The determination of the cloud-top height is of importance to the study of atmospheric physics and climate. An effective method to detect cloud-top height is the stereoscopic observation.. According to several working modes of this method and their principles, the modes for analyzing errors in the cloud-top height detection is established in the single satellite mode, and specific error formulas are presented . By means of simulating satellite parameters, the error of cloud-top height detection is analyzed in different observation modes of single satellite. The results of the simulation illustrate that the three-line-array detector observation mode has relatively greater advantages than other models in detecting cloud-top height by the stereoscopic observation.