Mid-range oscilloscopes boast 2GHz bandwidth, 10GS/s sample rate

This performance is augmented by what Tektronix says is the industry’s highest bandwidth 1GHz passive probe with loading of just 4pF. DPX intensity grading technology helps engineers find elusive glitches and other transients in seconds.

Since mid-range oscilloscopes are often shared across engineering teams and moved from station to station, all MSO/DPO5000B models are now equipped standard with a 480GB solid state disk for more rapid start-up and greater data storage capacity.

The oscilloscopes include Visual Trigger support as a standard feature. Visual Trigger and search allow users to create triggers based on shapes such as rectangles or hexagons making it much easier to capture complex waveforms on multiple channels. The unique Wave Inspector allows users to quickly search through waveforms for faster troubleshooting and discovery of anomalies on live and captured signals.

For designers working on mixed signal designs, the models offer 16 digital channels for serial bus triggering and decode, time-aligned with analog signals. Support is available for all major mid-speed and lower speed embedded and automotive buses. Limit testing is now standard along with mask and serial data compliance options.

To support power conversion applications, MSO/DPO5000 scopes are available with a new version of DPOPWR Advanced Power Measurement and Analysis software. Designers can configure multiple measurements with custom defined settings, measure and analyze power dissipation in switching devices, and evaluate magnetic parameters in a single acquisition. The addition of new measurements such as Inrush Current, Capacitance, and Reactive Power provide more insight for input and output characterization of power supplies.

Tektronix has also added automated debug and compliance testing support for BroadR-Reach.  Option BRR allows the use of a single oscilloscope for the full range of tests required by the specification including power spectral density (PSD) and return loss measurements. Until now, engineers have been required to use a spectrum analyser and a network analyser respectively for these tests. In addition to an issued patent, Tektronix has a pending patent application covering this testing technology. This “one-box” solution simplifies setup complexity and reduces equipment expense.

Tektronix is responding to a number of trends driving change in the mid-range oscilloscope segment. Faster-speed serial buses such as USB 2.0, USB HSIC and Ethernet are increasingly being used in embedded designs. These in turn introduce new design challenges like embedded clocks or tighter jitter budgets and often require more specialized analysis and compliance testing to ensure interoperability. Another key application is power conversion efficiency, driven in part by the emergence of new disruptive technologies such as SiC and GaN with increased switching speeds, requiring oscilloscopes with higher bandwidth, faster sampling rates and specialized probing. Despite the increased design specifications, equipment budgets remain tight, meaning that labs are looking for flexibility and versatility in critical test instrumentation.