I just watched this video:
https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/new-2ghz-touchscreen-scope-from-tek-june-6th/msg1230886/#newAt time 4:05 we're shown "stacked display mode". The idea is simple enough: When you turn channels on/off the display divides the screen up into individual chunks to show each wave.
The question is: Given a good implementation of stacked mode, why would you want vertical controls? Some manufacturers make a big deal about having separate vertical controls for each channel (and
that's why they only have 2 channels) but this would make that moot. Scopes could all have four channels without anybody complaining about using shared controls.
By "good implementation" I mean things like:
* There's an easy way to make a chosen trace extra-tall (eg. half of the screen height, when more
than two channels are enabled, 2/3 of the screen when two channels are enabled, etc).
* Be able to put two channels into the same space, overlaid on top of each other.
* etc.
(use your imagination, folks...)
It seems to me that a good stacked mode would handle all usage cases, that we're all wasting a lot of time moving traces up and down the screen when it really isn't necessary.
When there's no menus open the multifunction knob could be used to adjust the vertical scale instead of (eg. on my DS1054Z) the display brightness, which is something I hardly ever adjust. I don't think I'd mind having to press a button to get it to adjust the brightness.
Is there any reason not to remove the vertical controls from all DSOs?