Intellijel Zeroscope 1U User manual

Zeroscope 1U
Dual Channel Oscilloscope, Frequency Meter and Tuner
Manual (English)
Revision: 2020.10.26

TABLE OF CONTENTS 
COMPLIANCE 2
INSTALLATION 3
Before Your Start 3
Installing Your Module 4
FRONT PANEL 6
Inputs & Outputs 6
Controls 6
BASIC OPERATION 7
ADVANCED OPERATION 8
Scope Type 8
Using Tune Mode 9
Hz Display 9
Note Name Display 9
Reference Pitch and Averaging Time 10
Trigger Source 11
Trigger Detection Level 11
CH 1 Offset 12
CH 2 Offset 12
Grid Display 12
Screen Saver 13
FIRMWARE 13
Change Log 13
TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS 14
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Zeroscope 1U Manual 1

COMPLIANCE 
This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is subject
to the following two conditions: (1) this device may not cause harmful
interference, and (2) this device must accept any interference received,
including interference that may cause undesired operation.
Changes or modifications not expressly approved by Intellijel Designs, Inc.
could void the user’s authority to operate the equipment.
Any digital equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits
for a Class A digital device, pursuant to part 15 of the FCC Rules. These
limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful
interference when the equipment is operated in a commercial environment.
This equipment generates, uses, and can radiate radio frequency energy
and, if not installed and used in accordance with the instruction manual,
may cause harmful interference to radio communications.
This device meets the requirements of the following standards and
directives:
EMC: 2014/30/EU
EN55032:2015 ; EN55103-2:2009 (EN55024) ; EN61000-3-2 ;
EN61000-3-3
Low Voltage: 2014/35/EU
EN 60065:2002+A1:2006+A11:2008+A2:2010+A12:2011
RoHS2: 2011/65/EU
WEEE: 2012/19/EU
Zeroscope 1U Manual 2

INSTALLATION
This module is designed for use within an
Intellijel-standard 1U row, such as contained
within the Intellijel 4U and 7U Eurorack cases.
Intellijel’s 1U specification is derived from the
Eurorack mechanical specification set by
Doepfer that is designed to support the use of
lipped rails within industry standard rack
heights.
Before Your Start 
Intellijel Eurorack modules are designed to be used with a Eurorack-compatible case and power
supply. We recommend you use Intellijel cases and power supplies.
Before installing a new module in your case, you must ensure your power supply has a free power
header and sufficient available capacity to power the module:
● Sum up the specified +12V current draw for all modules, including the new one. Do the same for
the -12 V and +5V current draw. The current draw will be specified in the manufacturer's
technical specifications for each module.
● Compare each of the sums to specifications for your case’s power supply.
● Only proceed with installation if none of the values exceeds the power supply’s specifications.
Otherwise you must remove modules to free up capacity or upgrade your power supply.
You will also need to ensure your case has enough free space (hp) to fit the new module. To
prevent screws or other debris from falling into the case and shorting any electrical contacts, do not
leave gaps between adjacent modules, and cover all unused areas with blank panels. Similarly, do
not use open frames or any other enclosure that exposes the backside of any module or the power
distribution board.
Zeroscope 1U Manual 3

You can use a tool like ModularGrid to assist in your planning. Failure to adequately power your
modules may result in damage to your modules or power supply. If you are unsure, please contact
us before proceeding.
Installing Your Module 
When installing or removing a module from your case
always turn off the power to the case and disconnect
the power cable. Failure to do so may result in
serious injury or equipment damage.
Ensure the 10-pin connector on the power cable is
connected correctly to the module before proceeding.
The red stripe on the cable must line up with the -12V
pins on the module’s power connector. The pins are
indicated with the label -12V, a white stripe next to
the connector, the words “red stripe”, or some
combination of those indicators.
Most modules will come with the cable already
connected but it is good to double check the
orientation. Be aware that some modules may have headers that serve other purposes so ensure
the cable is connected to the right one.
The other end of the cable, with a 16-pin connector,
connects to the power bus board of your Eurorack
case. Ensure the red stripe on the cable lines up with
the -12V pins on the bus board. On Intellijel power
supplies the pins are labelled with the label “-12V” and
a thick white stripe:
If you are using another manufacturer’s power supply,
check their documentation for instructions.
Zeroscope 1U Manual 4

Once connected, the cabling between the module and power supply should resemble the picture
below:
Before reconnecting power and
turning on your modular system,
double check that the ribbon cable
is fully seated on both ends and
that all the pins are correctly
aligned. If the pins are misaligned
in any direction or the ribbon is
backwards you can cause damage
to your module, power supply, or
other modules.
After you have confirmed all the
connections, you can reconnect the
power cable and turn on your
modular system. You should
immediately check that all your modules have powered on and are functioning correctly. If you
notice any anomalies, turn your system off right away and check your cabling again for mistakes.
 
