[sdiy] oscilloscope single/dual ?

[Scott Gravenhorst]

I see the difference, but I'd always heard that referred to as a "dual beam"
oscilloscope, not "dual channel" nor "dual trace".  For my money, dual beam is
more descriptively precise in that it states that there are two distinct electron
beams.  Dual channel simply means two input amplifiers and dual trace could
actually be either dual beam or chop/alt both giving two separate "pictures" of
two different waveforms.

My milage obviously varies.

Magnus Danielson <cfmd at bredband.net> wrote:
>From: Scott Gravenhorst <music.maker at gte.net>
>Subject: Re: [sdiy] oscilloscope single/dual ?
>Date: Mon, 28 Jun 2004 15:15:14 -0700
>Message-ID: <200406282215.i5SMFEi13743 at linux6.lan>
>
>> Magnus Danielson <cfmd at bredband.net> wrote:
>> >From: Scott Gravenhorst <music.maker at gte.net>
>> >Subject: Re: [sdiy] oscilloscope single/dual ?
>> >Date: Mon, 28 Jun 2004 14:56:49 -0700
>> >Message-ID: <200406282156.i5SLuni18760 at linux6.lan>
>> >
>> >Scott,
>> >
>> >> I've had both dual and single trace scopes.  Dual wins by a goodly
>> >> margin.  Some things can be done with add/subtract, others are not so
>> >> easy.  Plus the add/subtract is built in on a decent dual trace, plus the
>> >> ability to trigger off of either channel.  
>> >>
>> >> If this is a democracy, I vote dual.
>> >
>> >Dual trace or dual channel?
>> >
>> >There is a difference you know... ;O)
>> 
>> Actually, I didn't.  What is the difference?  
>
>The difference is that in a Dual trace you have two electron-beams where as in
>a standard dual channel you have one electron beam and alternate between them.
>
>> Also, how can one implement dual trace without two input channels?  
>
>Correct, a dual trace has two channels in... at least. One channel per trace is
>classic, but you can alternate or chop as you pleases individually for each
>trace/beam.
>
>> What I mean, is two separate input channels where each channel can either be
>> selected as the sole displayed trace, or both can be displayed as separate
>> traces in either alternate or chop mode, or the two input channels can be
>> either added or subtracted and displayed as one trace.  Is that dual channel or
>> dual trace?
>
>I think I answered that already. With the key-information I'm sure you'd put
>two and two together! ;O)
>
>Actually, things are even more complex, since if you have meet a Tek 547 (a
>classic tube single beam, dual time-base scope) you'd also know that the Tek
>547 has a "Trace Separation" knob. In the double time base mode the Tek 547
>alternates between the time-bases and now with that knob you can separate the
>time base variants. This is wonderfull to use when you use one of the time
>bases as the zoom-time-base of the other time base view. When you as I do have
>the 4-channel module (>50 MHz BW a channel), you have a really wonderfull tool
>that took many years to surpass in digital.
>
>Oscilloscopes are wonderfull tools, just as you *thought* you knew it all,
>there is something new to learn. I could give you more little storries... ;O)
>
>Cheers,
>Magnus
>

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