VT DSO-2820E Manual Rev. 1.

0
Virtins Technology

VT DSO-2820E Manual

This product is designed to be used by those who have some basic electronics and electrical
knowledge. It is absolutely dangerous to connect an unknown external voltage to the VT
DSO unit. Be sure that the voltage to be measured is less than the maximum allowed input
voltage.

Note: VIRTINS TECHNOLOGY reserves the right to make modifications to this manual at any time without
notice. This manual may contain typographical errors.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

1 INSTALLATION AND QUICK START GUIDE..............................................................................................3

1.1 PACKAGE CONTENTS ....................................................................................................................................3
1.2 MULTI-INSTRUMENT SOFTWARE INSTALLATION ..........................................................................................4
1.3 HARDWARE DRIVER INSTALLATION .............................................................................................................4
1.3.1 Installation Procedure ..........................................................................................................................4
1.3.2 Installation Verification .....................................................................................................................12
1.4 START MULTI-INSTRUMENT SOFTWARE .....................................................................................................13
1.5 ZEROING .....................................................................................................................................................13
1.6 PROBE CALIBRATION ..................................................................................................................................14
1.7 HARD RESET ...............................................................................................................................................15
1.8 FEATURE HIGHLIGHTS ................................................................................................................................15
1.8.1 Hardware DSP based Bit Resolution Enhancement for Oscilloscope................................................15
1.8.2 Oscilloscope Normal Frame Mode, Record Mode and Roll Mode....................................................17
1.8.3 Oscilloscope Digital Trigger and Trigger Frequency Rejection ........................................................19
1.8.4 Oscilloscope Persistence Mode..........................................................................................................20
1.8.5 External Trigger Input Channel as a Digital Input Channel...............................................................20
1.8.6 Anti-aliasing filter for Spectrum Analyzer.........................................................................................20
1.8.7 Signal Generator DDS and Streaming Modes....................................................................................20
1.8.8 Signal Generator DDS Interpolation ..................................................................................................21
1.8.9 Simultaneous Data Acquisition and Data Output...............................................................................21
1.8.10 Calibration and Re-Calibration ........................................................................................................21
1.8.11 Upgradable software, firmware, and hardware based DSP algorithm .............................................23
2 SPECIFICATIONS ...........................................................................................................................................24
2.1 VT DSO-2820E HARDWARE SPECIFICATIONS ...........................................................................................24
2.2 P6100 OSCILLOSCOPE PROBE HARDWARE SPECIFICATIONS .......................................................................29
2.3 MULTI-INSTRUMENT SOFTWARE SPECIFICATIONS ......................................................................................29
2.4 SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT INTERFACE SPECIFICATIONS ............................................................................34
3 MULTI-INSTRUMENT SOFTWARE LICENSE INFORMATION...............................................................35
3.1 LICENSE TYPES ...........................................................................................................................................35
3.2 LICENSE UPGRADE FROM ONE LEVEL TO ANOTHER ....................................................................................36
3.3 SOFTWARE UPGRADE FOR THE SAME LEVEL ...............................................................................................36
4 EXTENDED USE OF MULTI-INSTRUMENT SOFTWARE ........................................................................36

5 MEASUREMENT EXAMPLES.......................................................................................................................37

6 SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS ..............................................................................................................................39

7 WARRANTY....................................................................................................................................................39

8 DISCLAIMER...................................................................................................................................................39

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1 Installation and Quick Start Guide

This is one of the second-generation USB DSOs designed and developed by Virtins
Technology. This generation of USB DSOs features Virtins Technology’s unique hardware-
based DSP algorithm which enhances the performance and functionality dramatically without
adding extra hardware cost. When used in conjunction with Multi-Instrument software, the
USB DSO converts any desktop, laptop, or tablet PC into a powerful oscilloscope, spectrum
analyzer, multimeter, data logger, signal generator and so forth, all of which work
simultaneously.

1.1 Package Contents

A standard VT DSO-2820E Package contains the following items:

1) VT DSO unit with a hardware bundled Multi-Instrument Standard software license

2) 2  100 MHz Oscilloscope Probe P6100 with two switchable positions: 1, 10

3) Signal Generator Test Lead (1 m)

4) USB cable (1.5 m)

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5) CD (contains the copy-protected Multi-Instrument software and VT DSO driver)

1.2 Multi-Instrument Software Installation

Insert the installation CD into your computer’s CD-ROM drive and follow the instruction on
the screen to install the Multi-Instrument software.

1.3 Hardware Driver Installation

1.3.1 Installation Procedure

The USB cable has one USB A-type connector at one end and one USB B-Type connector at
the other end. The A-type connector should be connected to a USB port of your computer
while the B-type connector should be connected to the DSO.

For Windows XP (and similarly Windows Vista):

1) Wait for the “Found New Hardware Wizard” dialog to pop up. And then select “No, not
this time” and click “Next”.

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2) Select “Install from a list or specific location (Advanced)” and click “Next”.

3) Choose “Search for the best driver in these locations” and “Browse…”, and then locate
the driver. The driver can be found at Multi-Instrument’s installation
directory\Drivers\VTUSB3\32bit or 64bit. Choose 32-bit or 64-driver according to your
Windows version. After that, press “Next”.

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4) The following dialog box will pop up. Click “Continue Anyway”.

5) Click “Finish”.

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6) Select “No, not this time” and click “Next”.

7) Select “Install from a list or specific location (Advanced)” and click “Next”.

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8) Choose “Search for the best driver in these locations” and “Browse…”, and then locate
the driver. The driver can be found at Multi-Instrument’s installation
directory\Drivers\VTUSB3\32bit or 64bit. Choose 32-bit or 64-driver according to your
Windows version. After that, press “Next”.

9) The following dialog box will pop up. Click “Continue Anyway”.

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10) Click “Finish”.

For Windows 8 (and similarly Windows 7) :

1) If there is an available internet connection, Windows 8 will silently connect to the

Windows Update website and search for the driver. The following dialog box will pop up.
Click “Close” or let it close automatically after failing to find the driver.

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2) The DSO driver has to be installed manually via Device Manager under Windows
Control Panel. The Device Manager can be accessed from Windows 8 Metro Start Screen
via [Charm Bar]>[Settings]>[Control Panel]>[Hardware and Sound]>[Device Manager].
In the Device Manager window, there will be an Unknown device under Other Device
with a yellow warning symbol to indicate that the driver for the device has not been
installed. Right click on the Unknown device and choose “Update Driver Software…”
on the pop-up menu.

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3) Choose “Browse my computer for driver software”.

4) Choose “Search for driver software in this location” and “Browse…”, and then locate the
driver. The driver can be found at Multi-Instrument’s installation
directory\Drivers\VTUSB3\32bit or 64bit. Choose 32-bit or 64-driver according to your
Windows version. After that, press “Next”.

