Latest PropScope software
Hanno
Posts: 1,130
Hi!
January 2nd 2014: A new beta of the PropScope software is here:
onerobot.org/propscope207.exe
This fixes a calibration error when streaming measurements at slow timescales (100,200,500,1000msec/div).
Please let me know of any issues...
Enjoy!
Hanno
January 2nd 2014: A new beta of the PropScope software is here:
onerobot.org/propscope207.exe
This fixes a calibration error when streaming measurements at slow timescales (100,200,500,1000msec/div).
Please let me know of any issues...
Enjoy!
Hanno
Comments
Jim
hannoware.com/propscope/propscope107.exe
+only indicate "clipped" if signal(s) being displayed is clipped
+stats only calculated for channels being displayed, so measurement for ch1/ch2 will be blank when ch not displayed
+lsa "wait for trigger" indicator
+msft bug fix
+nice trigger indicator in lsa mode
+confirm proper dc average
+dso and lsa views both have their own trigger. however, in dsolsa view, only one can be active at a time. on entry into dsolsa, the binary trigger is turned of if the analog one is on
+datalogger mode is back
+datalogger mode does not disable trigger, it still shows triggers, but indicates "trigger ignored"
+when switching out of datalogger mode, time offset is set so you look at left of data, first sample is left
+when switching between datalogger timescales, time offset is set so you look at right of data- most recent is right
+trigger time crosshair is at right position- even in lsa mode
+restrict dac to 4.7
Hanno
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Co-author of the official Propeller Guide- available at Amazon
Developer of ViewPort, the premier visual debugger for the Propeller (read the review here, thread here),
12Blocks, the block-based programming environment (thread here)
and PropScope, the multi-function USB oscilloscope/function generator/logic analyzer
Can you check that version 1.0.7 has a function generator. I'm not sure if I did something wrong but it doesn't show up on my screen.
Thanks,
Lisa
To use the function generator the DAC card must be plugged into the PropScope. We've designed the scope to be expandable through both hardware and software "plugins" - the DAC card that comes with the PropScope adds the function generator, external trigger, video output, and logic analyzer to the scope. When the PropScope firmware starts up, it reads the configuration from the card and tells the PropScope software which plugins to show.
Hanno
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Co-author of the official Propeller Guide- available at Amazon
Developer of ViewPort, the premier visual debugger for the Propeller (read the review here, thread here),
12Blocks, the block-based programming environment (thread here)
and PropScope, the multi-function USB oscilloscope/function generator/logic analyzer
That was it - I started the propscope software and then plugged in the card. The card has to be plugged in when the software is launched.
Lisa
http://hannoware.com/propscope/propscope108.exe
+changing timescale doesn't change horizontal cursor.
+the "0" line is labeled for both ch1 and ch2
+when showing 1 channel, the default position of the "0" line is in the middle.
+changing vertical resolution brings channel back to default position
+when showing 2 channels, default position is slightly above/slightly below middle
+only the required channel labels are displayed
+"timescale bug" fixed, in slow timescales, data will scroll from right to left
+unplug/replug propscope should no longer cause random exceptions later on
+numbers are displayed in better formats
+fixed many "error messages"
+dsolsa works very nicely now
+in dsolsa view, indicates which trace is being measured
Hanno
Oh, and it also solved the other glitch I was having when I clicked off "Run" to stop recording, and then restarted it. With 1.04, at least, it wouldn't find the scope again, and I had to shut down the software and start it up again.
Lisa
Edit: just had the error again, but when I clicked "Run" a second time, it found the scope and ran normally.
Here's 109:
http://hannoware.com/propscope/propscope109.exe
+when using generator, triggering on ch2 is ignored
+it's now possible to pause and resume when in datalogger mode
+timescale numbers update again
+grid makes room for 1 or 2 vertical labels
Hanno
We're keeping you busy, it seems.
Keep up the great support!
Thanks!
Hanno
Hey Hanno,
I was not complaining about the updates! I am amazed at how responsive you are to any issue.
I copied this from another page, hope it helps.
Re: Understanding Signals with the PropScope - Chapter 3: Human Speed Measurements (D
Like most expensive/fancy scopes, PropScope supports 2 modes:
- When the timescale is set to fast rates, like 1ms/div it captures 2 full screens of data and then displays the whole trace at once. It repeats this very quickly.
- When the timescale is set to slow rates (human speed), like 1sec/div it continually scrolls new measurements into the display, from right to left. Similar to a "heart monitor". This lets you see data as it's coming in- not 20 seconds after the fact.
Hanno
1. Differential mode
2. A "logging mode" similar to the 'POCKET SAMPLER"...
Good work on version 9............Irv
Wouldn't plugging one probe's ground to the signal going to the other probe give you the equivalent of a "differential mode"? Or am I hopelessly ignorant about oscilloscope features? (or would that somehow release the magic smoke?).
1 - When I start up the software without the scope attached, I get an error box that looks like the attached file. Could this be "prettied up" a bit? It's not that bad, but it does give off the "something serious is wrong" vibe that you probably should avoid.
