Advantages of long memories

A major figure of merit in digital scopes is the size of the acquisition memory. The author discusses the importance of this specification by examining a series of advantages directly traceable to long memories. Long records provide higher sampling rates, higher single-shot bandwidth, vastly reduced aliasing effects, substitution for inaccurate glitch detectors, improved signal-to-noise ratios, wide dynamic range in the frequency domain, and high signal processing accuracy. The author discusses sampling-rate variation, acquisition of long-duration events, glitch detection, accuracy of pulse waveform measurements, and waveform reconstruction and distortion.<>