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Integration, Integration, Integration. The Drive To Integrate More Bench Instruments Into The One Box

jmarrina

Hello Community,

My name is John Marrinan, and I'm your resistent expert on Oscilloscopes for the next few weeks. As an Field Application Engineer I see a huge range of uses for scopes in the modern world of technologoy and physics. If there are any questions you'd like to ask or comments on my posting I'd love to hear from you.


I recently started a discussion on how digital scopes are constanlty enabling T&M companies to improve feature/cost relationship in value scopes. Besides more features for less dollars, it’s important to recognize another key trend in oscilloscopes – integration of other functionality.  Likely many of you regularly use a spectrum analyzer, function generator, DVM, protocol analyzer, etc.  Today, you can add these functions into your oscilloscope.  Our recent MDO3000 mixed domain oscilloscope introduction is one example of that.  We call it the ultimate, integrated 6-in-1 oscilloscope but you can be the judge of that.  We’ve integrated a spectrum analyzer with performance specifications that rival a basic stand-alone spectrum analyzer, taken our popular AFG3000 function generator ASIC & code and integrated that in, along with many other features. 

 

The ultimate goal is to provide a bench-in-a-box.  Humorously, we’ve been asked when we’ll be adding a power supply to the MDO3000.  However, as you know, to get clean power supply signals requires a linear regulation supply, and those can be quite heavy not to mention wreak havoc on your circuits by introducing crosstalk.  I don’t anticipate we’ll be crossing that technological hurdle.  I guess you can’t please everyone…

 

But, I want to hear from you.  What features and functions would you like to see added?  What do you need for this to be your complete bench in a box?


Other Discussions:

So Much More For The Student, Hobbyist and Lab Bench. How Entry Digital Scopes Now Give A Raft Of Features

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  • As well as improvements in the box itself we also being making some head way with the probes. For years now most scopes on the market are supplied with high impedance, x10, passive probes with bandwidths up to 500MHz. These probes would typically have tip capacitance specifications of around 9-12pF. Customers have always felt a little cheated with they order their nice new 1GHz scope only to discover that it is effetely only 500MHz because of the limitation of the probes shipped with them. If you wanted higher bandwidth to match scope, or if you where using logic such as ECL which could be sensitive to capacitive loading, you'd have to fork our more money for an active probe. and to be honest active probes aren't cheap. They're in around $1000 each for a 1GHz probe. Along with introducing a new class of oscilloscope with the MDO series Tektronix also make a breakthrough the performance of passive probes with the introduction of the TPP series probes. These probes offer up to 1GHz bandwidth, <4pF tip capacitance and come as standard with all MDO3000, MDO4000 and MSO5000 scopes from Tektronix. Other features include automatic probe recognition and AC calibration with a custom ASIC.

     

    image

    All of these features add up to ensure that the probe has a minimal effect on the signal under test, showing you what's truly going on in your circuit.

     

    For more information on how probing effects your device check out this short blog I have written.

     

    Regards

    J

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  • As well as improvements in the box itself we also being making some head way with the probes. For years now most scopes on the market are supplied with high impedance, x10, passive probes with bandwidths up to 500MHz. These probes would typically have tip capacitance specifications of around 9-12pF. Customers have always felt a little cheated with they order their nice new 1GHz scope only to discover that it is effetely only 500MHz because of the limitation of the probes shipped with them. If you wanted higher bandwidth to match scope, or if you where using logic such as ECL which could be sensitive to capacitive loading, you'd have to fork our more money for an active probe. and to be honest active probes aren't cheap. They're in around $1000 each for a 1GHz probe. Along with introducing a new class of oscilloscope with the MDO series Tektronix also make a breakthrough the performance of passive probes with the introduction of the TPP series probes. These probes offer up to 1GHz bandwidth, <4pF tip capacitance and come as standard with all MDO3000, MDO4000 and MSO5000 scopes from Tektronix. Other features include automatic probe recognition and AC calibration with a custom ASIC.

     

    image

    All of these features add up to ensure that the probe has a minimal effect on the signal under test, showing you what's truly going on in your circuit.

     

    For more information on how probing effects your device check out this short blog I have written.

     

    Regards

    J

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  • in reply to jmarrina

    Hi John

     

    You are right.  There is no sense owning a good testing device if you are using less then stellar probes.

    Especially with oscilloscopes.  If there is a probe issue, then everything you can learn about a signal is skewed and probably in error.

     

    It goes with the theme where good tools yields good results.

     

    DAB