5) Choose “Install” to start the driver installation.

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6) Press “Close” after the installation has been completed.

The driver is located in the Drivers\VTUSB3 directory in the CD. When you install the
Multi-Instrument software, a copy of the respective driver will also be installed in the
software installation directory \Drivers\VTUSB3.

Once the driver has been installed successfully, the LED on the DSO’s front panel will blink
red once.

Note: you may need to re-install the driver if you change to use another USB port of
your computer for the VT DSO unit. However, the installation CD is not required
during driver re-installation. To avoid driver re-installation, stick to a fixed USB port
of your computer for the VT DSO unit.

1.3.2 Installation Verification

If the hardware driver has already been installed, the LED on the DSO’s front panel will
blink red once whenever you attach the DSO to the computer. You can follow the steps in
the next section to start the Multi-Instrument software. If the software starts in licensed mode
(do not plug out the DSO), that means that the driver has been installed successfully.
Otherwise, please open the Windows Device Manager via [Start]>[Control
Panel]>[System]>[Hardware]>[Device Manager] (for Windows XP, and similarly for other
Windows versions), you should see “Virtins USB3.0 Generic Driver” under “Universal
Serial Bus controllers” category. If not, then re-installation of the hardware driver is required.

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1.4 Start Multi-Instrument Software

To start the Multi-Instrument software, on Windows desktop, click the MI icon directly, or
select [Start]>[All Programs]>[Multi-Instrument]>[VIRTINS Multi-Instrument] (for
Windows XP, and similarly for other Windows versions). The LED on the DSO panel will
keep blinking green very fast for a little while during the software startup. If the oscilloscope
is running, the LED will be steady green. If the signal generator is running, it will be steady
red. If both are running, it will be steady orange. If some error occurs, it will blink red at a
slow speed.

1.5 Zeroing

Connect the oscilloscope probe tip to its ground lead for both channels, and switch the
Trigger Mode to “Auto” (see the figure above). With the oscilloscope running, you should
see a horizontal line at 0V in the oscilloscope. If not, you should click “ ”和“ ”in the
toolbar and choose “Yes” to compensate the ground levels of both channels to zero. You may

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need to do this every time after you change the sampling parameters. If “No” is chosen
instead, the software DC compensation will have no effect.

For VT DSOs that support hardware offset adjustment, it is recommended to use that
function for zeroing instead (described in the following sections). To make sure that the
software DC compensation is inactive, go to [Setting]>[Calibration] and check the “Input DC
Offset”, make sure that the values are zero for both channels.

1.6 Probe Calibration

Connect the probe (at 10 position) to the 1 kHz square wave output of the DSO, and then
adjust the sampling parameters such that the waveform displayed on the screen can be clearly
seen. You can also do this by simply clicking the “Auto” button at the upper right corner of
the screen.

Adjust the probe compensate capacitor at the end of the probe cable such that the square
wave looks normal, as shown below.

For VT DSOs (such as VT DSO-2810R and VT DSO-2820R) that do not have a built-in
analog signal generator, the probe calibration signal is generated digitally and output via a
dedicated pin.

For VT DSOs (such as VT DSO-2810 and VT DSO-2820) that have a built-in band-limited
(<5MHz) analog signal generator, the probe calibration signal is generated digitally and
output via the signal generator output BNC when the analog signal generator is not running.

For VT DSOs (such as VT DSO-2810E and VT DSO-2820E) that have a built-in wide-band
analog signal generator, the probe calibration signal is generated analogously and output via
the signal generator output BNC when the signal generator is not running. You can also
generate it using the signal generator.

The probe calibration output can be configured via [Setting]>[DAC Device] (see figure
below).

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You can choose to output either Rectangle or MLS signal. When MLS is selected, the
frequency value here refers to the clock frequency of the MLS generator rather than the
output signal frequency. By default, the Probe CAL signal output is enabled. You can disable
the signal output by un-ticking the “Probe CAL” checkbox. This will help to improve the
Signal-to-Noise ratio in the oscilloscope, especially when the measuring range is lower than
100 mV.

1.7 Hard Reset

A hard reset can be done via disconnecting the DSO from your computer and then re-connect
it to the computer again. You can only do this with the Multi-Instrument software closed.

1.8 Feature Highlights

The following sections highlight some unique features of the second-generation VT DSOs.
Most of these features are not available in other USB DSOs in the market. For a complete
description of functions, please refer to the Multi-Instrument software manual.

1.8.1 Hardware DSP based Bit Resolution Enhancement for Oscilloscope

Hardware DSP based bit resolution enhancement is a unique feature that is only found in the
second-generation VT DSOs. Virtins Technology is the first and currently the only company
to implement this feature in USB oscilloscopes. With this feature, an 8-bit ADC device
would be able to produce samples with an increased effective bit resolution as the sampling
frequency (defined here as its sample output rate) goes down. Theoretically, additional ½ bit
of resolution could be gained through some algorithm whenever the sampling frequency
decreases by a factor of 2. Therefore, an 8-bit ADC device could output samples with a 16-
bit effective bit resolution if the sampling frequency is 1/216 of its maximum sampling
frequency.

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To use the bit resolution enhancement feature, select “16Bit” in the Sampling Bit Resolution
combo box in the Sampling Parameter Toolbar. The actual effective bit resolution achieved
depends on the sampling frequency used and can go up 16 bits. Please refer to the hardware
specifications in the following chapter.

If “8Bit” is selected instead, it is still possible to partially utilize the bit resolution
enhancement feature. To enable this feature, go to [Setting]>[ADC Device] and select
“Effective Bit Resolution Enhancement” under Miscellaneous section (see figure below).
The effective number of bits (ENOB) of an 8-bit ADC device (when “8Bit” is selected in the
above figure) is always less than 8 bits due to noise and distortion. Enabling this feature will
make the ENOB of the device closer to 8 bits.

The above bit resolution enhancement is realized through hardware. It is also possible to
implement this feature through software. After the acquired data have been transferred from
the DSO into the computer, one can apply a moving average digital filter (a FIR filter with
equal filter coefficients) to them. A 2-tap moving average filter would increase the effective
bit resolution by ½ bit. A 216–tap moving average filter would turn an 8-bit ADC device into
a 16-bit one. However, software DSP based bit resolution enhancement has significant side
effects as compared to its hardware counterpart. (see table below)

Side Effects Hardware Software

DSP based DSP based
bit bit resolution
resolution enhancement
enhancement
Reduces the signal bandwidth (normally from 0 to ½ of the sampling No Yes
frequency) roughly by a factor equal to the number of taps used in the moving
average. As a result, high-frequency details of the signal, which should have
shown up, are lost. For instance, spikes will be widened and flattened, vertical
edges will become straight-line slopes, etc.
Reduces the number of independent samples per frame by a factor equal to the No Yes
number of taps used in the moving average, as the adjacent samples are
correlated after moving average.
Non-uniform behavior at the starting and/or the ending parts of the data frame No Yes
due to the fact that it is not possible to apply exactly the same moving average
filter there as the one applied to the middle part of the data frame.

