Review multichannel EDF recordings

Review multichannel EDF recordings without changing the source.

Organize what you see, move through long recordings, measure selected signals, and save review material separately from the EDF or BDF file.

What “non-destructive” means here: viewing, navigation, channel presentation, measurements, and user annotations do not rewrite the opened recording. Exports and annotation sidecars are new files you choose to save.

Build a readable channel view

Large recordings can contain more channels than are useful in one viewport. Start by searching labels, hiding unrelated channels, pinning important ones, and reordering presentations. These are workspace presentation choices; they do not reorder or delete signals in the recording.

You can duplicate a visual presentation or create a composite visual group when an overlay helps comparison. A composite group is a display overlay, not a referential or bipolar scientific montage.

Move from overview to evidence

Use the overview timeline to locate the visible window within the full recording.
Set a suitable elapsed-time window and use exact Go to navigation when a known time matters.
Fit the selected chart or all visible charts, then check the displayed Y-scale state.
Select the appropriate point, two-point, or region measurement tool.
Confirm the selected channel, unit, time basis, and region before using a result elsewhere.
Export only the source samples or result rows required for the review task.

Keep review artifacts traceable

Workspace and project

Store presentation and project choices separately; the application starts clean rather than reopening recordings automatically.

User annotations

Save editable notes in the recording-associated .edfworkbench.annotations.json sidecar.

Measurements

Export immutable point, delta, or region result rows with their section, property, and value context.

Waveform data

CSV export preserves each source channel’s native sample rate; it does not invent a shared grid.

Images and reports reflect selected display and content choices. Review them before sharing. A source-preserving workflow reduces accidental modification; it does not make copied exports anonymous or clinically validated.

If the display appears incomplete, confirm channel visibility, presentation, time window, amplitude range, and rendering provenance. The troubleshooting guide provides a reproducible checklist.