Fast A/D conversion and processing system based on video digitizing of oscilloscope traces

The need for a reasonably priced, fast digitizing instrument, suitable for capture and processing of fast single shot transients, led to the development and construction of the RADIAN SYSTEM (completed recently). Following former systems, such SANDIA's the system is based on a TV camera attached optically to an oscilloscope screen, and on logic circuits for digitizing by processing of the video signal. The oscilloscope in our system is TEKTRONIX 7844 DUAL BEAM. Both digitizing and display of the system are dual channel. Efforts have been made to make the system self-contained and of relatively low cost. The system has its own, though limited, built-in interactive graphic and alphanumeric terminal, and for both characters and transient data it is interfaced as a teletype. Therefore, there is no need to build a special interface while connecting the system to a computer. Furthermore, it can be easily connected to different computers.