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To use software DSP based bit resolution enhancement, right click anywhere within the
oscilloscope window and choose [Oscilloscope Processing]>“Digital Filtering”>
“Arbitrary”> “IIR Coefficients”. Then select an appropriate moving average filter file from
the IIR subdirectory. Software DSP based bit resolution enhancement is generally not
recommended when hardware DSP based bit resolution enhancement is available.

1.8.2 Oscilloscope Normal Frame Mode, Record Mode and Roll Mode
The second-generation VT DSOs support both normal frame and streaming modes. There are
two streaming modes: Record Mode and Roll Mode. The following is a comparison table of
these three modes.

Normal Frame Mode Record Mode Roll Mode

Max. Sampling High Medium Low
Frequency
Record Length Low High Medium
(limited by DSO (limited by hard disk (limited by computer
hardware buffer size) space) memory size)
Trigger Trigger per frame Trigger required at Trigger required at
startup (first frame) only startup (first segment)
only
Discontinuity within each Absolutely no Normally no Normally no
data frame
Discontinuity between Most likely Normally no Normally no
adjacent data frames
Usage General purpose Used when Record Generally used to provide
Length exceeds the limit instant display response
determined by the DSO at very slow sweep speed.
hardware buffer Without it, the entire
frame of data must be
acquired first before the
display can be updated.

Also used when Record

Length exceeds the limit
determined by the DSO
hardware buffer

1.8.2.1 Normal Frame Mode

Normal frame mode is the most commonly used oscilloscope mode. Each data frame is
triggered and acquired individually. There may be discontinuity between two adjacent data
frames. The length of the data frame is limited by the DSO hardware buffer size. One major
advantage of this mode is that it supports the highest sampling frequency of the ADC device.

1.8.2.2 Record Mode

Record Mode can be activated using either of the following methods:
 Clicking the Record button in the Sampling Parameter Toolbar

 Selecting “Record” in the Sweep Time combo box (at the bottom left corner of the
screen after clicking anywhere in the oscilloscope window) and then clicking the Run
button of the oscilloscope (at the upper left corner of the screen).

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Click the Record button or oscilloscope Run button again to stop recording. When the
sampling frequency is high, the hard disk file used for recording will be filled up very
quickly, remember to click either of the above buttons to stop recording in time. To exit the
Record Mode, select an oscilloscope sweep time other than “Record” in the above Sweep
Time combo box.

Under Record Mode, raw ADC data will be written into the hard disk continuously in WAV
file format. Meanwhile, data analysis and display will still be performed in order to keep the
screen updated in real time. Priority is given to the former process in order to try the best to
ensure uninterrupted data recording. Whether the recorded data are continuous (i.e. the
adjacent frames of data are connected smoothly without missing any data in between) or not
depends on the system throughput, sampling frequency, bit resolution, number of sampling
channels, etc. The DAQ progress bar under the oscilloscope graph shows the recording
progress. The progress bar will be filled with some red color if the recorded data are not
continuous (see figures below). You can lower the sampling frequency and bit resolution,
and use single channel if possible, to get continuous data stream.

No discontinuity detected Discontinuity detected

During the recording process, the screen will still be updated. The oscilloscope frame width
can be adjusted via [Setting]>[Display]> “Record Mode”> “Frame Width” (in points).

When the recording process is stopped, the recorded file will be opened automatically. If it is
too big, it will be opened frame by frame. In this case, the Long Wave File Navigation
Toolbar (as shown below) will pop up to allow you to navigate through the file.

1.8.2.3 Roll Mode

Roll Mode is activated by ticking the above “Roll” button in the Sampling Parameter Toolbar.
Under this mode, the oscilloscope frame is split into many segments with the length of each
segment equal to the Roll Width, which is set via [Setting]>[Display]>“Roll Mode”> “Roll
Width” (in points). The data displayed in the oscilloscope window will shift left by a step of
one Roll Width each time when a new segment of data arrives. The newly arrived data will
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be shown in the right most portion of the graph. You can consider using Roll Mode if the
sweep time is too long (e.g. greater than 1 s) to avoid long time waiting for screen update.
The Roll Mode button is enabled when the Record Length per sweep is four times or more of
the Roll Width. Under the Roll Mode, whether the acquired data are continuous (i.e. the
adjacent segments of data are connected smoothly without missing any data in between) or
not depends on the system throughput, sampling frequency, bit resolution, number of
sampling channels, etc.

1.8.3 Oscilloscope Digital Trigger and Trigger Frequency Rejection

The second-generation VT DSOs use hardware based DSP algorithm for triggering and
trigger frequency rejection. This greatly improves the trigger stability and accuracy, even
with noisy signals.

1.8.3.1 Digital Triggering

The second-generation VT DSOs use a digital trigger instead of the conventional analog
trigger. The digital trigger is implemented through hardware. It is able to search for the
trigger event in the digitized samples in real time. Trigger jitter is a significant problem in
conventional analog trigger. It is caused by the disparity between the acquisition and trigger
circuits. Trigger jitter causes the waveform displayed on the screen to shift left and right as
the display is updated. A digital trigger, on the other hand, does not have this kind of jitter as
it shares the same physical path with the acquisition.

The Multi-Instrument software also features a specially designed algorithm which effectively
eliminates the lateral shaking of waveform display due to limited sampling rate compared
with the signal frequency (i.e. very few samples acquired per signal cycle).

1.8.3.2 Trigger Noise Rejection

Trigger Frequency Rejection can be used to filter out noises from the trigger signal to prevent
false triggering. The available options are: NIL (All-Pass), HFR (High Frequency Rejection),
NR0~NR4 (Noise Rejection), HN0~HNX (High Frequency Rejection + Noise Rejection).
There are different levels of noise rejection. For Levels 0~4, the hysteresis values are fixed
while for Level X, it is user-configurable via [Setting]>[ADC Device]> “Trigger Frequency
Rejection HNX”. You can configure whether to include high frequency rejection and specify
the noise rejection hysteresis (in percentage) for HNX option. Please refer to the hardware
specifications in the next chapter for the detailed specification of the rest of options.

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1.8.4 Oscilloscope Persistence Mode

Under persistence mode, up to 200 most recent waveforms are kept in the computer memory.
These waveforms can be superimposed/drawn in the oscilloscope window in three ways:
Phosphorescent, Rainbow, Equivalent Time Sampling. Persistence Mode can be activated by
right clicking anywhere within the oscilloscope window and select [Oscilloscope Chart
Option]> “Persistence”. Please refer to Multi-Instrument software manual for details.

