Some DMM manufacturers state that the display of a meter is "6000 count" 
capacity. 

With all those 4 digits, the display could show 9999. 

Why is it called "6000 count"?

<http://www.jameco.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?langId=-
1&storeId=10001&catalogId=10001&productId=1537336>

Thank you.

Gloria West wrote:
> Some DMM manufacturers state that the display of a meter is 
> "6000
> count" capacity.
>
> With all those 4 digits, the display could show 9999.
>
> Why is it called "6000 count"?
>
> <http://www.jameco.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?langId=-
> 1&storeId=10001&catalogId=10001&productId=1537336>
>
> Thank you.

The link didn't work for me. Anyway, the DMM is probably 
programmed to read up to 5999. The majority of DMMs can display 
up to 1999 and are called 3 1/2 digit types. Those reading up to 
3999 are often called 3 3/4 digit types. Those going up to 19999 
are called 4 1/2-digit models, and so on. 

> The link didn't work for me.

<http://tinyurl.com/yljnu77>;

> Anyway, the DMM is probably 
> programmed to read up to 5999. The majority of DMMs can display 
> up to 1999 and are called 3 1/2 digit types. Those reading up to 
> 3999 are often called 3 3/4 digit types. Those going up to 19999 
> are called 4 1/2-digit models, and so on. 

I've been used to seeing that nomenclature: 3 1/2, 4 1/2...  Had not seen the 
spec called "Display Count" as 6000, etc.

"Gloria West"
>
> Some DMM manufacturers state that the display of a meter is "6000 count"
> capacity.
>
> With all those 4 digits, the display could show 9999.
>
> Why is it called "6000 count"?


** Cos that  IS  in fact the largest reading possible on the particular 
meter.

There are 2000, 3200, 4000, 6000 etc count meters on the market that all
use 4 digits.

The really important difference is in the accuracy built into each model
 -   there is really no point in having more than 2000 counts shown if the
basic accuracy is only 1%.

Generally, 2000 count meters have 0.5 % DC accuracy, 3200 count meters
0.3%, 4000 count 0.25% and 6000 count 0.15%.

The principle being that in the worst case situation, where only 10% of the
available count is visible  -   the meter's inherent  * inaccuracy * affects 
only a
single count.

The worst case is when the reading is just a tad over what the next lower 
range
will accommodate  -   like 201 mV on a 2000 count meter.


.....  Phil

Phil Allison wrote:
>
> The worst case is when the reading is just a tad over what the 
> next
> lower range
> will accommodate  -   like 201 mV on a 2000 count meter.
>
>
This is where a so-called 3 3/4 DMM (up to 3999) comes in useful 
for me as the standard mains voltage here (India) is 230V. 

On Tue, 17 Nov 2009 00:53:10 -0800, Gloria West
<g...@NOSPAMgmail.com> wrote:

>Some DMM manufacturers state that the display of a meter is "6000 count" 
>capacity. 
>
>With all those 4 digits, the display could show 9999. 
>
>Why is it called "6000 count"?

---
See page 2 of:

http://www.intersil.com/data/an/an017.pdf
---


><http://www.jameco.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?langId=-
>1&storeId=10001&catalogId=10001&productId=1537336>
>
>Thank you.

---
My pleasure.


JF 

Gloria West wrote:
> Some DMM manufacturers state that the display of a meter is "6000 count" 
> capacity. 
> 
> With all those 4 digits, the display could show 9999. 
> 
> Why is it called "6000 count"?
> 
> <http://www.jameco.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?langId=-
> 1&storeId=10001&catalogId=10001&productId=1537336>
> 
> Thank you.
> 

David Jones does a nice job explaining counts in his EEVblog.

See:
http://www.eevblog.com/2009/08/21/eevblog-26-multimeter-counts-accuracy-resolution-calibration/

or, if the line wrap in the above causes trouble:
http://www.eevblog.com/2009/08/
then look at
EEVblog #26 - Multimeter Counts, Accuracy, Resolution & Calibration

Ed