Handy Oscilloscope For Your PC

[Llew]

Been trying this little 'virtual oscilloscope' from _www.zelscope.com/

It takes the signal applied to the line in of your soundcard and gives you a nice display of any AC signal within the frequency range of the soundcard's input.

Of course as the input is blocked by a capacitor, you can't read DC voltages, but the voltage level of any AC waveform is shown. With restrictions of course - ONLY FOR READING LOW VOLTAGES! SEE THE WARNING ON THE ZELSCOPE SITE!


The upper frequency limit obviously depends on your soundcard (normally ~20 kHz) but I had no problem going higher - I found it handy for checking some outputs of my Echostar AD3000ip.

My 'normal' oscilloscope is not digital, so I don't have the facility to inspect a waveform - this is where this 'scope is very useful.

Some possibilities -

Inspecting the DiseqC pulses out to your LNB.

Reed pulses from your dish motor.

AF waveforms from the audio output of your STB, or indeed anything audio.

Following posts show some captured waveforms.

 

[Llew]

Here's the 22kHz output from my Echostar AD3000ip.

For the connection to the soundcard, I used a cable with one end an f-plug, and an RCA plug on the other going to a RCA - headphone plug adaptor.

 

[Topper]

Very nice Llew, if I ever get the time I may have a go with that, looks like fun, I have fond memories of the Ecad software used for electronic simulation, used to tear my hair out at times just getting my circuit to produce a waveform

 

[Llew]

...and a nice trace of the shape of a pulse from the optical sensor of my actuator. Only shows one here, but you can watch the train of pulses for any interference if you need to and 'freeze' to inspect.

Note the excellent squarewave, no nasty glitches!

 

[Topper]

That is quite impressive indeed