The DSO maintains a set of on-screen measurement variables (aka measurement data).
These variables are shown immediately below the display to which they belong. The variables to be displayed depends on the display type and whether certain features such as cursors are enabled:
In this screenshot the variables associated with time and voltages cursors are shown because both cursors were selected when it was taken.
Variables are identified by a two character name and are typically colour coded on the display.
| ID | NAME | DESCRIPTION |
| TB | Timebase | Time per division (Graticule Enabled) or time per display (Graticule Disabled). |
| BW | Bandwidth | Spectrum display bandwidth or Nyquist frequency (aka the highest displayed frequency). |
| FS | Sample Rate | Display or capture sample rate. Which it reports depends on the data mode (ie, it reports the effective sample rate of the waveform). |
| TD | Time Delay | Pre/Post-trigger time delay (non-zero if pre-trigger, delay or time offset has been set). |
| VA | Voltage Scale | Volts per division (Graticule Enabled) or Volts per display (Graticule Disabled) for Channel A. Other channels (VB, VC and VD) similar. |
| VM | Voltage (Mark) | Voltage at the Mark Cursor (Blue) on the selected channel. Reported in the colour of the selected channel (eg, Yellow for CH A). |
| VP | Voltage (Point) | Voltage at the Point Cursor (Red) relative to the Mark. Reported in the colour of the selected channel (eg, Yellow for CH A). |
| TM | Time Period (Mark) | The time offset from the trigger point to the time mark cursor. |
| TP | Time Period (Point) | The time difference between the two time cursors. |
| FM | Frequency (Mark) | The value of the Mark frequency cursor. Appears in spectrum displays only. |
| FP | Frequency (Point) | The difference (aka bandwidth) between the Point frequency cursor and the Mark frequency cursor. Appears in spectrum displays only. |
| MM | Magnitude (Mark) | The value of the Mark level cursor (in dB). Appears in spectrum displays only. |
| MP | Magnitude (Point) | The difference between the Magnitude Point and Mark cursors. Appears in spectrum displays only. |
An important distinction between these variables and the DSO settings that control them is that the variables always report values appropriate for the waveform or spectrum data currently on-screen. This is in contrast to some DSO settings (eg, timebase) which may be changed to new values which do not correspond to the displayed waveforms until a new capture is performed.