1.8.5 External Trigger Input Channel as a Digital Input Channel

The external trigger input channel of a second-generation VT DSOs can be used as a digital
input channel. It is actually a 1-bit ADC with the threshold for digitization adjustable. This
channel can be configured via [Setting]>[ADC Device]> “Digital Channel Configuration”.
If the external trigger is selected as the trigger source, then the threshold for digitization can
also be adjusted by adjusting the trigger level in the main window. With two analog input
channels and one digital input channel, the oscilloscope can be used for mixed signal
measurements. It can also be used as a protocol analyzer for serial communications.

1.8.6 Anti-aliasing filter for Spectrum Analyzer

The USB DSOs in the market are generally equipped with only one fixed anti-aliasing filter
for the highest sampling frequency. Aliasing will still occur when the sampling frequency
goes down. This will cause wrong measurements in both the oscilloscope and the spectrum
analyzer. The second-generation VT DSOs solve this problem using anti-aliasing filters that
can adapt to the sampling frequency. 16-bit resolution should be used to fully utilize this
feature. Please refer to the hardware specifications for details.

1.8.7 Signal Generator DDS and Streaming Modes

The signal generator of the second-generation VT DSOs features advanced hardware based
DSP algorithm which supports both streaming and DDS （Direct Digital Synthesis) modes.
Complicated signals such as white noise, MLS, frequency sweep and amplitude sweep,
which generally are not found in other USB signal generators in the market, can be generated
using the second-generation VT DSOs, for both streaming and DDS modes.

Under streaming mode, the output data are computed, continuously if necessary, by the
Multi-Instrument software in the computer and then streamed continuously to the DAC
device for output. One advantage of using streaming mode is that you can fully utilize the
power of the Multi-Instrument software to generate very complicated signal at minimum
hardware cost. However, limited by the software computing and the streaming speed, this
mode is not able to provide high frequency output. Also, it may consume a lot of CPU time
when the output sampling frequency is high or the output signal is complicated. Whether the
output signal is continuous or not depends on the system throughput, sampling frequency, bit
resolution, number of sampling channels, etc.

Under DDS mode, the computer only needs to send the output signal parameters (such as
signal frequency, amplitude, waveform type or shape data, etc.) to the DAC device and the
DAC device will take care of the rest. No actual output data will be sent from the computer
to the DAC device. This greatly reduces the CPU work load and communication traffic
between the computer and the DAC device. Very high signal frequencies can be generated if
the DAC device is capable. One drawback is that not all functions supported by the streaming
mode are supported by the DDS mode.

The following table compares these two modes.

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Streaming Mode DDS Mode

Max. Sampling Frequency Medium High
Load to computer CPU High Very Low, only when Start/Stop
button is pressed
Functionality Virtually no limit, fully determined Limited by the hardware and the
by the computer software nature of DDS
Discontinuity in output signal Normally no Absolutely no
Sweep speed accuracy High Medium
Usage To generate those waveforms that Generally DDS mode should be
cannot be generated by DDS used in order to utilize high
sampling frequency and reduce the
computer CPU load

Tick / Untick the DDS checkbox on the signal generator panel to select the DDS / Streaming
mode.

Unlike the DDS function provided by some DDS IC chips, which has only a few fixed
waveform options, the DDS function here is fully user-configurable. Beside some pre-
configured waveforms (sine, rectangle, triangle, etc.), you can configure your own waveform
via a waveform library file. This file will be downloaded to the DDS buffer when you choose
“WFLibrary” in the waveform combo box on the signal generator panel. Please refer to the
Multi-Instrument software manual for details.

1.8.8 Signal Generator DDS Interpolation

A DDS DAC device uses a lookup table (i.e. DDS buffer) to hold the shape of the signal to
be generated. The DDS output suffers from the limited number of entries in the lookup table.
The output value “jumps” when going from one entry to the next, introducing unwanted high
frequencies in the output signal. This adverse effect may not be discernible when the output
signal frequency is high, but becomes sensible as the output signal frequency goes down.
DDS interpolation can be used to fix or alleviate this problem. Instead of using the value
stored in the lookup table directly, it dynamically computes the output value through linear
interpolation between two successive lookup table values. This effectively enlarges many
times the DDS lookup table.

To enable the DDS interpolation, go to [Setting]>[DAC Device] and tick the “DDS
Interpolation” checkbox.

1.8.9 Simultaneous Data Acquisition and Data Output

The oscilloscope and signal generator of the second-generation VT DSOs can work
simultaneously. You can generate a stimulus to the Device Under Test (DUT) and acquire
the response from that device at the same time. You can even configure a sequence of steps
to generate different stimuli to the DUT and analyze the different responses from it. Please
refer to the chapter for Device Test Plan in the Multi-Instrument software manual for details.

1.8.10 Calibration and Re-Calibration

All the second-generation VT DSOs are individually calibrated to the specifications. Some
models allow the user to re-calibrate them. To do the re-calibration, go to

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[Setting]>[Calibration]> “Advanced”. The following “Advanced Calibration” dialog will

pop up.

You can calibrate the offset and gain settings for each voltage measuring range and for each
channel. The following are the steps to calibrate Channel A at 1V.
(1) Write down the current Offset, Gain (linear) and Gain (dB) values. This is important for
system restoration in case all the settings are messed up.
(2) Put Channel A to DC, 1V, 16Bits, 1MHz (or lower).
(3) Short the probe tip to its ground lead.
(4) Adjust the Offset spin box in the Advanced Calibration dialog such that the mean value
of Channel A is zero.
(5) Inject a DC or low-frequency signal with known amplitude to channel A. For better
accuracy, the amplitude should approach the limit of the voltage measuring range to be
calibrated. For the calibration of some voltage measuring ranges, you may use the DSO’s
signal generator to generate the test signal.
(6) Adjust the Gain or Gain (dB) spin box in the Advanced Calibration dialog such that the
maximum/minimum value (when the test signal is AC) or mean value (when the test
signal is DC) of Channel A is equal to the amplitude of the test signal.
(7) Click the Write button in the Advanced Calibration dialog to save the changed settings
into the DSO hardware. Note that if you click the Read button before you click the Write
button, the changed settings will be overwritten by the settings previously stored in the
DSO hardware.

Hardware based offset and gain adjustment is superior to software based methods in that it
does not reduce the precious dynamic range offered by the ADC devices.

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1.8.11 Upgradable software, firmware, and hardware based DSP algorithm

The computer software as well as its license level, the firmware in the DSO, and the
hardware based DSP algorithm in the DSO are all remotely upgradable. What you need to
do is to check our website frequently to see if there is a free upgrade available for download.

