Evaluating Oscilloscopes to Debug Mixed-Signal Designs
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Today’s embedded designs based on microcontrollers (MCUs), FPGAs, and digital signal processors (DSPs) often include a combination of analog and digital signal content. Design engineers have traditionally used both oscilloscopes and logic analyzers to test and debug these mixed-signal embedded designs. However, a class of measurement tools known as mixed signal oscilloscopes (MSOs) may offer a better way for you to debug your MCU-, FPGA-, and DSP-based designs.
Learn about what a mixed signal oscilloscope is, the necessary requirements, and how it can help in your testing. There are a few critical specifications to consider when it comes to an MSO: the number of channels, bandwidth, and sample rate. Meeting these requirements is critical to effectively monitor various analog and digital I/O signals in typical MCU/FPGA/DSP-based designs. You will also learn about the various types of mixed-signal triggering you should look for in an MSO in order to effectively test and debug embedded designs.