Back to Basics: Sequence Mode

Figure 1: Sequence mode enables fast trigger rates and
optimizes memory usage by ignoring dead time.

Now and again, an oscilloscope user may need to capture either a large number of fast pulses in quick succession, or a small number of events separated by relatively long periods of time. Either of these scenarios are challenging with typical acquisition modes. Fortunately, most modern oscilloscopes offer what we call "sequence mode" (other oscilloscope makers refer to similar acquisition modes as "fast-frame" or "segmented memory" mode).

Back to Basics: Random Interleaved Sampling

Figure 1: This image illustrates the general principle underlying RIS.

Modern oscilloscopes come with all kinds of bells and whistles, and users might be tempted to invoke them for all sorts of situations. But not every whiz-bang feature of an oscilloscope is applicable all the time. Rather, some features are great in the right applications but disastrous in others.

Back to Basics: Sampling Rate

Figure 1: This graph of oversampling rate vs. standard
deviation of measurement shows the diminishing rate of
return from oversampling the input.

In a recent overview post on oscilloscope banner specifications,
one of the topics covered is sampling rate. Let's do a somewhat deeper dive on that topic and look at what sampling rate means to oscilloscope users.