Spectrum Analyzer Using LCD Oscilloscope

The project is using an inexpensive LCD oscilloscope for the display of spectrum analyzer.

An LCD maybe very useful in field measurements under strong daylight conditions, for battery operation, or simply when the available oscilloscope is required for a different measurement at the same time, although a small LCD screen is unable to replace a good analog oscilloscope.

A single-color graphical, medium-resolution LCD module is required in an oscilloscope display for a spectrum analyzer although they range from simple numerical displays with few single-color digits to large, graphical, high-resolution, full-color computer monitors. The simplest LCD modules have no built-in controller but medium-resolution graphical LCD modules may have different interfaces. These modules only have shift registers associated with the columns and rows and requires powerful microprocessor with several memory.

The refresh and multiples of the display is provided by LCD modules with built-in controller. The LCD oscilloscope contains 128×64 graphical LCD modules where all three controller chips are usually bonded directly to the printed circuit board and covered with drops of black resin. It was built around a PIC16F876A microcontroller which includes an A/D converter. The spectrum analyzer requires analog video and trigger signal.

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