DSO 2.3 | Pegasus Update | Build AC05F

2010-03-16

This update is the second beta release in the Pegasus DSO development series.

It fixes many capture and display bugs found in AB25J (reported by beta testers, thank-you!).

We recommend upgrade to this new version for all users:

• The timebase parameter now reports S/Div and the timebase ranges have been extended to support the capabilities of some BitScopes (BS325 and BS442N).
• The channel control panel reports V/Div and the input range shows ± explicitly as shown here.

This release also fixes all known FUBAB level bugs; i.e. bugs that cause the DSO to crash, abort or otherwise stop working.

If you find a new way to crash this version in normal usage, please tell us how to do it!

Download this release (DSO 2.3 AC05F) for Windows or Ubuntu/Debian or Fedora/SuSe.

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DSO 2.3 | Pegasus Development Version | Initial Release

2010-03-03

DSO 2.3 (code named Pegasus) is the first release in the new DSO development series.

It is derived from the production version and is compatible with it. This initial release is focused on low speed acquisition:

• Adds new SCAN virtual instrument for unlimited duration waveform capture and optional recording.
• Frame based data capture from 50Hz down to 0.1Hz.
• Improved slow timebase AUTO triggered data capture.

Many bugs reported in production version are fixed in Pegasus. See download packages for details. These fixes will be folded back into a production release eventually but if you can't wait try using Pegasus and let us know how you go.

For general operating information please refer to the production release online user guide.

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Development updates to be published online

2009-11-10

DSO development has been ongoing with five production releases shipped with new BitScope models since DSO 1.3 but we have not published these updates online (for compatibility reasons).

However with the release of DSO 2.2 the software is now compatible with almost all models so we can make the latest versions available for download for all BitScope owners (free of charge).

To help distribute new features faster we have also split DSO development into two streams:

• Production Series for production versions (fewer updates, stable features, fewer bugs).
• Development Series for beta versions (more updates, new features, more bugs).

It will soon be possible to download development versions without joining the beta program and this page is where you will find news of development releases and links to download the updates.

The first development beta due for release is DSO 2.3 (due in March).

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2005-10-18

DSO 1.2.1 inc. DDR + WIDE Release Candidate

This releases adds the DSO Data Recorder (aka DDR) to the DSO.

The DDR supports analog waveform and logic data export and import.

It (optionally) listens to enabled capture channels saving waveform and logic data to an internal buffer or a user selected DDR file. Files created with the DDR may be reloaded for subsequent replay and comparison with new waveform capture. Files captured on one BitScope may be reloaded for playback, review or analysis on another.

As DDR files are encoded in the ubiquitious CSV file format they may be opened in standard spreadsheets (eg, Excel) or numerical analysis tools such as MatLab. These tools may also be used to synthesize new waveforms to be replayed in the DSO or loaded to BitScope's hardware waveform generator for live replay (on models that support AWG).

Documentation for DDR is in the works and coming soon. To get started simply click on the word "Reset" on the CAPTURE / DISPLAY panel. This enables the DDR "listen mode" which buffers captured data. Click it again to stop listening, and again to review (ie, replay) the DDR buffer.

Right-click the DDR display to pop-up a menu to access the other DDR commands. Commands include Listen, Review, Pause, Record, Play, Stop, New, Open, Append, Close and Reset. Not all commands appear in the menu at all times, it depend on the state of the recorder.

The other new feature of this release is the Waveform Intuitive Display Engine (aka WIDE).

Designed for speed and "intuitive" waveform and logic display, WIDE updates rendered waveforms and logic traces immediately any capture parameters such as timebase or capture mode are changed, even if no new data is captured, to show it correctly in the new context.

The new engine is also accelerated; using both a waveform cache and faster rendering algorithms it is capable of (re)processing waveform and logic data (in response to parameter changes) very quickly. This makes measurement using scolling, zooming and rescaling waveform and spectrum displays in conjunction the cursors fast and easy.

Bugs reported in previous (unannounced) releases are also now fixed.

For full details see the bug fixes file in the distribution archive.

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2005-03-17 Version 1.2 Beta Release (05031008)

This interim update fixes a number of recently diagnosed bugs, mostly for Windows systems.

About November last year we started receiving reports of stability and performance problems from some users of Windows 2000 and Windows XP who previously had no problems.

After a lengthy investigation we found several new errors in the low level USB and sometimes RS-232 serial drivers in these versions of Windows which appeared if certain Microsoft security patches and/or Windows Updates were installed. We also found that PCs running Windows XP Service Pack 2 were sometimes affected.

This update fixes these problems by changing the way DSO uses COM ports (both real RS-232 COM ports in the case of Windows 2000, and VCP USB COM ports for both Windows versions).

This release does not include the forthcoming new features; data export, pre-trigger view and waveform preview. We've held these new features over pending more testing while we sorted out the Windows related communications issues fixed in this release.

However, this update does include many other fixes for bugs reported since the December release and partially introduces a number of new features that will form a part of the final production release including multi-coloured logic traces, pop-up menu control of many parameters and layout changes designed to make it easier to access the features most commonly used.

As always please email us if you find problems and in this case we're particularly interested to know if you still have stablity or USB communications problems after installing this release.

IMPORTANT: you must have FTDI's latest drivers installed for this release to work properly.

2004-12-10 Version 1.2 Beta Release (04120801)

We've fixed quite a few subtle and some not so subtle bugs found in previous releases including several issues relating to one-shot captures, timebase controls and general usability issues. Please read the BugFixes file in the distribution archive for full details and email us if you find anything we've missed.

