Variable resolution oscilloscope

An electronic test instrument, comprising:

• a display;
• multiple channel inputs;
• one or more processors;
• and
• one or more computer-readable devices including instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the electronic test instrument to perform operations that include:
• receiving, by an electronic test instrument, user input that specifies multiple user settings, including:
• (1) an on or off status of each channel,
• (2) a time base that indicates time per division, and
• (3) a selected resolution mode from among a plurality of resolution modes, wherein each resolution mode in the plurality of resolution modes specifies multiple test-instrument settings that differ at least partially from the multiple test-instrument settings for at least one other resolution mode in the plurality of resolution modes;
• determining, by the electronic test instrument and without user input that specifies an arrangement of digitizers, multiple different arrangements of digitizers that result in corresponding valid test instrument configurations, accounting for the multiple user settings and the multiple test-instrument settings specified by the selected resolution mode in determining the valid test instrument configurations, wherein;
• (i) a first arrangement of digitizers in the multiple different arrangements of digitizers specifies a first number of digitizers interleaved horizontally and a second number of digitizers interleaved vertically,
• (ii) a second arrangement of digitizers in the multiple different arrangements of digitizers specifies a third number of digitizers interleaved horizontally and a fourth number of digitizers interleaved vertically, and
• (iii) the first arrangement of digitizers is different from the second arrangement of digitizers, with the first number of digitizers interleaved horizontally being different from the third number of digitizers interleaved horizontally or the second number of digitizers interleaved vertically being different from the fifth number of digitizers interleaved vertically;
• selecting, by the electronic test instrument, a selected arrangement of digitizers from among the multiple different arrangements of digitizers;
• configuring, by the electronic test instrument, the electronic test instrument according to the selected arrangement of digitizers to:
• (a) configure digitizers of the electronic test instrument in the selected arrangement of digitizers, and
• (b) configure valid settings of the electronic test instrument as specified in the valid test instrument configuration that corresponds to the selected arrangement of digitizers, without user input having specified at least multiple of the valid settings;
• acquiring, by the electronic test instrument, an electrical signal with the digitizers of the electronic test instrument being configured in the selected arrangement of digitizers and as specified in the valid test instrument configuration;
• and
• presenting, by the electronic test instrument, a representation of the acquired electrical signal on the display of the electronic test instrument.