A 2-channel oscilloscope is an electronic test instrument that can measure and display two separate electrical signals simultaneously. Each channel corresponds to an input where a probe can be connected to measure a signal and can independently measure voltage, frequency, period, rise/fall time, and other parameters.

Modern oscilloscopes are primarily digital, meaning that both channels convert the incoming analogue signals into digital data for processing and display. Older oscilloscopes or some specialised ones might still be analogue, where the signals are displayed in real-time without digital conversion.

What Do the Channels Do?

• Simultaneous Signal Measurement - with two channels, you can observe and compare two signals at the same time making it easy to compare waveforms, phase relationships, and timing differences. This is especially useful in applications where you need to see how two signals interact or relate to each other.
• Differential Measurements - by using both channels, you can perform differential measurements, which involve comparing two signals to see the difference between them.
• Phase and Timing Analysis - in many electronics applications, you might need to compare the timing or phase relationship between two signals. A 2-channel oscilloscope allows you to do this by displaying both waveforms on the same screen.
• Triggering and Synchronisation - with two channels, you can set up one channel to trigger the oscilloscope based on a specific event in a signal while monitoring another signal on the second channel. This allows for synchronised measurement and analysis.