2 - In the signal generator control boxes (frequency, amplitude, offset), things work oddly. I would normally expect to change those values by putting the mouse cursor to the right of the value, holding down the left mouse button, and sweeping across what I wanted to change, thereby highlighting it. Here that doesn't work at all. By trial and error I've learned that you have to point at the box whose you want to change, and left click once. This works reliably, but it's so unexpected that at first I thought that the ability to change these values was missing from my version of the software. Is there a way to make these boxes behave more normally?
(I used a 6-pin header just because I didn't have any 5-pin ones on hand. It makes no functional difference).
I did this in part because the labels for the female header on the DAC Card are hidden in a tiny gap between the header and one of the BNC connectors. It's much easier this way.
To be honest, a LOT of Parallax educational activities would be easier if the reader were able to put together simple cables like this. You (Parallax) should consider carrying the headers and pre-crimped wires. I imagine you know who I bought them from.
Thanks for the feedback- I hope I've made the "textboxes" easier to use for you- here is an update:
http://hannoware.com/propscope/propscope111.exe
+spectrum dc offset
+spectrum unit display fixed
+floating horizontal and vertical for spectrum
+magnitude->amplitude, suffix V when not in dB mode
+spectrum not clipped
+click/drag anywhere else to "enter" a textbox item
+click items now happen on mouse down- except for trigger change-
makes whole app more responsive
I'm not having much luck with this version. I'd have to say there are too many problems for me to itemize them. Back to 1.09 for me.
Attached are a couple of screenshots. I was hoping to go try those text boxes, but they're not even appearing (first attachment). There's also only two tabs (Oscilloscope, Analog) on the left, and when I click the Analog tab, the program crashes (second attachment). In addition, when I clicked the "Full Screen" menu option, I got a completely black screen, though the rollovers still appeared. When I pressed "Escape" in hopes of going back to the previous screen, I got a completely white screen, and had to exit using the "three finger salute" and the Task Manager.
Edit: Okay, that was when I started it up without the DAC Card attached. When the DAC Card is attached, I do get the Generate boxes, and they do work better. However, if I click on the Analog tab the program still crashes, and I get error messages like the second attachment below.
I just went back, uninstalled it, and reinstalled V. 1.09, and tested that same stuff: it works just fine.
I'm running the sine wave exercises in Chapter 7, at the place where you change the offset, and the "auto" mode of the trigger doesn't seem to be working. I verify that I have "auto" selected, but when I change the offset, it says "Waiting for Trigger", and never finds it - unless I manually move the trigger up or down to an appropriate level, at which point the signal appears as you would expect, and the control moves to "normal".
Right now I'm at an offset of 3V, and I'm getting the trigger.
I'll change the offset to 2V now...
It says "Waiting for Trigger".
Now I'll manually bring the trigger level down...
A little above 2V it says "Triggered", the control moves to "Normal", and the wave appears as expected.
=====================
Now I'm running the Spectrum Analyzer activity (Activity #5 in Ch 7, p. 303), and while it works great, for some reason the buttons for the dB mode and log scale look a little squashed. No big deal, and I suppose it might just be my screen, but it looks odd.
In v1.09 the auto-trigger uses the captured waveform to set the next trigger level. This works well for slowly changing signals- however not for signals that change quickly relative to the timescale- ie going from average of 2v dc offset to 4v.
In v1.11+ the PropScope continually measures the average of the trace you're auto-triggering on. It also has a timeout in case the signal changed since the last average. It's still possible to not get a good trigger- for example, a signal that's rising much slower than the timescale won't have any "event" to trigger on.
I'll take a look at why v1.11 didn't work for you and resolve it...
Hanno
http://hannoware.com/propscope/propscope112.exe
+if start without "dac" card- and later want to use dac/lsa, including "logic analyzer" and "dso lsa" views, you'll need to insert dac card and "file/restart"
+clicking on analog after inserting "dac" card no longer shows error message
+when coupling set to dac and generate clicked on, stays in dac
+can click on trace to switch between measurements
+clipped message only displays when ch1 or ch2 clipped-dac never triggers message
+voltage range correct on analog view is correct
+can switch timescale while in autotrigger for dac
+falling edge trigger more reliable
+dac more accurate
+no longer shows error message on maximize
+tries harder to connect before showing reconnect message
+when in trigger "step" mode, can scroll time
Hanno
http://hannoware.com/propscope/propscope200.exe
This has now been fully tested with Andy's upcoming book.
+switching from 10x probe setting to 1x using the probe manager no longer requires changing vertical resolution dial for some resolution settings
+can now reliably start/stop when in streaming mode
+clicking start will try to connect if it things the propscope's firmware is current. if it fails, it'll directly load the latest firmware, if all fails, it'll show a non-threatening message to plug in your scope
+updated manual to v1.1
http://hannoware.com/propscope/propscope202.exe
+Save to csv/txt will save >1000 samples
+Horizontal trigger indicator matches up with actual trigger position for all timescales
Thanks for all the work you do!
Jim
PS Now if we could figure out how to stop those rumblings down there...