What does it all mean?

The main specifications explained.

Vertical Resolution

The number of dots in the waveform from top to bottom. '12 bits' means 4,096 dots, which is more detail than you can see on the screen all at once. PicoScope stores the extra detail for when you zoom in.

Buffer Memory

The number of dots in the waveform from left to right. If you don't have enough memory then the waveform won't show all the detail in the signal. PicoScope has more than enough memory, so you can zoom in thousands of times and still see a clear display and spot intermittent glitches.

Waveform Buffer

A memory that collects your most recent waveforms. If a waveform disappears off the screen, you can look back through the waveform buffer to find it.

Trigger

This ensures that the scope captures the waveform at the right time and keeps it in a stable position on the screen. PicoScope can set up the trigger automatically, but if you want you can select special trigger modes to catch unusual waveforms that you might otherwise miss.

Bandwidth

For faster signals, more bandwidth gives a more faithful reproduction of the signal shape on the screen. PicoScope has enough bandwidth to display CAN bus and FlexRay signals accurately.

Sampling Rate

Like bandwidth, this is more important for fast signals. A high sampling rate ensures that you catch the high-frequency details of the signal.