PicoScope® 2000 Series

The PicoScope 2000 Series USB Mixed Signal Oscilloscope is a compact PC-based test instrument designed for electronics engineers, embedded developers, technicians, educational laboratories and OEM test systems.

The MSO models combine:

• Two analogue oscilloscope channels
• Sixteen digital logic channels
• Built-in function generator
• Built-in arbitrary waveform generator
• USB-powered operation
• PicoScope 7 software
• Serial protocol decoding
• Spectrum analysis
• Advanced digital triggering
• Segmented-memory acquisition
• PicoSDK support for custom applications

The range includes MSO models with analogue bandwidths from 25 MHz to 100 MHz, maximum real-time sampling rates from 200 MS/s to 1 GS/s, and buffer memory configurations extending up to 128 MS, depending on model.

Two Analogue and Sixteen Digital Channels

PicoScope 2000 MSO models provide:

• Two analogue BNC input channels
• Sixteen digital inputs
• Two groups of eight digital channels
• Independent threshold control for each digital group
• Time-correlated analogue and digital acquisition
• Logic-pattern triggering
• Serial decoding using analogue or digital inputs

The digital inputs support signals with frequencies up to 100 MHz, data rates up to approximately 200 Mb/s and minimum detectable pulses of 5 ns. Their input range is ±20 V, with overvoltage protection up to ±50 V.

This makes the instrument suitable for debugging:

• Microcontroller GPIO signals
• FPGA and CPLD outputs
• Address and data buses
• Clock and enable lines
• SPI, I²C and UART communication
• Digital control signals
• Mixed analogue and digital systems
• ADC and DAC interfaces

Model Options

The current PicoScope 2000 MSO range includes:

The product page should avoid presenting the highest series specification as standard across every model. Bandwidth, sample rate, memory and signal-generator performance depend on the selected unit.

Up to 100 MHz Analogue Bandwidth

The highest-bandwidth MSO model, the PicoScope 2208B MSO, provides up to 100 MHz analogue bandwidth.

Other available MSO bandwidths include:

• 25 MHz
• 50 MHz
• 70 MHz
• 100 MHz

Typical applications include:

• Embedded-system debugging
• Microcontroller testing
• Digital clock analysis
• PWM waveform measurement
• Sensor signal testing
• Power-supply troubleshooting
• Communication-interface analysis
• General electronics development
• Educational experiments
• Portable maintenance work

Calculated rise time varies by bandwidth, from approximately 14 ns for 25 MHz models to 3.5 ns for 100 MHz models.

Up to 1 GS/s Real-Time Sampling

Maximum real-time sample rate depends on the selected model.

The PicoScope 2000 Series supports model-dependent rates of:

• 100 MS/s
• 200 MS/s
• 500 MS/s
• Up to 1 GS/s

The maximum rate is shared between active channels. On MSO models, each enabled group of eight digital inputs also uses acquisition resources. The maximum digital-channel sampling rate is 500 MS/s.

High-speed sampling helps reveal:

• Narrow pulses
• Timing errors
• Overshoot and ringing
• Short digital transitions
• Signal dropouts
• Communication faults
• Intermittent glitches
• Switching behaviour

Equivalent-Time Sampling

For repetitive signals, ETS mode can increase the effective sampling rate to as much as 10 GS/s on supported models.

Equivalent-time sampling builds a high-resolution waveform from several repetitive acquisitions. It is useful for stable periodic signals but is not suitable for isolated single-shot events.

Deep Buffer Memory

The PicoScope 2000 Series offers buffer memory ranging from small entry-level configurations to as much as 128 MS, depending on model.

Deep memory allows engineers to:

• Capture longer signal periods
• Maintain a useful sampling rate
• Zoom into individual events
• Record longer serial bus transactions
• Analyse start-up sequences
• Investigate intermittent faults
• Compare thousands of acquisitions
• Perform measurements across multiple buffers

Buffer memory is shared between active analogue and digital channels.

Segmented Memory and Rapid Triggering

PicoScope software can divide acquisition memory into multiple waveform segments.

Depending on the model, the software can manage up to:

• 10,000 buffers on A-series models
• Up to 40,000 buffers on supported B-series models

Rapid trigger mode reduces dead time between acquisitions by storing several captures in onboard memory before transferring them to the computer. This is useful for capturing packets, pulses and intermittent events without recording long inactive periods.

Fast Waveform Acquisition

Most PicoScope 2000 models use hardware acceleration to provide waveform update rates up to approximately 80,000 waveforms per second.

