Capturing Scope Screen Displays for Notebook App - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / testgear

author: frank2644
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: February 18, 2021, 03:01:54 am
content: I want to buy a low cost oscilloscope for Aduino and Am/Fm radio repair. I think most of the “usual” under $400 scopes will meet my requirements, except it’s not clear to me which scopes have good PC connectivity. Basically, I need a way to capture a scope screen display with my PC in real time. I’m thinking a PC screen print can then be used, and I can annotate the image, add notes, and put into my lab notebook APP. I need the screen display to capture the entire scope screen including any displayed parameters, settings, etc.Today I use my camera to take a screen picture of my old Tektronix scope and it’s just not workable.Unfortunately very little information seems to be available on PC screen display, etc.I’m looking at Siglent, Hantek, Rigol, Instek, etc, and they all seem adequate and allude to some kind of PC connectivity, except details are scarce. I prefer a LAN connection, but I can also use USB (prefer to avoid sneaker net with thumb drives).If anyone has some experience with the above I would love to hear suggestions, comments, etc.Thanks, Frank

author: Venturi962
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: February 18, 2021, 03:16:33 am
content: For capturing from a scope, you can connect using a web browser over the LAN and usually get a 1:1 copy of the display is available via the IP Address of the scope, this is demoed here:Siglent Scopes:Rigol Scopes:

author: tautech
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 18, 2021, 03:21:44 am
content: Welcome to the forum.Ideally you want a DSO with one or both the following features:Screenshot saves to USB and preferably in PNG format due to their small size but in a scope with a quick print key like on Siglents particularly as it saves not having to dig into the Save/Recall menu and therefore captures your menu settings that show how the scope has been configured.Or, a DSO with a web server so that from your PC in the Instrument Control mode a save screenshot virtual button is available and will capture screenshots and send them to your browsers download folder for you to Copy/Paste them from there into whatever folder or document you need them.Those DSO's with a web server would be preferred as there's no further PC SW installation required for such functionality.SDS1104X-E if it has the feature set you require would be my recommendation.

author: Fungus
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 18, 2021, 08:26:39 am
content: Quote from: tautech on February 18, 2021, 03:21:44 amI'm pretty sure he said he wanted direct screen capture from PC.Quote from: tautech on February 18, 2021, 03:21:44 amAlso not needed.Quote from: tautech on February 18, 2021, 03:21:44 amSure, because you're a Siglent salesman and that's the only thing you sell.Quote from: frank2644 on February 18, 2021, 03:01:54 amRigols are fully remote-controllable and have a built-in screen capture function that does what you want. See this thread:https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/easiest-way-to-remote-control-and-screen-capture-my-rigol-ds1054z/Siglents can do it too.So can the GW-Instek, which is a completebargainat the moment if you live in the USA (under $300 with EEVBLOG discount).

author: tautech
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 18, 2021, 08:51:16 am
content: Quote from: Fungus on February 18, 2021, 08:26:39 amIt's another option rather than taking photos.Quote from: Fungus on February 18, 2021, 08:26:39 amBy far the simplest solution however.Quote from: Fungus on February 18, 2021, 08:26:39 amFYI I have the opportunity to sell Micsig, Owon, Rigol and Hantek and by choice choose not to.Not a month goes by without another proposal of another brand to represent.Who wants to offer in depth support of a whole lot of brands and not do any of them proper justice ?Buyers will soon realise you are just another box shuffler. Fuck that my customers deserve better.

author: frank2644
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: February 18, 2021, 04:54:55 pm
content: Thanks everyone, some good ideas that I will pursue.I love the idea of a scope with a built-in web server, but they are a little too expensive for my hobbyist needs.The Instek GDS-1202b (4-chan, 200mhz) looks like a steal for US$346. One drawback is that they seem to be kinda large physically. Also, because I have two labs(computer and electronic) maybe two Hantek 5102p (2-chan, 70mhz) @ US$214 might work for me (wife permitting$).Looking at some of the posted URLs I see that most scopes seem to have facilities for access programmatically from Windows, Linux. That seems to offer some promise for my requirements.My thinking at this point is to select a scope based on my electronic/financial needs, and then focus on their screen print convenience.Again, thanks for the help. Any other comments are certainly welcome.Frank

author: Fungus
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 18, 2021, 05:24:33 pm
content: Quote from: frank2644 on February 18, 2021, 04:54:55 pmYes, it's just a text based interface. Usually you send it a command and it sends back "OK" or some data. You can control every last parameter of the 'scope this way.eg. To take a screenshot you send it something like ":DISPLAY:DATA?" and it sends you back a number of bytes followed by the image data in PNG/JPG/BMP format.(depending on the 'scope)

author: nctnico
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 18, 2021, 05:36:00 pm
content: Quote from: frank2644 on February 18, 2021, 04:54:55 pmOne of the features of GW Instek scopes is that they can mount a drive from your computer over the network and write data to it directly. So you can share a folder on your Windows computer and have the GW Instek oscilloscope dump whatever data into that folder (screendumps, waveform dumps, etc). You don't need any software at the PC side. And GW Instek's network interface implementation is pretty fast as well.

