SSc Screenshot

SignalScope History

February 12, 2008

  • Version 2.0
  • Completely redesigned, all new code
  • Compatible with Leopard
  • Comprehensive AppleScript support
  • Each analyzer now resides in its own independent window.
  • Audio device and analyzer configurations and acquired data can be saved in project files.
  • Displays are accelerated with OpenGL graphics for on-screen drawing, and use Quartz 2D for high resolution off-screen drawing to PDF files or the printed page.
  • Zoom and Pan cursor types are available for most data displays.
  • Each analyzer has received numerous enhancements.
  • The FFT Analyzer, Oscilloscope, and Meter Bridge tools can analyze multiple (more than 2) channels simultaneously.
  • Current data can be captured for later review or export.
  • Captured data can be exported to tab-delimited ascii text or MAT-files.
  • Some analyzers allow live data to be overlaid on captured data for quick review.
  • Independent calibration of device voltages and individual input/output channels is possible.
  • Various units, such as Volts, Amps, and Pascals, are supported for input and output channels.
  • Devices and input/output channel names are customizable (names are saved in project files).
  • Numerous other improvements and enhancements

 

January 3, 2007
SignalScope 1.8.5 prevents a potential crash at startup and allows Autoscale to be turned off in demo mode.  Version 1.8.5 is built to run on Mac OS X version 10.2.8 or later, but has only been tested on 10.3.9 and 10.4.

August 14, 2006
SignalScope 1.8.4 includes an updated registration engine and allows proper cloning of multi-computer licenses.

May 8, 2006
SignalScope (1.8.3) is now available as a Universal Binary!

September 26, 2005
SignalScope 1.8.2 released

  • When selecting a new audio device or starting up SignalScope, the current nominal sample rate of the device is kept. Previous versions of SignalScope automatically set the sample rate to its maximum value, which sometimes resulted in temporary loss of audio output on some computers, like the iMac G5. See Apple's article for more information (Article ID: 300832).

 

August 5, 2005
SignalScope 1.8.1 released

  • Version 1.8.1 fixes several bugs
  • Some user interface issues have been resolved
  • Other minor bugs have been fixed

 

May 11, 2005

SignalScope version 1.8 released

  • New icon!
  • Tiger support.
  • The SignalScope menu now includes commands to easily upgrade to the new Pro version or shop for related hardware.
  • Several bug fixes, including one in which incorrect frequency labels were created when saving only input channel 2 data to a text file.

 

March 25, 2005

SignalScope version 1.7.1 released

  • A means for cloning registered copies of SignalScope has been added for those who purchase volume licenses.
  • Version also 1.7.1 fixes two minor bugs.

 

February 26, 2005

SignalScope version 1.7 released

  • SignalScope version 1.7 adds independent vertical offsets of oscilloscope waveforms, as well as greatly improved waveform triggering.  The Oscilloscope now records data captured prior to the trigger event and allows manual adjustment of the horizontal waveform orientation.  A text box has been added to the FFT Analyzer to allow for manual adjustment of the maximum limit of the dB magnitude scale.  Several minor improvements offer enhanced program stability as well as improved compatibility with audio devices operating with sample rates up to 192 kHz.

 

October 6, 2004

SignalScope version 1.6 released

  • SignalScope version 1.6 adds support for multi-channel audio devices and enhanced control over input signal formats, including the option to invert the polarity of either or both input signals.  SignalScope 1.6 also makes guardbanding optional, allowing for frequency content to be displayed all the way up to the Nyquist frequency (half the sampling rate).  Numerous other features have been added or enhanced, including:
    • Support for audio devices with multiple, non-interleaved audio data streams (including
    • multi-channel devices and the Echo Indigo io)
    • Enhanced audio device input format controls
    • Option to invert polarity for either or both data channels
    • Option to turn off guardbanding (and/or digital anti-alias filters) to view FFT frequencies up to
    • Nyquist frequency (half the sample rate)
    • Option to start/pause SignalScope from the Dock icon popup menu
    • Exponential averaging parameter given as integer number of spectra contributing to overall average
    • Flat top and Rife-Vincent 2 data window types
    • Optional grid over Spectrogram display
    • Improved Spectrogram axis labeling
    • Several bug fixes

 

June 16, 2004

SignalScope version 1.5 released

  • Major changes include the addition of Spectrogram and XY Plotter analysis tools.
  • The registration scheme has changed to improve protection against casual software piracy, requiring all prior registered users to re-register SignalScope.
  • In the Averaging popup menu, Free Run has been changed to Run.
  • In the Windowing popup menu, No Window has been changed to Uniform.
  • The Input Source popup menu has been moved to the Input Signal window.
  • The highlighted text box is now updated when clicking outside it with the mouse.
  • Some minor bugs have been repaired.

 

January 17, 2004

SignalScope version 1.4.2 released

  • Like 1.4.1, this is another maintenance release
  • Printing the oscilloscope data no longer causes SignalScope to crash.
  • Bugs affecting the FFT cursor, dB magnitude scale, and the vertical scale popup buttons have been corrected.
  • The small SignalScope icons are now masked correctly.