Fast acquisition helps identify:

• Rare glitches
• Runt pulses
• Timing violations
• Unstable edges
• Communication errors
• Occasional noise events
• Irregular control pulses
• Intermittent circuit faults

Actual waveform rate depends on the model, computer performance, acquisition settings and display configuration.

Built-In Function Generator

Every current PicoScope 2000 Series model includes a built-in function generator.

Available standard waveforms include:

• Sine
• Square
• Triangle
• Ramp
• DC
• Sinc
• Gaussian
• Half-sine

Supported B-series units additionally offer white noise and pseudorandom binary sequence outputs. Frequency sweeps can be configured with selectable start frequency, stop frequency, increment and direction.

Typical generator applications include:

• Amplifier testing
• Filter evaluation
• Circuit stimulus generation
• Relay endurance testing
• Sensor simulation
• Frequency-response experiments
• Educational demonstrations
• Input and output comparison

Arbitrary Waveform Generator

The built-in 12-bit arbitrary waveform generator can create user-defined test signals.

Users can:

• Draw waveforms in the editor
• Copy an acquired oscilloscope trace
• Import data from a CSV file
• Replay previously captured signals
• Generate application-specific test patterns

AWG memory and update rate vary by model. Supported configurations include update rates up to 20 MHz and buffers up to 32 kS.

Serial Protocol Decoding

PicoScope 7 includes a broad library of serial protocol decoders without requiring separate paid licences or subscriptions.

The software currently supports dozens of protocol decoders and can decode multiple protocols simultaneously, subject to available channels and sampling performance.

Common applications include:

• UART and RS232
• I²C
• SPI
• CAN
• LIN
• I²S
• 1-Wire
• USB
• Modbus
• Automotive and industrial buses

Decoded data can be displayed beside the waveform or in a table for easier packet-level analysis.

Advanced Digital Triggering

PicoScope digital triggering uses digitised waveform data to provide precise and flexible trigger conditions.

Trigger types include:

• Rising or falling edge
• Pulse width
• Window
• Dropout
• Runt pulse
• Logic level
• Combined analogue-channel conditions
• Digital pattern triggering
• Serial protocol conditions

On MSO models, users can trigger when a selected combination of the 16 digital channels matches a binary or hexadecimal pattern.

Spectrum Analyser

PicoScope 7 includes an FFT spectrum analyser that can operate alongside oscilloscope views.

It supports:

• Frequency-domain waveform display
• Up to one million FFT points
• Multiple spectrum views
• Average and peak-hold modes
• Spectrum masks
• Frequency-domain measurements
• Harmonic and distortion analysis

Available measurements include:

• Total harmonic distortion
• THD plus noise
• Signal-to-noise ratio
• SINAD
• Intermodulation distortion

The function is useful for noise analysis, filter evaluation, harmonic testing and identifying unwanted oscillations.

PicoScope 7 Software

PicoScope 7 software is available for Windows, macOS and Linux.

It provides:

• Oscilloscope display
• Spectrum analyser
• Serial decoding
• Automatic measurements
• Waveform mathematics
• Mask-limit testing
• Reference waveforms
• DeepMeasure analysis
• Multiple waveform views
• Custom probe support
• Automated actions
• Waveform buffer navigation

The computer monitor becomes the oscilloscope display, allowing larger and more flexible waveform layouts than compact standalone instruments.

USB-Powered Portable Design

All PicoScope 2000 Series oscilloscopes are powered through USB and do not require a separate mains adaptor.

The instruments are less than approximately 2 cm thick, making them suitable for:

• Portable engineering kits
• Laptop-based field testing
• Educational laboratories
• Mobile service work
• Compact workbenches
• OEM system integration
• Production test fixtures

The smallest models measure approximately 14.2 × 9.2 cm, including the BNC connectors.

PicoSDK and OEM Integration

PicoSDK provides direct access to the oscilloscope hardware for creating custom test, logging and automation applications.

It supports development through common programming environments and is suitable for:

• Automated production testing
• OEM integration
• Custom data-acquisition systems
• Research applications
• Remote monitoring
• High-speed streaming
• Bespoke user interfaces

The compact, passively cooled enclosure also makes the PicoScope 2000 Series suitable for integration into custom electronic equipment.

Applications

The PicoScope 2000 Series MSO is suitable for:

• Embedded-system development
• Microcontroller debugging
• FPGA and CPLD testing
• Mixed-signal circuit analysis
• Digital logic analysis
• Serial bus decoding
• Analogue circuit testing
• Sensor and actuator analysis
• Power-supply troubleshooting
• PWM testing
• Audio electronics
• Educational laboratories
• Electronic service and repair
• Automated production testing
• OEM integration
• Portable field measurements