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2 Specifications

2.1 VT DSO-2820E Hardware Specifications

Oscilloscope Horizontal (Time) Axis
Real Time Sampling Single Analog Channel
Frequency (fs) 200 MHz

Single or Dual Analog Channels with or without 1-bit Digital

Channel
100 MHz, 50 MHz, 25 MHz, 20 MHz, 10 MHz, 5 MHz,
4 MHz, 2 MHz, 1 MHz, 500 kHz, 400 kHz, 200 kHz,
100 kHz, 50 kHz, 40 kHz, 20 kHz, 10 kHz, 5 kHz, 4 kHz,
2 kHz, 1 kHz, 500 Hz, 400 Hz, 200 Hz, 100 Hz, 50 Hz,
40 Hz, 20 Hz, 10 Hz, 5 Hz, 4 Hz, 2 Hz, 1 Hz
Equivalent Sampling = [Real Time Sampling Frequency]  [Number of Frames
Frequency Persisted]. Maximum 40 GHz, for repetitive signals whose
maximum frequency is less than ¼ of the real time sampling
frequency. Not valid for the case of post-trigger.
Buffer Normal Analog Single Channel
Size Frame Mode 40000 samples (8 bits)
20000 samples (16 bits)

Dual Channels
20000 samples / channel (8 bits, Non-ALT mode)
10000 samples / channel (16 bits, Non-ALT mode)
40000 samples / channel (8 bits, ALT mode)
20000 samples / channel (16 bits, ALT mode)
Digital 20000 samples (1 bit)
Record Mode Limited only by hard disk space available and maximum file
(Streaming size allowed by the operating system.
Mode)
Maximum sampling frequency for continuous streaming is
computer speed and software setting dependent and typically
2 MHz (single channel, 8 bit) in Multi-Instrument.
Roll Mode Limited only by the computer memory available.
(Streaming
Mode for Roll Mode is allowed when fs  1MHz and [Record Length]
Low  4  [Roll Width]. Maximum sampling frequency for
Frequency continuous streaming is computer speed and software setting
Signals) dependent.
Sweep Time 5 ns ~ 500 s (Non-Streaming Mode)
Sampling Frequency 50 ppm
Accuracy

Oscilloscope Vertical (Analog) Axes

Number of Channels 2 (i.e. Ch. A and Ch. B)

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ADC Bit Resolution 8 Bits

Enhanced ADC Bit 16 Bits
Resolution If this option is selected, the effective bit resolution increases
(available only when from 8 bits to up to 16 bits as the sampling frequency goes
Sampling Frequency is down.
less than 100 MHz)
(Assuming white noise in the signal)
Sampling Effective Bit Sampling Effective Bit
Frequency Resolution Frequency Resolution
 100 MHz 8 Bits  25 MHz 9 Bits
 6.25 MHz 10 Bits  1.563 MHz 11 Bits
 391 kHz 12 Bits  97.7 kHz 13 Bits
 24.4 kHz 14 Bits  6.10 kHz 15 Bits
 1.526 kHz 16 bits
Bandwidth fs  50 MHz 80 MHz
fs  50 MHz 8 Bits No Effective Bit Resolution 80 MHz
Enhancement
Effective Bit Resolution 15 ~ 25 MHz
Enhancement
16 Bits Effective Bit Resolution about 0.443 fs
Enhancement
Voltage Measuring Range 10 mV, 20 mV, 50 mV, 100 mV, 200 mV, 500 mV,
(Full Scale) 1 V, 2 V, 5 V, 10 V, 20 V, 50 V
Max. Allowed Voltage 100 V (DC + AC peak), derated above 100kHz
DC Accuracy 1%
Coupling Type AC / DC
Input Isolation No
Terminal Type Referenced Single-Ended, BNC
Input Impedance 1 M, 15 pF
Zero Calibration Through hardware. Individually done at factory, user
adjustable
Gain Calibration Through hardware. Individually done at factory, user
adjustable

Oscilloscope Vertical (Digital) Axis

Number of Channels 1 (i.e. External Trigger Channel, 1-bit ADC)
Bandwidth 140 MHz
Threshold Resolution 45 mV
Threshold Hysteresis 225 mV
Threshold Range 20 V
Max. Allowed Voltage 100V (DC + AC peak), derated above 100kHz
Threshold DC Accuracy 1%
Coupling Type DC
Input Isolation No
Terminal Type Referenced Single-Ended, BNC
Input Impedance 1 M, 15 pF
Zero Calibration Through software. Individually done at factory.

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Gain Calibration Through software. Individually done at factory.

Oscilloscope Trigger
Trigger Detection Method Digital
Trigger Source Ch. A, Ch. B, EXT, ALT
Trigger Mode Auto, Normal, Single, Slow
Trigger Edge Rising, Falling
Trigger Level Adjustable within full scale
Pre-Trigger -100% ~ 0% of Record Length
Post-Trigger 0 ~ 100% of Record Length
Trigger Frequency Nil: No Rejection
Rejection HFR: High Frequency Rejection, cut off at 0.11fs
NR0: Noise Rejection, hysteresis = 1% of half of full scale
NR1: Noise Rejection, hysteresis = 2% of half of full scale
NR2: Noise Rejection, hysteresis = 4% of half of full scale
NR3: Noise Rejection, hysteresis = 8% of half of full scale
NR4: Noise Rejection, hysteresis = 16% of half of full scale
HN0: HFR + NR0
HN1: HFR + NR1
HN2: HFR + NR2
HN3: HFR + NR3
HN4: HFR + NR4
HNX: selectable HFR + adjustable hysteresis = 0% ~ 25% of
half of full scale
Note: The specified hysteresis may be modified internally to
ensure [Trigger Level (%)] – [Hysteresis (%)]  -100%
at rising edge, or [Trigger Level (%)] + [Hysteresis
(%)]  100%] at falling edge.

Oscilloscope Dynamic Performance (Typical)

THD fs=100 kHz, f=1 kHz, from 2nd to 20th order, full-scale input:
8 bits (without bit resolution enhancement):  -55 dB
8 bits (with bit resolution enhancement):  -56 dB
16 bits:  -59 dB
IMD (250 Hz + 8 kHz, fs=100 kHz, from 2nd to 3rd order, full-scale input:
4:1) 8 bits (without bit resolution enhancement):  -51 dB
8 bits (with bit resolution enhancement):  -52 dB
16 bits:  -57 dB
IMD (19 kHz +20 kHz, fs=100 kHz, 2nd order only, full-scale input:
1:1) 8 bits (without bit resolution enhancement):  -65 dB
8 bits (with bit resolution enhancement):  -65 dB
16 bits:  -78 dB
SFDR fs=100 kHz, f=1 kHz, full-scale input:
8 bits (without bit resolution enhancement):  61 dB
8 bits (with bit resolution enhancement):  61 dB
16 bits:  62 dB

