and the 5.1 installed on Windows XP and both run fine.

If you go to the program's Help folder you may be able to open the help files directly with your web browser. I have tried this and it works with Firefox.

This is the file (yours may be located in some other folder depending on if you changed the default location during installation).

C:\Program Files\Parallax Inc\USB Oscilloscope v5.1.1\OscilloscopeHelp\OscilloscopeHelp.htm


Have you tried running the 4.0 software in Windows 7 "compatibility mode" for XP or others?

Rosco

Your advise has been very useful.
After pressing Start-Computer-C-Programfiles(x86)-Parallax Inc-USB-Oscilloscoop v5.1.1 - Oscilloscope Help - Content - 110 Help Outline
then I see a menu with FAQ and other items and I didn't even know it was there.

'Have you tried running the 4.0 software in Windows 7 "compatibility mode" for XP or others?'

No, not yet.
If I want to do that then I have to download Windows virtual PC ?


http://www.microsoft.com/windows/virtual-pc/

RDL2004

Just right-click on the program shortcut on the desktop, or in Windows Explorer right click on the USBOscope.exe, and select "Troubleshoot Compatibility". It should be the second item on the right-click menu. Sometimes this can fix problems with older software that doesn't like Windows 7. I have never used "Windows virtual PC", that may work also.

Rosco

There is no shortcut on my desktop to scope version 4 because it already goes wrong trying to download it.
Then I get the following message :

This software requires Windows 2000 or XP. It can not be installed on your version of Windows.

So unless there is a way to put my computer temporarily in XP-mode before I start downloading version 4 , I see no solution to get the FFT-function up and running.

RDL2004

Hi,

To get the Parallax USB Oscilloscope v4.0 to install you will also have to run the install program using the "Troubleshoot Compatibility" option. Locate the install program then right-click on it and select the "Troubleshoot Compatibility" option on the right-click menu. When the "Program Compatibility" window opens, choose the "Try Recommended Settings" option. Once it installs you can just close the "Program Compatibility" window (since you only run the install program once, there is no need to save any settings).

Next, go to the folder where the program was installed (default is C:\Program Files\Parallax Inc\USB Oscilloscope v4.0.0) and right-click on the USBOscope.exe and select "Troubleshoot Compatibility" and the "Try Recommended Settings" option again.

You may want to move the "Program Compatibility" window off to the side so you can see any pop up windows such as the one that asks do you want to allow this program to make changes? Once the Oscope program is running you can click "Next" on the "Program Compatibility" window and tell it to save settings.

I just did this on my Windows 7 computer and as you can see from the attached image, it's running fine. Hopefully it will work on your computer also.

One thing to note is that the Oscope software could not seem to locate the correct Com port that the scope was using. I had to go look in "Device Manager" to see which one it was using and set in manually.

Rosco

Rick, thanks a lot again

I'm really pleased that somebody took my question seriously and helped me with this issue.
I don't know exactly how it got installed but where possible I took your advice to select 'compatible ...' and somehow after 3 attempts the program is installed on my computer.
I have the 81M about 2 years now, like I told you before but I didn't use it for about a year and in the meantime I switched computers and this one is windows 7 so I installed v5.1.1.
And then I saw the FFT was missing but with your help I can use it again and also the help-file is working fine now.
On this picture below you can see the scoop in my computerscreen and the time in my area, that is 1700 hours.

About the com, I noticed that problem the first time I used the scoop but this time I read the instructions, its on com4 .

I guess I owe you a favor.