In contrast to an analog oscilloscope, a digital oscilloscope uses an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) to convert the measured voltage into digital information.

It acquires the waveform as a series of samples, and stores these samples until it accumulates enough samples to describe a waveform. The digital oscilloscope then re-assembles the waveform for display on the screen.

Digital oscilloscopes can be classified into digital storage oscilloscopes (DSOs), digital phosphor oscilloscopes (DPOs), and sampling oscilloscopes. The digital approach means that the oscilloscope can display any frequency within its range with stability, brightness, and clarity.

For repetitive signals, single-shot and transient events, such as pulses and steps, the bandwidth can be limited by the oscilloscope’s sample rate.

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