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Crosstalk  -45 dB (at the same voltage measuring range for full
bandwidth)
Noise For voltage measuring ranges 50 mV and above:
8 bits (without bit resolution enhancement):  3 counts (
1%)
8 bits (with bit resolution enhancement, fs =100 kHz):  2
counts ( 0.8%)
16 bits (fs =100 kHz):  0.3 8-bit count ( 0.1%)

For voltage measuring ranges 10 mV and 20 mV:

8 bits (without bit resolution enhancement):  15 counts (
6%)
8 bits (with bit resolution enhancement, fs =100 kHz):  9
counts (4%)
16 bits (fs =100 kHz):  1 8-bit count (0.4%)

Signal Generator General

Number of Channels 1
Coupling Type DC
Output Isolation No
Terminal Type Referenced Single-Ended, BNC
Output Impedance 50 
Overvoltage Protection 35 V

Signal Generator -Analog (when Signal Generator is running)

Output Voltage Range 2 V, adjustable
DAC Bit Resolution 10 Bits
Output Sampling DDS Mode
Frequency (fs) 200 MHz, 100 MHz, 50 MHz, 20 MHz, 10 MHz, 5 MHz

DDS Mode or Streaming Mode

2 MHz, 1 MHz, 500 kHz, 200 kHz, 100 kHz, 50 kHz, 20
kHz, 10 kHz, 5 kHz
Output Sampling 50 ppm
Frequency Accuracy
Bandwidth DC ~ 60 MHz
Output Signal Frequency 0 ~ ½ of output sampling frequency
Rise Time (10% ~ 90%) < 5.8 ns
DC Offset Range Full output voltage range
DC Accuracy 0.5% of full scale
Waveform DDS Mode* Sine, Rectangle (duty cycle adjustable), Triangle, Saw Tooth,
White Noise, MLS (length = 263-1), User Configurable
Waveform Library (Arbitrary), Musical Scale
Streaming* Sine, Rectangle (duty cycle adjustable), Triangle, Saw Tooth,
Mode White Noise, Pink Noise, MultiTones, MLS
(127~16777215), DTMF, User Configurable Waveform
Library (Arbitrary), Musical Scale
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Signal DDS Mode <0.05 Hz (fs = 200 MHz)

Frequency <0.000001 Hz (fs = 5 kHz)
Resolution Streaming Virtually infinitesimal
Mode
Buffer DDS Mode Without interpolation: 1024 samples
Size With interpolation: 1024  65536 = 67108864 samples
(Note: interpolation is only available when fs <= 100 MHz)
Streaming Virtually unlimited
Mode
Frequency DDS Mode Supports linear sweep of all types of repetitive waveforms.
Sweep Sweep speed range: 1/32768  fs2 / 232 ~ 65535  fs2 / 232
(e.g. 284 Hz/s ~ 610 GHz/s when fs = 200 MHz)
Streaming Supports linear and logarithmic sweep of all types of
Mode repetitive waveforms.
Sweep speed range: unlimited
Amplitude DDS Mode Supports linear sweep of all types of waveforms.
Sweep Sweep speed range: 1/32768  fs / (232 –1) ~ 65535  fs / (232
–1)
(e.g. 0.000142 %/s ~ 305171 %/s when fs = 200 MHz)
Streaming Supports linear and logarithmic sweep of all types of
Mode waveforms.
Sweep speed range: unlimited
Duration DDS Mode 1/fs or 1 s, whichever is greater
(Signal
Length) Streaming 1/fs
Resolution Mode
THD  -60 dB
(fs = 2 MHz, f = 1 kHz, from 2nd to 20th order, full-scale
output)
SFDR  65 dB
(fs = 2 MHz, f = 1 kHz, full-scale output)

Zero Calibration Through software. Individually done at factory.

Gain Calibration Through software. Individually done at factory.
*DDS mode consumes almost no computer CPU time while streaming mode consumes a lot. Maximum
sampling frequency for continuous streaming is computer speed and software setting dependent and typically
1.5625 MHz in Multi-Instrument. More advanced functions are provided via Multi-Instrument software under
streaming mode. Please refer to Multi-Instrument software manual for details.

Signal Generator - Digital (when Signal Generator is not running)

Voltage Range -1.65 ~ 1.65 V, not adjustable
Output Signal Frequency 50 ppm
Accuracy
Bandwidth 60 MHz
Rise Time (10% ~ 90%) < 5.8 ns
Waveform Square Signal Frequency 25 MHz / N, (N=1, 2, 3, ….25000)
MLS Sampling Frequency 25 MHz / N, (N=1, 2, 3, ….25000)

General
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Interface USB 2.0

Device Category in ADC Device VT DAQ 1
Multi-Instrument DAC Device VT DAO 1
Firmware Upgradable Yes
Power Bus powered by USB port, no external power source
required.
Power Consumption Max. 2.5W
Dimensions 145 mm (L)  108 mm (W)  26 mm (H)
System Requirement Windows XP, Vista, 7, 8 or above, 32 bit or 64 bit
Operating Temperature 0C ~50C

2.2 P6100 Oscilloscope Probe Hardware Specifications

Attenuation Ratio 1, 10
Bandwidth DC ~ 100 MHz (10), DC ~ 6 MHz (1)
Input Impedance 1 M (1, with VT DSO connected)
10 M (10, with VT DSO connected)
Input Capacitance 18.5 pF~22.5 pF (10), 85 pF~120 pF (1)
Input Capacitance Compensation Range 10~30 pF
Length 1.2 m

Accessories include: a 12 cm snap-on rotating ground lead, a sprung hook, two marker rings,
a probe compensation adjustment tool, two probe tip caps.

2.3 Multi-Instrument Software Specifications

Please refer to Multi-Instrument software manual for detail. The following table shows the
function allocation matrix for Multi-Instrument series. The Spectrum 3D Plot, Data Logger,
LCR Meter, Device Test Plan, Vibrometer are add-on modules/functions and should be
purchased separately, and they are only available for Multi-Instrument Lite, Standard, and
Pro versions, except that the Vibrometer is only available for Multi-Instrument Standard and
Pro versions.

