Using SignalExpress for data logging on oscilloscope Tektronix TDS2022 via usb

[ericsu99]

Hi,

I am currently trying to use SignalExpress(Tektronix Edition) to acquire and record data from tektronix TDS2022 via usb. It seems that SignalExpress can only record the data right after trigger (please see attachment). I am wondering if there is a way to record the whole continuous signal rather than the discountinous one. Thanks a lot

[Nathan-P]

Could you send some screenshots of your step configuration tabs?  It looks like you are only grabbing a few samples each time the trigger is activated.  You may want to change the aquisition to "Continuous" or increase the number of samples to grab when a trigger is detected.

[ericsu99]

Thank you for the response. I attached the screenshot.

Actually I am not sure if this is the option that you mentioned and I couldn't find "continuous". I tried all the options but they all record when the trigger is activated.

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@Nathan-P wrote:

Could you send some screenshots of your step configuration tabs?  It looks like you are only grabbing a few samples each time the trigger is activated.  You may want to change the aquisition to "Continuous" or increase the number of samples to grab when a trigger is detected.

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[Nathan-P]

Can you send screenshots of the other four tabs?  The tektronix version is different, so the images would be helpful to see how its configured.

[ericsu99]

the first three tabs are attached

@Nathan-P wrote:

Can you send screenshots of the other four tabs?  The tektronix version is different, so the images would be helpful to see how its configured.

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[ericsu99]

The remaining. Thank you!

@ericsu99 wrote:

the first three tabs are attached

@Nathan-P wrote:

Can you send screenshots of the other four tabs?  The tektronix version is different, so the images would be helpful to see how its configured.

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[Nathan-P]

I can see what you mean, there doesn't seem to be an intuitive way to set this.  I found the following resource that might help:

http://www.ni.com/pdf/manuals/374297d.pdf

In the section "Connecting Instruments Using a USB Device Cable" it mentions that it provides a "live view of the signal from the oscilloscope".  I would reccomend starting there.  Does the live preview work as expected?  Can you see the entire continuous signal?  If not then there may be some configuration on the "Measurements" tab that would need some adjusting, or on the oscilloscope directly.

[ericsu99]

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@Nathan-P wrote:

I can see what you mean, there doesn't seem to be an intuitive way to set this.  I found the following resource that might help:

http://www.ni.com/pdf/manuals/374297d.pdf

In the section "Connecting Instruments Using a USB Device Cable" it mentions that it provides a "live view of the signal from the oscilloscope".  I would reccomend starting there.  Does the live preview work as expected?  Can you see the entire continuous signal?  If not then there may be some configuration on the "Measurements" tab that would need some adjusting, or on the oscilloscope directly.

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the live view actually only shows the waveform after trigger is activated rather than continously showing the signal. Only the frozen waveform will be shown on both the oscilloscope and SignalExpress. The oscilloscope and SignalExpress will show the same waveform but there is usually 3 seconds delay for SignalExpress to display. The measurements tab is only for checking which values (mean, pk-pk, etc) we wanna acquire. I am guessing that maybe this oscilloscope is not capable of continously signal transmission to computer due to the low transmission rate.

[Nathan-P]

That could be true, but if the broken waveform is appearing on both the oscilloscope and Signal Express, then there could be something we need to configure on the oscilloscope.  Does the scope have this same behavior when you are not controlling it via Signal Express?

[ericsu99]

It would be normal when the oscilloscope work alone. The oscilloscope shows continous waveform when the trigger is inactivated. once the scope is connected to signalexpress, all the buttons on the scope will not work anymore, we can only change the options via SignalExpress.