Appendix B Configuration Aspects for Programmers
ChartScan User’s Manual B-5

High-Speed, Single-Channel Mode (Burst Mode)

The High-speed, single-channel mode, also known as burst mode, is used for post-acquisition waveform
analysis of AC and DC voltages. In this mode, ChartScan can sample from 38.5 Hz to 20.0 kHz, and store the
data in memory. Note that ChartScan’s memory can be expanded up to 8 Mbytes.
When performing post-acquisition waveform analysis, such as Fast Fourier transforms, ChartScan can return
each data point in a waveform. In addition, ChartScan can provide the true RMS value of an AC voltage.
Because high sampling rates can be achieved in the High-speed, single-channel mode, the conditions indicated
in the following table apply.
High-Speed, Single-Channel Mode
Necessary Item Conditions Due to High Sampling Rates
Item
Condition
High/Low./Last registers
Disabled
Alarms
Disabled
Trigger Start
Software trigger only (@ command)
Trigger Stop
By Count only
Pre-Trigger
Disabled
Post Stop Count
Disabled
Time Stamping
Disabled
Alarm Stamping
Disabled
Digital Input Stamping
Disabled
Averaging weight
256, forced default (can not be changed)
Frequency
In regard to AC voltage, frequency must be such
that it results in a sufficient whole even number of
samples per line cycle.
ChartScan collects samples for the selected channel in blocks of 256 samples in one time increment. This
appears similar to a scan of 256 channels while in the normal (multiple-channel) mode since you must …
• program the number of 256 sample blocks to acquire in the post trigger count parameter of the Y command,
and will
• retrieve the data from ChartScan as “post trigger count” scans of 256 samples
Note: High-speed, single-channel mode is a “one-shot” operation. It permits ChartScan to collect the
specified number of samples, then stops. The mode is not continuous, nor does it allow for memory
overflow and wrap-around. The maximum number of samples is limited by the amount of memory
available. See the Y command reference (in Appendix A) for related information.
Note: In regard to AC voltage measurements, ChartScan only supports AC voltages having an input signal
frequency which is an integer multiple of the AC line cycle. In order to compute an accurate RMS
value you must program a frequency which will yield a sufficient “whole even number” of samples per
line cycle.
Note: In High-speed, single-channel mode, upon completion of the acquisition, AC voltage RMS values can
be retrieved with the U17 query command.
To use the High-speed, single-channel mode use the following commands, or use ChartView (see Chapter 4).
Note that these commands (or ChartView equivalent) are all that is needed to initiate the High-speed, single-
channel mode data acquisition.
M#1 ‘Select high-speed, single-channel mode
Cchan#,type ‘Select channel number and voltage-range
F#freq ‘Select sampling frequency where 38.5 < freq < 2000.0
Y0,count,0 ‘Select count where count is the number of 256 sampling
blocks to be acquired
T1,8,0,0 ‘Arm the system to start on @, stop on count
@ ‘Start the acquisition
The remainder of this appendix and the next, pertaining to acquisition setup, refers to
normal mode acquisitions only.