Visual Analyser  - "Settings window"

Main

Main parameters
FFT size is the size of the internal ram-buffer of the aquisited samples. VA read "FFT size" bytes from the soundcard and then, while the next buffer is to be filled, (1) compute the frequency spectrum by means of an FFT (Fast Fourier Transform)  (2 )plot the samples in the scope windows (the time series) (3) and also all the other selected functions, except for the "peak frequency meter" window  (when the resolution is > than the first choice) and the "waveform generator" window, that runs in a separate thread. 

The number of aquisited samples is a power of two, as requested by the FFT algorithm. The number of the harmonics will be, according to the FFT algorithms, equal to the half of the dimension of the buffer. For example, for a buffer of 4096 samples VA compute 4096/2 = 2048 harmonics. If the selected frequancy samplig is, for instance, 44100 Hz (that is, a bandwidth of 22050 Hz, see the next point) this means a "Spectral line resolution" of 22050/2048 = 10,77 Hz as indicated in the setting/main window itself.  

Frequency sampling is the number of samples VA get for each second. It is strictly related to the bandwidth of VA: the bandwidth is the half of the frequency sampling, as indicated by the field Bandwidth in the setting/main window itself

Number of channels : number of channels read  through the selected  input soundcard (normally two = stereo). Selecting the "mono" option with a stereo soundcard will be equivalent to select the SUM of the two channels (i.e. as the Ch A+B option)

(8) (16) (24) (32) bit selection: by means of four radiobutton you can choose among the different resolution (in bit) allowed by  your soundcard; disabled value are not allowed for the selected input soundcard. To select a different soundcard click the  "in/out device" item in setting window.

Smoothing window  
If a sinewave is passing through zero at the beginning and end of the time series, the resulting FFT spectrum will consist of a single line with the correct amplitude and at the correct frequency.  If, on the other hand, the signal level is not at zero at one or both ends of the time series record, truncation of the waveform will occur, resulting in a discontinuity in the sampled signal. This discontinuity causes problems with the FFT process, and the result is a smearing of the spectrum from a single line into adjacent lines. This is called "leakage"; energy in the signal "leaks" from its proper location into the adjacent lines. 

Leakage could be avoided if the time series zero crossings were synchronized with the sampling times, but this is impossible to achieve in practice.  The shape of the "leaky" spectrum depends on the amount of signal truncation, and is generally unpredictable for real signals.

In order to reduce the effect of leakage, it is necessary that the signal level is forced zero at the beginning and end of the time series.  This is done by multiplying the data samples by a "smoothing window" function, which can have several different shapes.  The difference between each smoothing window is the way in which they transition from the low weights near the edges to the higher weights near the middle of the sequence.  If there is no windowing function used, this is called "Rectangular", "Flat", or "Uniform" windowing. 

While the smoothing window does a good job of forcing the ends to zero, it also adds distortion to the time series which results in sidebands in the spectrum.  These sidebands, or side lobes, effectively reduce the frequency resolution of the analyzer; it is as if the spectral lines are wider.  The measured amplitude of the weighted signal is also incorrect because a portion of the signal level is removed by the weighting process.  To make up for this reduction in power, windowing algorithms give extra weight to the values near the middle of the sequence. 

Characteristics of various smoothing windows

Window	Frequency	Amplitude	Leakage
Type	            Resolution	Resolution	Suppression	Application
Bartlett	Fair	            Fair	            Moderate	
Blackman	Fair 	            Good	            Excellent         	Distortion Measurements 
Flattop	Poor	            Excellent	Moderate	            Accurate Amplitude measurements
Hamming	Fair	            Fair	            Fair	
Hanning	Fair	            Excellent	Excellent	            Distortion measurements, Noise measurements

Triangular	Fair	           Fair	            Poor		
NONE  	Excellent       Poor	            Poor	                        High resolution frequency measurements, Impulse response measurements

Channel

Channel allows the selection of the channel to be plotted on almost all the windows of VA. 

•	Ch A (green color) It select the left channel of the soundcard. Scope will show only the left channel, the same for the spectrum, for the volt-meter, the frequency-meter. The windows of "edit spectrum" and "log samples" will hold only samples related to the left channel.
•	Ch B (red color) The same for Ch A but related to the right channel
•	Ch A and B (green and red color) By selecting this option you will be able to view both the left and right channel on the scope window and the spectrum window. The frequency meter will show the left channel while the voltmeter both.
•	Ch A - B  This is a special function. Normally used to compute the frequency response of an audio device, it allows to plot tha difference of the spectrum of the channel A minus the channel B. The scope windows will show BOTH the channel (not the difference) for purpose related to frequency response determination. The frequency meter window will show still the A channel. The voltmeter window will show the difference of the channels (white color). 
•	Ch B - A The same of the previous point with the channel swapped
•	X - Y  This is an x-y visualization as a true oscilloscope. The X-axis is the LEFT channel, the Y-axis is the RIGHT channel. The spectrum analyser windows will show both the channels, as the volt-meter. The frequency meter will show the left channel.
•	Ch A + B Selecting the Ch A + B item the scope windows will show the sum of the two channel (yellow color), as the spectrum window, the volt meter windows and the frequency meter window.

Select windows

You can select one or more of  the different windows of VA. If you are in "floating windows mode", the list is:

•	Peak frequency meter
•	Spectrum Analyser
•	Oscilloscope
•	Wave generator
•	Phase
•	Volt meter

if you are in "standard mode"

•	Peak frequency meter
•	Wave generator
•	Phase
•	Volt meter

because in "standard mode" the scope and spectrum windows are always visible in the main window

Switch to (Standard | Floating) mode button

This button allows to swicth from the Standard mode to the Floating mode and viceversa. Standard mode is the original appearance of VA. In this way VA is a big main window of fixed minimum dimension of 800x600 pixel and freely sizeable over this minimum dimension. The main window contain the scope & spectrum windows plus a subset of the commands you can find in setting window. 

When in "Floating mode" the main windows is reduced  to a sort of command bar with a series of button, a "led" and a combobox for the selection of the input source (enabled only if  the checkbox "apply calibration" in Setting/Calibrate has not been  checked). In floating mode you can freely select the windows of your interest. The configuration of VA is automatically saved; in this way the next time you start VA you'll find the same windows in the same position and dimension and with the same options selected. In floating mode the windows are  all freely sizeable (except the wave generator window and the setting window itself). The horizontal dimension of scope window will be fixed (512 pixel)  if the "fit 512 pix" option (Setting/Spectrum) has been selected. With this option selected the harmonics VA visualize are:

•	1 pixel = 1 harmonic if the number of harmonics is 512 (buffer of 512x2 = 1024 points)
•	1 pixel = sum of two   (2)   harmonics if the number of harmonics is 1024 (buffer of 1024x2 = 2048 points)
•	1 pixel = sum of three (3)  harmonics if the number of harmonics is 2048 (buffer of 2048x2 = 4096 points)
•	...so on

if the number is less than 512:
•	2 pixel = 1 harmonic if the number of harmonics is 256 (buffer of 256x2 =512 points) 
•	4 pixel = 1 harmonic if the number of harmonics is 128 (buffer of 128x2 =256 points) 
•	...so on