Whitepaper
Why Is Oscilloscope Vertical Accuracy Important?
This application note details the importance of vertical accuracy in oscilloscopes, focusing on how it impacts reliable measurements and reduces potential redesign cycles. Vertical accuracy is determined by two key factors: the number of ADC bits and the oscilloscope’s noise floor. The paper highlights the superior performance of the Keysight InfiniiVision HD3 Series (14-bit ADC, 50 µVRMS noise) compared to the older InfiniiVision 3000G X-Series (8-bit ADC, 250 µVRMS noise), demonstrating significantly improved resolution – down to 0.15nV with the HD3 versus 218µV for the 3000G at full screen scaling. The paper also introduces Effective Number of Bits (ENOB) as a critical metric beyond ADC bit depth, and emphasizes the importance of waveform scaling to maximize ADC resolution and avoid software magnification which degrades accuracy.