Zeroscope 1U Manual 5

FRONT PANEL 
Inputs & Outputs 
[1] CH 1 input: The input is DC
coupled and accepts signals
between -10V and +10V.
[2] CH 2 input: This input, like CH 1,
is DC coupled and accepts signals
between -10V and +10V.
[3] CH 1 output: The signal
appearing at the CH 1 input jack is
normalled to the CH 1 output jack,
so signals pass unimpeded
through the Zeroscope 1U. This allows you to monitor signals without needing to re-patch or use
signal multipliers.
[4] CH 2 output: As with CH 1, the signal appearing at the CH 2 input jack is normalled to the CH 2
output jack, so signals pass unimpeded through the Zeroscope 1U.
Controls 
[A] Scope : In Scope or X-Y modes, this screen displays both the CH 1 and CH 2 waveforms, while
in Tune mode, it displays their frequency by either Hz or note name.
[B] Encoder : This push-function encoder serves multiple functions — controlling the appearance of
the scope, and enabling both the selection of parameters and the editing of their values.
 
Zeroscope 1U Manual 6

BASIC OPERATION 
In its basic mode, Zeroscope 1U displays the waveforms for both CH 1 and CH 2, and gives you
control over the display height of these two waveforms plus their displayed periodicity.
1. Connect CV or audio signals to either or both the CH 1 and CH 2 inputs.
Both inputs are DC coupled and accept signals between -10V and +10V . Either can serve as a
trigger source, configured to detect either the rising or falling edge of the waveform (as
described later in the Trigger Source discussion). All inputs are normalled to the jacks below .
2. Press the encoder to cycle through the three three basic display options.
Specifically, each press cycles between:
●CH 1 Display Value (volts/division)
●CH 2 Display Value (volts/division)
●T (Time) Display Value (seconds/division,
both channels)
3. Turn the encoder to change the option’s value.
Specifically:
●CH 1 : With this option displayed, turning the
encoder sets CH 1’s gain (height of
displayed signal) between 0.5 volts/division
and 10.0 volts/division.
●CH 2 : With this option displayed, turning the
encoder sets CH 2’s gain (height of
displayed signal) between 0.5 volts/division
and 10.0 volts/division. CH 2’s gain level is
completely independent from CH 1’s.
●T : With this option displayed, turning the encoder sets the waveform’s time base
between 10 s/div and 10 µs/div with seventeen incremental values between these two
extremes.
NOTE : At a setting of 10 µs/div, only CH 1 is displayed. Also, because the Zeroscope
employs a simple anti-aliasing filter, an input signal running at a frequency higher than
the timebase may produce a misleading waveform.
Zeroscope 1U Manual 7

ADVANCED OPERATION 
Zeroscope 1U offers several advanced display and triggering options, located within an Advanced
Settings menu.
1. Long-press (>1 sec) the encoder to open the Advanced Settings menu.
A small menu of options
appears to the right of the
display.
2. Turn the encoder to select
and highlight which of six
Advanced Settings
options you wish to edit.
There are six options
accessible in this menu.
These are, from
top-to-bottom:
●SCOPE type
●TRIGGER Source
● TRIGGER DETECTION LEVEL
●CH 1 offset
●CH 2 offset
●GRID display
3. With the desired option highlighted, push-turn the encoder to edit its value.
That is, turn the encoder while it’s fully depressed to change values. The following sections
discuss each advanced operation in detail.
Scope Type 
With this option selected, push-turn the encoder to select what you want displayed on the
Zeroscope. There are three options:
Scope Standard graphical display, with time displayed on the X-axis and voltage displayed
on the Y-axis.
X-Y Alternate graphical display with CH 1 driving the X-axis and CH 2 driving the Y-axis.
Tune Alphanumerical tuning display, which you can configure to show either Hz values or
note names (see below).
Zeroscope 1U Manual 8

Using Tune Mode 
Tune Mode displays CH 1 and CH 2 frequencies either by number of cycles-per-second (Hz) or by
Note Name. Once in Tune mode, simply press the encoder to toggle between the two display
options.
NOTE : The input signal must be at least +2V in order for the pitch detector to work.
Hz Display 
The top line displays the frequency (in Hz) of
the signal appearing at CH 1, and the second
line displays the frequency of the signal
appearing at CH 2.
Note Name Display 
The top line shows CH 1, and the second line
shows CH 2.
Zeroscope displays the note name closest to
the incoming pitch, plus a vertical line
indicating how far the pitch is from that note
(from -45 to +45 cents).
A note is sharp if the vertical line is to the right
of the note name. For example, in this
illustration the vertical line is to the right of the note name for CH 2, indicating that CH 2 is playing a
C3 (“middle C”), but that the note is sharp.
A note is flat if the vertical line is to the left of the note name.
A note is perfectly in tune if a box surrounds the note name. In this illustration, the box around the
note name for CH 1 indicates that it’s playing a C1 note, and that it’s perfectly in tune.
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Zeroscope 1U Manual 9