We've now commenced integration testing of the following new features which we plan to include in the next release due before January:

• Data export - CSV export of one-shot captured data suitable for use in other applications such as spreadsheets and data analysis tools.
• Pre-trigger capture - scrollable waveform and/or logic display before the trigger in certain modes. This is particularly useful in logic analysis and storage scope applications.
• Waveform preview - waveform generator preview display to be activated for thumbnail views of waveforms being produced when AWG is enabled.

There are a few other known issues and planned features (see the Bug file in the archive) which we hope to have completed for this next release as well.

2004-11-03 Version 1.2 Beta Release (04102802)

This release significantly improves USB performance. With a new USB driver and improvements to the DSO itself, problems affecting some users where display refresh speed was slower than expected have been resolved. See the FIX.txt file in the release archive for details.

Other changes in this release include speed improvements to the waveform generator (uploads are now much faster), x1000 probe scaling has been added, voltage cursor reset is now supported and various other bugs and issues have been fixed.

2004-09-16 Version 1.2 Beta Release (04091601)

For BS44x users this build fixes a display update problem when used with these 4 channel scopes.

Also, a subtle but confusing state machine sequencing error is fixed (any model BitScope). It should not now be possible to end up with the DSO apparently working but no display updates occuring. Our thanks to those users who spotted this one and worked out how to reproduce it !

2004-09-09 Version 1.2 Beta Release (04090901)

With this build we introduce voltage cursors, simplified timebase and delay controls and a range of bug fixes (thanks for the reports !). We have implemented true voltage measurement cursors not horizontal screen cursors.

In a nutshell this means that you can make more accurate measurements on a single channel, take measurements from one channel and make comparisons with another and mark reference voltages which remain as you set them regardless of how you choose to view the waveforms on screen.

Magnitude cursors are partially enabled. They work but they don't report spectrum magnitude yet.

2004-08-31 Version 1.2 Beta Release (04083001)

We have been quietly releasing updates over the past few months with fixes for bugs reported by our beta testers. We plan a few more before heading into the production prerelease phase.

DSO 1.2 now supports all the new features of the new BitScope models BS50U and BS310U while maintaining backward compatibility with all older models as far back as BS120. Please let us know if you have an older model which does not work correctly with this release !

Subject to testing we expect the RC release series to start in a week or so in the lead up to the production release in late September. If you try it out, let us know how you go !

2004-04-29 Version 1.2 Beta Release (04042901)

This is the first public beta release of DSO 1.2. It supports the built-in waveform generator (BS300 only; flip the front panel "WaveForm Generator" switch on and click the AWG button at the top right of the DSO application). The other new features of 1.2 (data export, screen dump, cursors etc) are not included in this build and there is no documentation for it yet.

2004-02-24 Version 1.1 Maintenance Rebuild (04022401)

This maintenance release fixes a subtle display problem in LOGIC mode at 5uS and slower and extends the timebase ALT and CHOP ranges (at the slow end of the scale). It is now possible to perform captures as long as 4S (ALT mode) and 100S (CHOP mode) if you can wait that long :-)

Download it here.

2004-02-16 Version 1.1 Released

DSO production release 1.1 is now available.

2004-02-10 Version 1.1 Release Candidate #4 Rebuild (04021001)

We've rebuilt this latest release. The original was unoptimized and had some incorrect initialization. If you're having trouble with 1.1 RC4 (particularly on older PCs) grab a copy of the new build.

2004-02-06 Version 1.1 Release Candidate #4

Several subtle but potentially confusing trigger related bugs have been fixed. Timebase expansion now operates about the centre of the display (not the trigger point). Support for ALT buffers as been included (for BS300). Waveform ghosting is added to indicate when data is no longer live.

This is the last 1.1 RC release to include new features. Subject to any necessary bug fixes it will be renamed production version 1.1 in about a week, replacing DSO 1.0.

In related news, DSO 1.2 is nearly out of beta and the 1.2 RC release series will commence with the rollout of a range of new features over the next month or so.

2004-01-22 Version 1.1 Release Candidate #3

Thanks for all the feedback ! We've fixed the floating point and range errors in the new spectrum analyzer so this version is much more stable the previous release. Included also are numerous subtle fixes as well as improvements to the handling of input offsets.

2004-01-05 Version 1.1 Release Candidate #2

This update fixes a problem with Win2k and some Linux distributions where application buttons can "go missing" and some font sizes are incorrect. In some cases this prevented cursors being activated (the cursor button went missing). Other minor bugs and issues have also been resolved.

2003-12-23 Version 1.1 Release Candidate #1

Many thanks to our beta testers. This first 1.1 release candidate is now out of beta test and includes the new DFT based integrated spectrum analyzer with multi-resolution power, phase and mixed displays, time cursors for highly accurate analog and logic time, period and delay measurement, frequency cursors for frequency and bandwidth measurement and numerous bug fixes.

2003-10-16 Online User Guide

The BitScope DSO User Guide is now online.

2003-10-14 Version 1.0 Released

DSO production release 1.0 is now available. Download it here !

2003-09-26 DSO Beta Release P4

We've fixed many of the bugs found in P1 through P3. Check FIX.txt in the archive for details.

2003-09-12 DSO Beta Release P1

Our thanks to everyone who provided their valuable feedback on the preview releases.