Difference between Oscilloscope types-Digital Storage, Digital Phosphor, Digital Sampling
This page compares oscilloscope types Digital Storage, Digital Phosphor, Digital Sampling and mentions difference between Digital Storage Oscilloscope, Digital Phosphor Oscilloscope and Digital Sampling Oscilloscope.
As we know both analog and digital oscilloscopes analyze the analog voltage waveform over time. Analog oscilloscope utilizes CRT (Cathode Ray Tube), deflection plates and electron gun in order to plot the signal. Digital Oscilloscope utilizes ADC (Analog to Digital Converter), microprocessor and acquisition memory. As it is converting analog signal to digital form (i.e. binary form) for display it is referred as digital oscilloscope. Refer Analog Oscilloscope Vs Digital Oscilloscope➤.
Based on internal structure of the digital oscilloscope it is divided into following three types:
• Digital Storage Oscilloscope
• Digital Phosphor Oscilloscope
• Digital Sampling Oscilloscope
Let us understand major difference between these digital oscilloscope types.
Digital Storage Oscilloscope (DSO)

Figure-1 depicts block diagram of Digital Storage Oscilloscope.
Following are the features of this type of digital oscilloscope:
• Uses raster type screen
• Used to capture and analyze one time occurring events such as transients.
• Waveforms can be stored in digital binary form, which can be analyzed in it or
taken to the computer for further analysis.
• It uses serial processing architecture as shown in the figure-1.
• Other than processing the signal, microprocessor helps in management of
front panel controls of the oscilloscope.
• Applications: Used for low repetition rate or single shot,
high speed, multi-channel applications.
Digital Phosphor Oscilloscope (DPO)

Figure-2 depicts block diagram of Digital Phosphor Oscilloscope.
Following are the features of this type of digital oscilloscope:
• It uses parallel architecture for operation.
• It uses ASIC based hardware to acquire waveforms which helps achieve
higher capture rates.
• High capture rates help DPO analyze transient events such as glitches, transition errors etc.
• This oscilloscope performs faster than DSO type due to parallel operation.
• It uses pure electronic digital phosphor as database.
Digital Sampling Oscilloscope

Figure-3 depicts block diagram of Digital Sampling Oscilloscope.
Following are the features of this type of digital oscilloscope:
• It is useful for measurement of high frequency signals whose frequency
components are higher than sampling rate of the oscilloscope.
• It is the fastest oscilloscope among all.
• Available upto bandwidth of 80 GHz.
• Unlike other oscilloscopes, digital sampling oscilloscope uses amplifier after the sampling.
• Sampling bridge is responsible to achieve full dynamic range of oscilloscope under design.
Hence dynamic range is limited to about 1 Volt (p-p) while
dynamic range of DSO and DPO oscillscope types is about 50 to 100 Volts.
• As diode can not be employed in the design of sampling oscilloscope at the input
before sampling bridge, safe limit of input voltage is very less and it is about 3V only,
While for DSO and DPO type of oscilloscopes safe input voltage can be upto 500 Volt.
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