Use PicoScope for an analog capture, an MSO digital capture, or a stimulus-and-response test. Available capture and generator features depend on the detected model and installed Pico drivers.
Prepare
Install the Pico C drivers using PicoScope software or the PicoSDK. The Python package alone does not supply them. Connect the device, close other Pico applications, and ask Embedder to check readiness.
For a legacy device that is not detected automatically, provide its driver family. Identify the serial number when several scopes are connected.
Generic scope channel numbers are one-based: channel 1 is input A.
Set the probe attenuation to match its physical switch. With a 10x probe, state that factor explicitly and give scale and trigger values at the probe tip.
Check the achieved sample rate, voltage range, and duration. A requested scale can be adjusted to a supported range. The generic vertical window is four divisions above and below the center, so allow enough range to avoid clipping.
For a sequence that must arm before another operation, ask Embedder to arm one acquisition, perform the operation, then wait for the trigger and read that acquisition. In a hardware script, use scope_arm_single(), scope_wait_trigger(), and scope_capture_waveform(arm=False) for this sequence.
Choose a trigger
Available trigger modes include edge, window, pulse width, runt, dropout, interval, multi-channel logic, and MSO digital patterns, subject to the driver family and device. Give the source, voltage levels, edge or condition, and time bounds. External or auxiliary sources require those inputs on the model.
Ask for trigger readback if the condition is rejected or does not fire. Unsupported trigger combinations require a different setup; model support must be checked before acquisition.
An MSO model needs its digital pod connected:
Thresholds are shared within each eight-channel digital port. Unconnected inputs can affect pattern triggers, so select only the intended lines.
The PicoScope logic path supports fixed-duration blocks. It does not provide manual capture or protocol decoder helpers. Use Saleae or Digilent when you need built-in decoding. Ask for raw digital CSV when exporting this capture; saving a Saleae .sal file is unavailable.
On a model with a generator, specify the waveform, frequency, amplitude, offset, and output limits. Supported standard waveforms include sine, square, triangle, ramps, and DC, depending on the model.
In a hardware script, la_wavegen_setup() configures the generator, la_wavegen_start() starts it, and la_wavegen_stop() returns it to 0 V. Its amplitude argument is peak volts: use 0.5 for 1 V peak-to-peak. The shared helper uses one generator output; square-wave duty cycles other than 50% and phase settings are not applied on this path.
la_wavegen_setup() does not accept arbitrary samples. For a device-specific arbitrary waveform or another supported function beyond these helpers, ask Embedder to prepare a script using pico_sdk() and the installed driver’s programmer guide. Review the exact model’s buffer, timing, and output limits before running it.
Use a hardware script for repeatable sequences. PicoScope does not use SCPI commands and does not provide the Siglent screenshot workflow.
Save and inspect
Ask Embedder to show the analog waveform in Oscilloscope or the MSO transitions in Logic, and save the raw CSV needed for comparison. Preserve channel names, probe factors, trigger settings, and achieved sample rate with the result. Complete an armed acquisition before exporting it.
Fit the capture to the device
Enabled channels share the available capture capacity. If a recording is shorter than requested, disable unused channels, lower the sample rate, or shorten the required window. Verify the actual result before comparing runs.
Troubleshoot
- Device missing: check USB, driver installation, and competing Pico software.
- Clipping: increase the range or adjust the offset.
- Amplitude off by a factor of ten: verify the physical probe switch and configured attenuation.
- Trigger fails: check the input, threshold, sample rate, and enabled channels.
- Legacy driver fails: confirm that the driver supports the host operating system and architecture.
Last modified on September 12, 2026
