If you’re an best automotive oscilloscope engineer, you probably know how important a good automotive oscilloscope is for troubleshooting problems in vehicles like electrical actuators and sensors. However, there are many different types of oscilloscopes on the market and deciding which one is best for you can be difficult. In this article, we will discuss some of the most important features to look for when choosing an automotive oscilloscope.
A good automotive oscilloscope should be capable of measuring a wide range of signals found in modern cars. A high bandwidth and sample rate ensures that you can capture and measure fast-changing signals. You’ll also want to make sure the scope you choose has advanced triggering so you can capture specific events within a signal, such as when an ignition coil fires.
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Having a long record length is also an important feature to consider. This will allow you to capture and examine a large number of samples of a complex signal, which can be helpful when trying to find a problem. You’ll also want to look for a scope that offers serial bus decoding, which can be helpful when you need to understand the data transmitted on an automotive bus.
The PicoScope 2204A is a great choice for an automotive oscilloscope because it has all the fancy features of pricier professional scopes, such as serial bus decoding and an in-built waveform generator. It’s also relatively inexpensive, which is a big bonus for anyone on a tight budget. The only downside is that it only shows 2 channels at a time, which can be a bit of a drawback if you need to check CAM and crank position sensors together.