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Legend:  - Function available

Sound Card Sound Sound Multi- Multi- Multi-
Oscilloscope Card Card Instrument Instrument Instrument
Spectrum Signal Lite Standard Pro
Analyzer Generator
General Functions
Sound Card MME      
ADC / DAC

Sound Card ASIO 

Other Hardware   
Hardware

vtDAQ, vtDAO License automatically activated with the presence of the corresponding hardware, e.g. a
software USB hardkey or a VT DSO.
development kit
Load WAV File      
Load TXT File  
Load WAV File  
Frame by Frame
File Operation

(fore Long WAV

File)
Combine WAV      
Files
Extract Data and      
save them into a
new WAV File
Save/Load Panel      
Setting
Copy Text to      
Clipboard
     
Data Export

Copy BMP to
Clipboard
Print Preview      
Print      
Export as TXT File      
Export as BMP File      
Trigger Mode     
Trigger Source     
Trigger Settings

Trigger Edge     
Trigger Level     
Trigger Delay     
High Frequency   
Rejection
Noise Rejection   
Sampling Rate      
Sampling Channels      
Sampling
Settings

Sampling Bit      
Resolution
Record Length     
Input     
Output    
Probe     
Sound Pressure     
Calibration

Level
F/V Conversion  
Latency for Sync. 
Output/Input
Sensor Sensitivity     
Load Factor for     
Power Calculation
Zoom      
Operation

Scroll      
Graph

Cursor Reader      
Marker      
Chart Type      
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Sound Card Sound Sound Multi- Multi- Multi-

Oscilloscope Card Card Instrument Instrument Instrument
Spectrum Signal Lite Standard Pro
Analyzer Generator
Line Width      
Color      
Fast/Slow Display      
Mode
Refresh Delay      
Font Size      
Roll Mode  
Reference Curves  
Gain Adjustment      
Input Peak Indicator      
Sound Card      
Selection
Sampling Parameter      
Auto Setting
Others

Multilingual GUIs      
Show/Hide Toolbar      
Lock/Unlock Panel      
Setting
Hot Panel Setting      
Toolbar
ActiveX      
Automation Server
Oscilloscope
Individual      
Waveform (offline)
Waveform      
Addition (offline)
     
Type

Waveform
Subtraction (offline)
Waveform      
Multiplication (offline)
Lissajous Pattern      
(offline)
FFT Low Pass  
FFT High Pass  
FFT Band Pass  
FFT Band Stop  
Digital Filtering

FFT Frequency  
Response
FIR Low Pass  
FIR High Pass  
FIR Band Pass  
FIR Band Stop  
FIR Frequency  
Response
IIR Coefficients  
Max, Min, Mean,      
RMS (offline)
Record Mode  
Persistence Display     
Others

Mode
Equivalent Time     
Sampling Mode
Analog & Digital   
Signal Mixed
Display
Spectrum Analyzer
Amplitude    
yp
T

Spectrum

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Sound Card Sound Sound Multi- Multi- Multi-

Oscilloscope Card Card Instrument Instrument Instrument
Spectrum Signal Lite Standard Pro
Analyzer Generator
Phase Spectrum    
Auto-correlation    
Cross-correlation    
Coherence 
Transfer Function 
Impulse Response 
Frequency    
Compensation
Intra-Frame
Processing

Frequency    
Weighting
Remove DC    
Smoothing via    
Moving Average
Peak Hold    
Inter-Frame
Processing

Linear Average    

Exponential    
Average
THD,THD+N,SNR,    
SINAD,Noise
Parameter Measurement

Level, ENOB
IMD    
Bandwidth    
Crosstalk    
Harmonics & Phase    
Energy in User    
Defined Frequency
Band
Peaks, SFDR    
FFT Size    
128~32768
FFT Size 
65536~4194304
FFT

Intra-Frame    
Average
Window function    
Window Overlap    
Peak Frequency    
detection
Cross Correlation    
Peak detection
Others

Octave Analysis    
(1/1, 1/3, 1/6, 1/12,
1/24, 1/48, 1/96)
Linear/Log Scale    
for X and Y
Signal Generator
Sine    
Rectangle    
Triangle    
Saw Tooth    
Waveform

White Noise    
Pink Noise    
MultiTones    
Arbitrary Waveform    
MLS    
DTMF    
Musical Scale    

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Sound Card Sound Sound Multi- Multi- Multi-

Oscilloscope Card Card Instrument Instrument Instrument
Spectrum Signal Lite Standard Pro
Analyzer Generator
Play Waveform in      
Oscilloscope
Cyclic Play      
Waveform in
Oscilloscope
   
Normal
(Mask)
Burst

Phase Locked    
Fade In    
Fade

Fade Out    
Frequency Sweep    
Sweep

(Linear/Log)
Amplitude Sweep    
(Linear/Log)
Software Loopback    
(all channels)
Software Loopback   
(1 channel)

Others

Sync. with
Oscilloscope
Save as WAV file    
Save as TXT file    
DDS   
DC Offset   
Multimeter
RMS  
dBV  
dBu  
dB  
dB(A)  
dB(B)  
dB(C)  
Type

Frequency Counter   
RPM  
Counter  
Duty Cycle  
Frequency/Voltage  
Cycle RMS  
Cycle Mean  
Counter Trigger   
Hysteresis
Settings

Counter Trigger   
Level
Frequency Divider   
DDP Viewer
DDP & UDDP 
display


Function

HH, H, L, LL
Alarm

Set Display 
Precision
Define UDDP 

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Legend: Blank - Function available if purchased Shaded Blank - Function NOT available for that version
Sound Card Sound Sound Multi- Multi- Multi-
Oscilloscope Card Card Instrument Instrument Instrument
Spectrum Signal Lite Pro
Analyzer Generator
Spectrum 3D Plot
Waterfall Plot
Type

Spectrogram

Spectrogram Color
Palette
Waterfall Color
Palette
Settings

Waterfall tilt Angle

Waterfall /
Spectrogram Height
Linear / Log Scale
for X and Y
Number of Spectral
Profiles (10~200)
3D Cursor Reader
Others

Data Logger
Real Time Logging
Load Historical Log File
Three logging methods
151 derived data points
available for logging
Up to 8  8 = 64 variables
can be logged
simultaneously
LCR Meter
High Impedance
Measurement
Low Impedance
Measurement
Up to 8 X-Y Plots
(Linear/Log)
Device Test Plan
14 Instructions
Create/Edit/Lock/Execute/L
oad/Save a Device Test
Plan
Up to 8 X-Y Plots
(Linear/Log)
Device Test Plan Log
Vibrometer
RMS, Peak/PP, Crest Factor
for acceleration, velocity,
displacement (in
Multimeter)
Waveform conversion
among acceleration,
velocity and displacement
(in Oscilloscope)

2.4 Software Development Interface Specifications

Multi-Instrument provides the following secondary development features:

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1. Multi-Instrument can work as an ActiveX automation server so that an external program

can access the data and functions that Multi-Instrument exposes. You can integrate Multi-
Instrument into your own software seamlessly via the ActiveX automation server
interfaces exposed by Mutil-Instrument.

Please refer to: Multi-Instrument Automation Server Interfaces

Download link:
http://www.virtins.com/Multi-Instrument-Automation-Server-Interfaces.pdf

The above document and the sample automation client programs in Visual C++ and
Visual Basic can be found in the AutomationAPIs directory of the software.

