Rigol DS2000 Waveform Examples

Scott Prahl

Mar 2026

[11]:

%config InlineBackend.figure_format = 'retina'

import numpy as np
import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
import imageio.v3 as iio

from RigolWFM import Wfm, DS2000_scopes

repo = "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/scottprahl/RigolWFM/main/tests/files/wfm/"

[2]:

def read_rigol_csv(name):
    csv_data = np.genfromtxt(name, delimiter=",", skip_header=2).T
    lines = len(csv_data[0])
    header = np.genfromtxt(name, delimiter=",", skip_footer=lines, names=True)
    offset, scale = header["Start"], header["Increment"]
    csv_data[0] = offset + scale * csv_data[0]
    return csv_data


def side_by_png(stem, ch2=True, ch2_offset=-15):
    wfm = Wfm.from_url(repo + stem + ".wfm" + "?raw=true")
    png = iio.imread(repo + stem + ".png" + "?raw=true")

    plt.subplots(1, 2, figsize=(12, 4.5))

    plt.subplot(121)
    plt.title("Rigol Screenshot")
    plt.imshow(png)
    plt.axis("off")

    plt.subplot(122)

    ch1 = wfm.channels[0]
    plt.plot(ch1.times * 1e6, ch1.volts, color="green")
    plt.title(stem + ".wfm (CH1 Top, CH2 Bottom)")
    if ch2:
        ch = wfm.channels[1]
        plt.plot(ch.times * 1e6, ch2_offset + ch.volts, color="red")
    plt.xlabel("Time (µs)")
    plt.ylabel("Volts (V)")
    plt.ylim(-20, 20)
    plt.grid(True)


def side_by_csv(stem, ch2=True, ch2_offset=-15):
    wfm = Wfm.from_url(repo + stem + ".wfm" + "?raw=true")
    csv = np.genfromtxt(repo + stem + ".csv" + "?raw=true", delimiter=",", skip_header=2).T

    plt.subplots(1, 2, figsize=(12, 4.5))

    plt.subplot(121)

    time = -(csv[0, -1] - csv[0, 0]) / 2 + csv[0]
    plt.title(stem + ".csv (CH1 Top, CH2 Bottom)")
    plt.plot(time, csv[1], color="green")
    plt.plot(time, ch2_offset + csv[2], color="red")
    plt.xlabel("Time (µs)")
    plt.ylabel("Volts (V)")
    plt.grid(True)

    plt.subplot(122)

    ch1 = wfm.channels[0]
    plt.plot(ch1.times * 1e6, ch1.volts, color="green")
    plt.title(stem + ".wfm (CH1 Top, CH2 Bottom)")
    if ch2:
        ch = wfm.channels[1]
        plt.plot(ch.times * 1e6, ch2_offset + ch.volts, color="red")
    plt.xlabel("Time (µs)")
    plt.ylabel("Volts (V)")
    plt.grid(True)

A list of Rigol scopes in the DS2000 family is:

[3]:

print(DS2000_scopes)

['2', '2000', 'DS2000', 'DS2072A', 'DS2102A', 'MSO2102A', 'MSO2102A-S', 'DS2202A', 'MSO2202A', 'MSO2202A-S', 'DS2302A', 'MSO2302A', 'MSO2302A-S']

DS2000-A

Start with a .wfm file from a Rigol DS2000 scope.

Screenshot and .wfm summary

The screenshot is shown on the left and the parsed file summary is shown on the right.

[4]:

side_by_png("DS2000-A")
plt.show()

downloading 'https://raw.githubusercontent.com/scottprahl/RigolWFM/main/tests/files/wfm/DS2000-A.wfm?raw=true'
_images/Rigol-DS2000_7_1.png

DS2000-B

Screenshot and .wfm summary

The screenshot is shown on the left and the parsed file summary is shown on the right. Only channel 1 is enabled in this file.

[5]:

side_by_png("DS2000-B")
plt.show()

downloading 'https://raw.githubusercontent.com/scottprahl/RigolWFM/main/tests/files/wfm/DS2000-B.wfm?raw=true'
_images/Rigol-DS2000_10_1.png

DS2072A-1

Start with a .wfm file from a Rigol DS2072 scope. Evidently the image capture on these scopes is buggy and shows no traces. However, it does show the time scale and that both channels were active.

Look at the data in the .csv file

First let’s look at a plot of the data from the corresponding .csv file.

[6]:

side_by_csv("DS2072A-1")
plt.show()

downloading 'https://raw.githubusercontent.com/scottprahl/RigolWFM/main/tests/files/wfm/DS2072A-1.wfm?raw=true'
_images/Rigol-DS2000_12_1.png

DS2072A-3

First the .csv data

Let’s look at what the accompanying .csv data looks like.

[7]:

side_by_csv("DS2072A-3")
plt.show()

downloading 'https://raw.githubusercontent.com/scottprahl/RigolWFM/main/tests/files/wfm/DS2072A-3.wfm?raw=true'
_images/Rigol-DS2000_14_1.png

DS2072A-7

Screenshot and .wfm summary

The screenshot is shown on the left and the parsed file summary is shown on the right.

[8]:

side_by_png("DS2072A-7", ch2=False)
plt.ylim(-0.6, 0.8)
plt.show()

downloading 'https://raw.githubusercontent.com/scottprahl/RigolWFM/main/tests/files/wfm/DS2072A-7.wfm?raw=true'
_images/Rigol-DS2000_16_1.png 
[9]:

side_by_csv("DS2072A-7", ch2=False)
plt.show()

downloading 'https://raw.githubusercontent.com/scottprahl/RigolWFM/main/tests/files/wfm/DS2072A-7.wfm?raw=true'
_images/Rigol-DS2000_17_1.png

DS2072A-9

Test for large memory bank if CH1 is unselected.

Screenshot and .wfm summary

The screenshot is shown on the left and the parsed file summary is shown on the right.

[10]:

side_by_png("DS2072A-9", ch2=False)
plt.ylim(-10, 10)
plt.show()

downloading 'https://raw.githubusercontent.com/scottprahl/RigolWFM/main/tests/files/wfm/DS2072A-9.wfm?raw=true'
_images/Rigol-DS2000_19_1.png