author: Fungus
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 18, 2021, 06:39:46 pm
content: Quote from: nctnico on February 18, 2021, 05:36:00 pmDidn't know that.

author: nctnico
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 18, 2021, 07:59:05 pm
content: Quote from: Fungus on February 18, 2021, 06:39:46 pmIt is not a common feature found on oscilloscopes (Yokogawa has it as well). If you don't want to hassle with USB sticks and/or PC software then it is the ducks guts to get data from an oscilloscope straight onto your computer.

author: frank2644
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: February 18, 2021, 08:24:19 pm
content: Mounting a drive sounds like a great feature and very convenient. I see it's only available on 4 channel models. I'll definitely keep that in mind as I decide the scope I purchase.The "usual" text based commands of most scopes also sounds simple and good.BTW, there was an error in my prior post where I said the Instek GDS 1202b had 4 channels. It actually only has 2 as the part number suggests. Amazon has a 4 channel picture that caused my mistake.

author: Fungus
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 18, 2021, 09:43:46 pm
content: Quote from: nctnico on February 18, 2021, 07:59:05 pmMy MacBook can barely manage it. I never thought I'd see it in an oscilloscope.Quote from: frank2644 on February 18, 2021, 08:24:19 pmIs the two channel model really cheaper then Tequipment's price for the GDs1054B? Under $300 for a GDS1054B is an amazing deal.

author: tautech
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 18, 2021, 10:59:56 pm
content: Quote from: frank2644 on February 18, 2021, 08:24:19 pmSome offer VNC ports so can achieve the same thing.A recent customer with a SDS2104X Plus is remotely using the DSO and gathered screenshots to discover the cause of a fault that had plagued his company before he'd even started there. Needless to say he gained hero status.

author: maxwell3e10
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: February 18, 2021, 11:08:26 pm
content: Speaking of screen capture, does anyone know of a scope that can save a short movie or a series of images quickly in a row? Some effects are easiest to describe with a movie or animation.

author: nctnico
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 18, 2021, 11:21:57 pm
content: Quote from: maxwell3e10 on February 18, 2021, 11:08:26 pmMicSig scopes can record video.https://www.flickr.com/photos/133456893@N03/34280950896/

author: Fungus
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 19, 2021, 08:00:23 am
content: Quote from: nctnico on February 18, 2021, 11:21:57 pmMicsigs can even view/trim the video right there on the 'scope.https://youtu.be/M_y8Brom708?t=41You can also annotate screenshots and draw arrows on them with your finger (or use a mouse if you prefer).

author: frank2644
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: February 19, 2021, 03:50:18 pm
content: Quote from: Fungus on February 18, 2021, 09:43:46 pmNot sure I follow your question, but the Amazon price for a Instek GDS-1202B is US$346, Tequipmnet's price today for the GDS1054B is US$310.50.I do agree that the GDS1054B @ US$310.50 is "amazing".

author: nctnico
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 19, 2021, 03:55:03 pm
content: BTW there is an EEVBlog discount for Tequipment. You have to ask them for it.

author: frank2644
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: February 19, 2021, 04:01:11 pm
content: Quote from: maxwell3e10 on February 18, 2021, 11:08:26 pmIf you can have a real time display of your scope's screen on your PC, I think there are plenty of ways to record a video of your PC screen. Youtubers do it all the time (Google for details).One scope that reportedly makes it easy is the Siglent SDS1104X-E. It provides a real time display on your PC using a simple web browser. Should be recordable ala the above Youtube method.

author: maxwell3e10
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: February 19, 2021, 05:58:47 pm
content: The screen update rate on the PC is usually not very fast, at least for the scopes I have tried.

author: Fungus
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 19, 2021, 06:05:51 pm
content: Quote from: nctnico on February 19, 2021, 03:55:03 pmYep, it's not much but it's enough to put that Instek below $300.

author: frank2644
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: February 19, 2021, 06:33:50 pm
content: Quote from: maxwell3e10 on February 19, 2021, 05:58:47 pmThe screen update looks pretty fast on the Siglent scope web server.

author: Mechatrommer
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 19, 2021, 07:14:17 pm
content: Quote from: frank2644 on February 19, 2021, 06:33:50 pmlooks like 5-7fps...

author: tautech
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 19, 2021, 07:33:13 pm
content: From nearly 3 years ago so there have been some FW updates since then:

author: maxwell3e10
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: February 19, 2021, 08:05:04 pm
content: Both of these demos have a poor choice of the waveform being displayed. Having a sine wave drift slowly across the screen would be a much better indication of the update rate and how stable it is.

author: tautech
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 19, 2021, 08:09:19 pm
content: Another done back in 2018 with 4 compensation signals using 1x, 10x, 100, and 1000x probes.