Reference Pitch and Averaging Time 
Both the Hz Display and the Note Name Display have two additional options at the bottom of the
scope: ref and avg.
ref This displays the reference pitch used by the tuner (which displays the number of Hz to
which the A above middle-C is tuned). Most devices default to 440Hz, but other
standards are sometimes used.
avg This displays how long the Zeroscope spends averaging out frequency variations before
it recalculates and reports a new note name. There are three options: slow; norm; and
fast. Fast is very sensitive to fluctuations on input, while slow is not. Norm is in the
middle.
A small indicator arrow to the left of the ref or avg parameter indicates which will be changed by
rotating the encoder. To change whether the encoder edits ref or avg , switch between Hz and Note
Name displays. Specifically:
1. After entering Tune mode, wait five seconds for the little Tune mode indicator in the upper right
corner to extinguish.
2. With Hz display active, turn the encoder (without pushing it) to change the avg setting (slow,
normal, fast)
3. Switch to the Note Name display, and turn the encoder (without pushing it) to change the ref
tuning value.
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Zeroscope 1U Manual 10

Trigger Source 
With this option selected, push-turn the encoder to select how you want to trigger the Zeroscope.
You have five triggering options:
Trg off The scope is untriggered
Trg 1 The scope triggers on the rising edge of the signal at CH 1
Trg 1 The scope triggers on the falling edge of the signal at CH 1
Trg 2 The scope triggers on the rising edge of the signal at CH 2
Trg 2 The scope triggers on the falling edge of the signal at CH 2
Trigger Detection Level 
With this option selected, push-turn the encoder to set the level at which trigger detection occurs.
Trigger threshold can be offset ± 10V (-10000µV - +10000µV). At 0V (the default), a typical bipolar
waveform triggers when it crosses the 0-line. Trigger levels are graphically indicated on the
Zeroscope display.
If you set a trigger threshold beyond the voltage limits of the current waveform, you’ll see a small T?
icon appear in the lower left corner of the display, indicating that it failed to detect a trigger.
 
Zeroscope 1U Manual 11

CH1 Offset 
With this option selected, push-turn the encoder to set a display offset for the CH 1 waveform.
Waveforms can be offset ± 10V (-10000µV - +10000µV).
Offsetting waveforms is particularly
useful if you want to display CH 1’s
waveform above (or below) CH 2’s
waveform. For example, assume CH 1
and CH 2 are both typical ± 5V
waveforms. If you set both the CH 1
and CH 2 Display Values to 5.0 V per
division, then each waveform is ½ the
entire height of the scope. If you set
the CH 1 Offset to +5000 (+5V) and
the CH 2 Offset (described below) to
-5000 (-5V), then CH 1’s waveform is displayed in the top half of the scope, and CH 2’s is displayed
in the bottom half.
CH2 Offset 
With this option selected, push-turn the encoder to set a display offset for the CH 2 waveform.
Waveforms can be offset ± 10V (-10000µV - +10000µV).
Grid Display 
With this option selected, push-turn the encoder to select between two options:
grd: on turns on the scope’s background grid
grd: -- turns off the scope’s background grid
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Zeroscope 1U Manual 12

Screen Saver 
In order to extend the life of your screen, Zeroscope 1U features a built-in screen saver, which turns
off the display after a user-definable length of time. If the screen has turned off, simply press or turn
the encoder to turn the display back on.
To set the amount of time until the screen saver dims the screen:
1. Long-press (>1 sec) the encoder to open the Advanced Settings menu.
A small menu of options appears to the right of the display.
2. Turn the encoder to select the SCOPE option.
3. With the SCOPE option highlighted, push-turn the encoder and select TUNE mode.
4. Turn the encoder to select the SCREEN SAVER option.
5. Push-turn the encoder to set how long Zeroscope should wait until it turns off the display
screen.
You can choose between: 1 min, 2 min, 5 min, 10 min, 30 min, 1 hour, 2 hour, and never.
FIRMWARE 
Firmware updates, if available, are contained within the latest Intellijel Firmware Updater
application, which you can download from the product’s page on the Intellijel.com website. The
application is available in both Macintosh and Windows formats, and will install firmware into your
module over USB. Download the app, then use the drop-down list at the top of the application to
select the product you wish to update, and the firmware version you want to install. Click the
Instructions button to read specific instructions for updating your module.
Change Log 
1.4 (Oct 26, 2020)
● FEATURE: Added an option to set the amount of time until the screen saver darkens the
screen. Time is accessed via a menu on the TUNER screen, as described in Screen Saver .
1.3 (Nov 14, 2019)
● FEATURE: Added a Screen Saver
1.2 (Jan 08, 2019)
● Initial product release
Zeroscope 1U Manual 13

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS 
Width
16 hp
Maximum Depth
26 mm
Current Draw
8 mA @ +12V
0 mA @ -12V
Zeroscope 1U Manual 14