2. You can use the vtDAQ and vtDAO interface DLLs supplied in this software to allow
your own back-end software to interface to sound cards, NI DAQmx cards, VT DSOs,
etc.. You can also develop your own vtDAQ and vtDAO compatible DLLs to allow
Multi-Instrument to interface to your own hardware.

Please refer to: vtDAQ and vtDAO_Interfaces

Download link:
http://www.virtins.com/vtDAQ-and-vtDAO-Interfaces.pdf

The above document and the sample DAQ and DAO back-end programs and sample
vtDAQ compatible DLL in Visual C++ can be found in the DAQDAOAPIs directory of
the software.

3 Multi-Instrument Software License Information

3.1 License Types
The License of Multi-Instrument software has six levels and five add-on modules/functions.
The six levels are: Sound Card Oscilloscope, Sound Card Spectrum Analyzer, Sound Card
Signal Generator, Multi-Instrument Lite, Multi-Instrument Standard, Multi-Instrument Pro.
The five add-on modules/functions are: Spectrum 3D Plot, Data Logger, LCR Meter, Device
Test Plan, Vibrometer.

The license contained in the standard VT DSO package is a hardware bundled Multi-
Instrument Standard license, without any add-on modules/functions. No softkey (activation
code) and USB hardkey (USB dongle) are provided in this type of license. The software will
run under the licensed mode as long as the VT DSO unit is connected to your computer
before you start the Multi-Instrument software.

Note: If the software is started without the VT DSO unit connected to the computer, it will
enter into 21-day fully functional trial mode, unless the software is activated by a softkey
(activation code) or a hardkey (USB dongle), which are NOT included in the standard VT
DSO package and should be purchased separately as a brand-new license if needed. In other
words, the VT DSO hardware should always be connected to the computer in order for the
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Multi-Instrument software to work under the licensed mode, even though you might just
want to use your computer sound card for ADC and DAC.

3.2 License Upgrade from one level to another

You can purchase an upgrade of the license, e.g. from Multi-instrument Standard to Multi-
Instrument Pro + Data Logger, at any time if necessary. After you purchase the upgrade, a
small upgrade package file will be sent to you via email. You can then use it to upgrade the
license bundled within the VT DSO unit by selecting [Start]>[All Programs]>[Multi-
Instrument]>[VIRTINS Hardware Upgrading Tool] on your Windows desktop.

3.3 Software Upgrade for the same level

Software upgrade for the same level (if the hardware is still supported by the new version),
e.g. from Multi-Instrument 3.0 Standard to Multi-Instrument 3.1 Standard, is always FREE.
You just need to download the new version from our website and install it to any computer.

Thus, please do visit frequently our website to see if a new version or build is available.

4 Extended Use of Multi-Instrument Software

Multi-Instrument is a powerful multi-function virtual instrument software. It supports a
variety of hardware ranging from sound cards which are available in almost all computers to
proprietary ADC and DAC hardware such as NI DAQmx cards, VT DSO units, and so on.
Furthermore, the ADC and DAC device can be chosen independently in Multi-Instrument.
For example, you can use VT DSO for data acquisition and use your computer’s sound card
for signal generation simultaneously.

You can change the ADC device via [Setting]>[ADC Device]>[Device Model] (Note: this
menu item is disabled when the oscilloscope or the signal generator is running). For example
you can also use your computer’s sound card as the ADC device.

If the VT DSO unit does not contain a built-in DAC, then no signal generator function is
available within the hardware unit, except the digital signal output for probe calibration.
However, you can choose other DAC device via [Setting]>[DAC Device]>[Device Model]
(Note: this menu item is disabled when the oscilloscope or the signal generator is running).
For example, you can use your computer’s sound card as the DAC device and thus make full
use of the signal generator function of Multi-Instrument.

If you want to use the sound card as the ADC/DAC device, you may need to purchase the
dedicated sound card oscilloscope probe kit from Virtins Technology separately, or you may
make the connection by yourself.

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5 Measurement Examples
The following figure shows a measurement of a PAL composite video signal from a VCD
player.

The following figure shows the measurement of a 500Hz sine wave and a 1kHz square wave
under ALT trigger mode. The trigger level for both channels can be adjusted independently
under this mode. The trigger level for Channel B can be adjusted by dragging the arrow on B
axis in the oscilloscope window.

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The following figure is a mixed signal display. Channels A & B are analog input channels
while Channel EXT is used as a digital input channel.

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6 Safety Instructions

!
 Always keep in mind that the input of the probe and the input of the VT DSO are NOT
galvanically isolated from the computer connected.
 Never connect to a signal with unknown amplitude.
 Never connect to a signal with voltage greater than the measurement range.
 If you are not very sure about the exact voltage under test, always start measurement by
putting the attenuation switch of the oscilloscope probe to 10 and selecting the highest
measurement range of the VT DSO unit.
 When the input peak level indicator of the Multi-Instrument software turns full RED
(100%, see the figure below), switch the probe to a higher attenuation ratio, switch the
VT DSO unit to a higher measurement range, or disconnect the input signal immediately.

 Be extremely careful when the voltage under test is greater than 5V.
 It should be noted that for many computers (typically desktop PCs or laptop PCs with a
built-in AC power supply adapter), the ground line of the probe is connected to mains
earth. This is not a problem if the circuit under test is floating (i.e. isolated from earth).
Otherwise, you MUST make sure that the ground lead of the probe is connected to a
point on the circuit that is also at earth potential.

7 Warranty
Virtins Technology guarantees this product against defective materials and manufacturing
defects for a period of 12 months. During this period of warranty, a replacement of the faulty
part will be shipped to the buyer's address free of charge upon receiving and verifying the
returned faulty part. The Warranty is only applicable to the original buyer and shall not be
transferable. The warranty shall exclude malfunctions or damages resulting from acts of God,
fire, civil unrest and/or accidents, and defects from using wrong electrical supply/voltage
and/or consequential damage by negligence and/or abuse, as well as use other than in
accordance with the instructions for operation. The Warranty shall immediately cease and
become void if the hardware is found to have been tampered, modified, repaired by any
unauthorized person(s). Decisions by Virtins Technology on all questions relating to
complaints as to defects either of workmanship or materials shall be deemed conclusive and
the buyer shall agree to abide by such decisions.

8 Disclaimer
This document has been carefully prepared and checked. No responsibility can be assumed
for inaccuracies. Virtins Technology reserves the right to make changes without prior notice
to any products herein to improve functionality, reliability or other design aspects. Virtins
Technology does not assume any liability for loses arising out of the use of any product
described herein; neither does its use convey any license under it patent rights or the rights of
others. Virtins Technology does not guarantee the compatibility or fitness for purpose of any
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product listed herein. Virtins Technology’s products herein are not authorized for use as
components in life support services or systems. Virtins Technology should be informed of
any such intended use to determine suitability of the products.

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