Oscilloscope Introduction

This page is INCOMPLETE and still missing some important information before it can be used as a resource. Please use the "Discussion" feature above or talk to one of the tutors if you would like to help improve it. Thanks!

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This is the content required for an introduction to our [[Introduction for::Oscilloscope]] - reading this does NOT replace the mandatory session with a tutor! It will make it a lot quicker though ;-)

If you are ready for this introduction, please reach out to the following tutors: (TUTORS TO BE ADDED)

Let's begin! First off, make sure you have read the machine's wiki page and manual.

⚠️ Safety

As with any electric device, avoid moisture or exposure to liquids, don't operate with opened/damaged housing.

Personal protection: No specific personal protection equipment needed

Dangers	Precautions
Electric Shock	Only work on low voltage is permitted (AC ≤ 50 V, DC ≤ 120 V). Do not touch exposed circuits when measuring signals on an open device or PCB. Only use insulated probes and handles. Do not float the oscilloscope or attempt differential measurements with standard probes at hazardous voltages; use appropriate high‑voltage differential probes
High Voltages	Never apply signals higher that the oscilloscope's and probe's ratings.

Suggested Reading

"How to not blow up your Oscilloscope": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xaELqAo4kkQ

"How to use an Oscilloscope" by Sparkfun: https://learn.sparkfun.com/tutorials/how-to-use-an-oscilloscope/all

"Oscilloscope Fundamentals Primer" by Rohde & Schwarz:https://ethz.ch/content/dam/ethz/special-interest/chab/chab-dept/research/documents/LPC/oscilloscopefundamentals.pdf#page=1&zoom=50,-6,807

(German) "Die größte Seuche der Elektrotechnik" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hKB_buROge.M7s A video that explains common mode interference (Gleichtaktstörungen) and gives insight into why and how they are avoided.

Artikelserie "Moderne Oszilloskop-Meßtechnik" des ELV Journals (Teil 10 fehlt):
Teil 1, Teil 2, Teil 3, Teil 4, Teil 5, Teil 6, Teil 7, Teil 8, Teil 9, Teil 11, Teil 12, Teil 13, Teil 14, Teil 15

Demonstration

The tutor will show you these steps in detail:

Preparation and power‑up

1. Ground the instrument. Plug the oscilloscope into a grounded outlet. Ensure the instrument shares ground with the device under test - that usually means connecting GND of all connected devices to PE (Protective Earth)
2. Power on. Use the front‑panel power switch to turn on the oscilloscope. Allow the device to boot and complete its self‑test.
3. Reset to default setup. Press the DEFAULT button to restore the oscilloscope to a known configuration. This ensures standard settings for controls and avoids unexpected behaviour.

Connecting and compensating probes

1. Select the channel and vertical scale. Press the CH 1 button to enable channel 1. Set the volts/div knob and the vertical position to mid‑range
2. Attach the probe. Connect the passive probe’s BNC connector to the channel input. Attach the ground lead clip to a known ground on the oscilloscope or reference terminal
3. Compensate the probe. Connect the probe tip to the scope’s built‑in square‑wave reference output. Adjust the probe’s compensation capacitor until the displayed square wave has flat tops and bottoms
4. Repeat this for each channel.

Basic measurements

1. Time base and triggering: Adjust the horizontal time/div knob to set the time scale; adjust the trigger level and trigger mode (Auto, Normal, Single) as needed. For repetitive signals, AUTOSET can help to automatically adjust time base, vertical scale and trigger.
2. Voltage measurements: Use the cursors or built‑in measurement functions to display peak‑to‑peak voltage, RMS voltage, frequency and other parameters.
3. Multiple channels: Enable additional channels (CH 2–CH 4) to compare signals and measure phase differences or timing relationships. Use the Math menu to subtract signals or calculate FFTs.
4. Digital channels and serial decoding (optional): Use the digital inputs to capture up to 16 logic channels and decode I²C, SPI, UART, CAN or LIN protocols. The Serial menu allows you to assign channels and view decoded data.

Saving and exporting data

• Insert a USB flash drive into one of the front USB ports. Use the Save/Recall menu to save waveform snapshots, setups or CSV data for further analysis.
• For remote operation, connect an Ethernet cable to the RJ45 port. Open a web browser and enter the oscilloscope’s IP address to access the built‑in web server, which allows live control, screen capture and file transfers.