Stearns, Phil

When selecting an oscilloscope for a specific measurement, the first thing that most of us consider is the bandwidth required to accurately represent our signals. The oscilloscope's bandwidth tells us what spectral frequencies will be preserved and the maximum transition speeds that can be measured. In this article we briefly explore the relationship between bandwidth, sample rate and memory depth. As a result we will understand the tradeoffs involved and how we can mitigate them to make measurements with more confidence

Typical oscilloscope’s banner specifications include bandwidth, sample rate, memory depth, and price. However, update rate is equally important because it characterizes the oscilloscope’s ability to capture both intermittent and repetitive events. A fast update rate is critical to oscilloscope’s ability to display intermittent signal anomalies, like a glitch.