Software Oscilloscope?
Moderators: Kent, luketeaford, Joe., lisa
- Kwote
- Voltage Controlled Crackpot
- Posts: 3107
- Joined: Fri Oct 26, 2007 3:24 pm
- Location: SF Bay Area
Software Oscilloscope?
is there a software version of an Oscilloscope available? i don't really have much room in my studio for a hardware one right now(gotta save room for more modulars).
werdup thun.
werdup thun.
- Muff Wiggler
- wait, what?
- Posts: 7815
- Joined: Fri Nov 24, 2006 12:19 pm
yes! I used one for a long time before buying my hardware scope!
here's the one, it's free and works great
http://zeitnitz.de/Christian/Scope/Scope_en.html
here's the one, it's free and works great
http://zeitnitz.de/Christian/Scope/Scope_en.html
- Kwote
- Voltage Controlled Crackpot
- Posts: 3107
- Joined: Fri Oct 26, 2007 3:24 pm
- Location: SF Bay Area
dang. thanks muff!! this is of concern though:
"Signal Sources:
The signals for the oscilloscope can be internal to the computer (MP3 player, function generator etc.) or from external sources (line-in, microphone). For external sources care has to be taken, not to exceed the voltage range of the inputs. The range is usually only ±0.7V !! If higher voltage need to be analyzed, a voltage divider has to be used. Additional protection diodes are recommended in order to avoid any damage to the sound card and to the computer."
do i have any reason to be concerned now or should i just dive right in and start tweakin?
"Signal Sources:
The signals for the oscilloscope can be internal to the computer (MP3 player, function generator etc.) or from external sources (line-in, microphone). For external sources care has to be taken, not to exceed the voltage range of the inputs. The range is usually only ±0.7V !! If higher voltage need to be analyzed, a voltage divider has to be used. Additional protection diodes are recommended in order to avoid any damage to the sound card and to the computer."
do i have any reason to be concerned now or should i just dive right in and start tweakin?
- synthetic
- TASCAM Hero!
- Posts: 1077
- Joined: Mon Nov 27, 2006 10:43 pm
- Location: Pasadena, CA
- Contact:
Here's a Mac scope. I haven't tried it yet, but there is a demo version.
http://www.faberacoustical.com/SignalScopePro/
http://www.faberacoustical.com/SignalScopePro/
- Muff Wiggler
- wait, what?
- Posts: 7815
- Joined: Fri Nov 24, 2006 12:19 pm
good question! I totally do NOT remember how I had the thing connected to my system, but I didn't kill anything.Kwote wrote:dang. thanks muff!! this is of concern though:
"Signal Sources:
The signals for the oscilloscope can be internal to the computer (MP3 player, function generator etc.) or from external sources (line-in, microphone). For external sources care has to be taken, not to exceed the voltage range of the inputs. The range is usually only ±0.7V !! If higher voltage need to be analyzed, a voltage divider has to be used. Additional protection diodes are recommended in order to avoid any damage to the sound card and to the computer."
do i have any reason to be concerned now or should i just dive right in and start tweakin?
I'm pretty sure it went like this:
1) Modular -> Attenuator as last module to trim out most of the voltage -> Sound card's Preamp In
2) Close the attenuator module fully, set preamp to unity gain
3) Get a signal coming from the modular
4) Open the PC-Scope and select the soundcard input
5) SLOWLY open the attenuator untill the signal appears on the scope
I used the scope a LOT and never hurt anything. Always good to be careful though!
- Muff Wiggler
- wait, what?
- Posts: 7815
- Joined: Fri Nov 24, 2006 12:19 pm
- Chuck E. Jesus
- holier than thou
- Posts: 2882
- Joined: Fri Nov 24, 2006 4:13 pm
- Location: next to Serious Fun!
- Muff Wiggler
- wait, what?
- Posts: 7815
- Joined: Fri Nov 24, 2006 12:19 pm
yeah, your audio is AC and you'll want to send that to the soundcard in order to visualize it - the scope shows negative and positive voltages like any scope should, so you can visualize sinewaves and the like.
the warning is about the amount of SWING in the AC signal. A Blacet VCO outputs ten volts of swing, from -5v to +5v (thats 10v total!)
your soundcard only wants to see about 0.5-0.7 volts of swing. You'll still send an AC signal, you'll just attenuate it to have less voltage at the peaks.
if you are talking about hooking an AC power source up to the scope - sure, why not! be damn careful though, but, sure, you can visualize the ripples in your power. Its an AC voltage source, just like the output of a VCO - although far, far hotter at the power outlet!!! Just be sure to attenuate that down to less than a volt of swing as well if you are crazy enough to want to do it. Oh and make sure your attenuator can deal with 120v hehe
the warning is about the amount of SWING in the AC signal. A Blacet VCO outputs ten volts of swing, from -5v to +5v (thats 10v total!)
your soundcard only wants to see about 0.5-0.7 volts of swing. You'll still send an AC signal, you'll just attenuate it to have less voltage at the peaks.
if you are talking about hooking an AC power source up to the scope - sure, why not! be damn careful though, but, sure, you can visualize the ripples in your power. Its an AC voltage source, just like the output of a VCO - although far, far hotter at the power outlet!!! Just be sure to attenuate that down to less than a volt of swing as well if you are crazy enough to want to do it. Oh and make sure your attenuator can deal with 120v hehe
- Chuck E. Jesus
- holier than thou
- Posts: 2882
- Joined: Fri Nov 24, 2006 4:13 pm
- Location: next to Serious Fun!
Muff Wiggler wrote:y
if you are talking about hooking an AC power source up to the scope - sure, why not! be damn careful though, but, sure, you can visualize the ripples in your power. Its an AC voltage source, just like the output of a VCO - although far, far hotter at the power outlet!!! Just be sure to attenuate that down to less than a volt of swing as well if you are crazy enough to want to do it. Oh and make sure your attenuator can deal with 120v hehe

- Kwote
- Voltage Controlled Crackpot
- Posts: 3107
- Joined: Fri Oct 26, 2007 3:24 pm
- Location: SF Bay Area
that's sounds really interesting. i have an old tv that may end up going to the recycle bin. got some detailed instructions for us?sgnhh wrote:You can make a makeshift oscilloscope out of an old TV. It's more for fun, but if you just want to configure and view wave patterns then it should do the trick. It's extremely easy to do, too--all you need is a dpdt switch and a mono 1/4" input jack. I've made a couple of them.
Yep. This circuit bending group called Censtron came up with the first instructions on how to do so... since then the proper way to do it has circulated across hacking blogs, but their way is still the best and safest.
http://censtron.com/?p=18#more-18
Gotta love the huge DO NOT ATTEMPT warning. Aside from watching where your hands go, the mod is extremely easy to pull off. The older TV the better (I was unsuccessful in modding a TV from 1991, but successful in doing TVs from 1989 and 1977).
http://censtron.com/?p=18#more-18
Gotta love the huge DO NOT ATTEMPT warning. Aside from watching where your hands go, the mod is extremely easy to pull off. The older TV the better (I was unsuccessful in modding a TV from 1991, but successful in doing TVs from 1989 and 1977).