What Picotronix is NOT: Picotronix is NOT a do all everything test instrument that can precisely sample the 4 GHZ clock of your PC and almost anything else - ie. just about everthing Makers DO NOT need. Oh yes! They also cost you an "arm and a leg" to buy.

What Picotronix IS: Picotronix is the result of a lot of hard work over 14 months by two guys (Norm & John - or if you like piconorm and picojohn) to produce a compact, low cost unit that will meet the requirementsis of many Maker projects. Its technical excellence derives from the amazing flexibility of the Programmable State Machines on the RP2350, combined with Norm's extensive experience in Analog design. It is a professional tool, not a toy. Up to 10Mhz input for a periodic signal and 100kHz (conservatively) for a variable signal, covers a lot of ground. That's the analog side. Then there is flexible logic state capture. Check out the full specs on the picoPods page and our blogs. The base unit (the Command Module) is just for starters.

The Real Power of the Picotronix is that the base Command Module has three ports that may be configured with the appropriate plug-in pods (picoPods) to meet the T&M requirements of a diversity of projects. Need to examine a differential signal - we have an analog pod for that (check out what you will pay for another scope that can do this!). Need to sample a signal at 100MSPS - we have a pod for that (75 MSPS with 150 kHz RP2350). Need a waveform genrator - got that covered. A stack of flexibiity that you only pay for if you need it.

Need a function we do not (yet) provide? Then design you own pod.

This is a Big One and Hard to Beat - the multifunction port provides access to 12 GPIO lines from the RP 2350 and the two conditioned analog signal inputs. You can design a pod that has nothing ot do with T&M - just use the Picotrronix infrastructure to dispaly the result, or send it ot a PC or Smart Phone. You can have a test instrument when you need it and RP2350 functionality another time.