National Instruments (NI) has announced a new and more powerful version of its versatile VirtualBench instrument. The software-based VirtualBench All-in-One can be used with a PC, laptop or tablet and combines a mixed-signal oscilloscope, a function generator, a digital multimeter, a programmable DC power supply and digital I/O in a single compact case. The new VirtualBench version includes various improvements and enhancements.
 
For the oscilloscope, the number of input channels is expanded from two to four and the bandwidth is boosted to 350 MHz. A high-performance protocol analyzer is also included. The maximum current of the built-in programmable DC power supply is increased to 3 A for the 6 V output and 1 A for the +25 V and -25 V outputs. All five instruments are conveniently visualized in a uniform format with full-screen resolution, and the instrument provides functions for saving data and making quick screenshots. The new version also has an Ethernet port, in addition to USB and Wi-Fi compatibility, for distributed measurement environments. Needless to say, the new VirtualBench integrates seamlessly with LabVIEW system design software.
 
The first version of VirtualBench is very popular, and many electronics professionals and hobbyists use this instrument in their labs in place of a group of individual instruments. Updates for the iPad and PC apps are issued regularly, with the emphasis on a uniform software experience with all five instruments. Users can communicate with the instrument using multitouch displays, multicore processors, wireless links and intuitive interfaces.