 

January 6, 2004

SignalScope version 1.4.1 released

  • The Input Format window is brought to the front when the button is clicked in the main window.
  • FFT Analyzer data with dB magnitude scale is now printed correctly.
  • Log frequency scale labels are now printed correctly.
  • Autoscale works properly with signal amplitudes greater than 2.5 Volts.
  • Cursors are restored properly at startup, when SignalScope's state is saved.

 

December 17, 2003

SignalScope version 1.4 released

  • The main SignalScope window can now be manually resized, or automatically zoomed to fill the screen.
  • The spectrum or oscilloscope display can now be printed directly from SignalScope.
  • Vertical scales up to 10 V per division in Oscilloscope and FFT Analyzer modes.
  • Horizontal time scales up to 2 seconds per division are now supported in Oscilloscope mode.
  • A new view menu allows the user to zoom in on FFT or oscilloscope data.
  • When saving oscilloscope data to disk, the time values are saved as well as the voltages.
  • A reduced frequency span in FFT Analyzer mode no longer prevents the oscilloscope from running.

 

October 14, 2003

SignalScope version 1.3.2 released

  • SignalScope now works with the newer iMics which display a 0 Hz sampling rate in the Input Signal Format menu.
  • A few minor bugs have been repaired.

 

July 29, 2003

SignalScope version 1.3 released

  • SignalScope includes enhanced triggering controls.
  • Manual adjustment of trigger level.
  • Independent trigger source selection for each input channel.
  • Continuous or single shot triggering.

 

June 24, 2003     SignalScope version 1.0.5 receives Apple Design Award!
SignalScope version 1.0.5 was awarded Runner Up in the Best Mac OS X Student Product of the 2003 Apple Design Awards. The award was announced at the World Wide Developer's Conference (WWDC) in San Francisco.

May 27, 2003

SignalScope version 1.2 released

  • SignalScope is now a 2-channel analyzer!
  • Both input channels of an audio device can now be viewed simultaneously. 
  • Separate colors can be chosen for each channel.
  • Data from both channels can be saved to disk.
  • When viewing 2 channels, all analyzer controls apply to both channels.
  • The low-pass antialias filters, which are used when selecting smaller frequency spans for a given sampling rate, have been greatly improved with less than 0.01 dB of ripple in the pass band and greater than 80 dB of attenuation in the stop band.
  • Several bugs have been repaired since the release of version 1.1, including: improper drawing of the scroll bar when returning to the FFT Analyzer from the Oscilloscope, unchangeable cursors in the Oscilloscope with Peak Track selected in the FFT Analyzer, incorrect Oscilloscope cursor values when Triggering was active, and improper construction of the Vertical Scale menu in the Oscilloscope when resuming a saved state when launching SignalScope.

 

May 7, 2003

SignalScope version 1.1 released

  • The state of SignalScope's controls can now be saved for recall the next time the application is run.
  • The Preferences now include the option to set different colors for the display background, cursors, grid lines, and signal trace.
  • Line widths can be set to 2 pixels in the Preferences window.
  • User-defined colors and line widths can be stored in either of two user display sets for easy recall.
  • The Oscilloscope now features dual cursors which can be used to measure time differences in the signal trace with sample accuracy.
  • A frequency corresponding to the period measured between the two oscilloscope cursors is displayed along with the signal level at each cursor and the time difference between the two cursors.
  • The log-scale frequency display is now fixed to the width of the display screen (the scroll bar is no longer available when the logarithmic frequency scale is selected).
  • Labeling of the log-scale frequency axis has been improved, using standard values.
  • When performing linear averages, pausing SignalScope before the specified number of averages has been reached will cause the averaging to be reset when SignalScope is started again.
  • A few minor bugs have been repaired.

 

March 28, 2003

SignalScope version 1.0.5 released

  • Version 1.0.5 included much improved labeling of the Voltage, Frequency, and Time axes.
  • The Start/Stop checkbox has been replaced with a button that changes its appearance according to the current state of the selected signal analysis tool.
  • The main SignalScope window can no longer be dragged from within the signal display region--this is to avoid accidental dragging.
  • When SignalScope is paused in FFT Analyzer mode, changing fundamental spectrum settings like frequency span or spectral lines no longer draws a distorted version of the last measured spectrum--instead a flat line is drawn at the bottom of the signal display region.
  • Some undesirable behavior of the cursor and grid resulting from changes in the signal display format (axis scaling, for example) has been eliminated and the frequency axis no longer starts at 0 Hz when using a logarithmic frequency scale.

 

March 11, 2003

SignalScope version 1.0.2 released

  • Fixed a bug which caused SignalScope to crash when using channel two of an audio device with a single channel input signal format selected.
  • SignalScope now starts with the FFT Analyzer running, Autoscale on, and a Hanning window selected.

 

March 10, 2003

SignalScope version 1.0.1 released

  • Fixed menu item labels in vertical scale popup menu (dB/div)
  • Start and end frequencies are updated "live" when using the scroll bar in FFT Analyzer mode
  • Added a URL link to www.benjaminfaber.com in the About window

 

February 28, 2003  

SignalScope version 1.0 released