4. Autoscale the Waveform

FlexDCA Essentials

After connecting and then selecting the trigger source, click FlexDCA's Auto Scale button. Auto Scale :

  • Sets the trigger level to the amplitude midpoint of the trigger signal.
  • Automatically detects the Signal Type for all displayed channel, common mode, differential mode, and function waveforms. Signal types can be NRZ, PAM4, PAM6, PAM8, or Unspecified.

The source type of waveform memories and eye memories is not automatically detected during an Auto Scale, However, you can manually set the signal type by saving the waveform or color-grade gray-scale waveform to a file. This saves the signal type information within the file: NRZ, PAM4, PAM6, PAM8, or Unspecified. If the file is then loaded into waveform or color-grade gray-scale memory, the signal type setting is loaded along with the data.

The detected signal types are shown in the dialogs listed below. You can use any of these dialogs as they all reflect the values of common variables; change a Signal Type setting in one of these dialogs and it is changed in all the other dialogs. The dialogs are:

  • Channel Signal Type Setup dialog.
  • Oscilloscope Mode's PAM-N Analysis Setup dialog's Signal Types tab.
  • Eye Mode's PAM-N Analysis Setup dialog's Signal Types tab.
  • Signal Type Setup dialog. On FlexDCA's menu click Setup > Signal Type Setup.

You can also easily open the Signal Type Setup dialog by clicking on the waveform's signal type label located on the waveform legend.

In certain situations, the signal type may not be able to be identified. For example, this can happen when a waveform's eye is nearly closed. You can always clear the Auto Detect setting and manually specify the source waveform's signal type. By default, Auto Detect is on.

Click the Auto Detect Channels/Differentials to force the identification of signal types without having to perform an Auto Scale.