Signals within electronic systems are becoming faster, more numerous, and more complex. The ability to capture fleeting glitches, instability or other signal errors puts ever more demanding requirements on measurement tools, and in particular oscilloscopes.
The design of scope probes has needed to evolve too, to ensure that loading effects are minimised and measured waveforms are faithfully reproduced on the instrument’s display, whether that’s integrated into a standalone scope or the instrument uses the display of a connected computer.
Today’s oscilloscopes come in a bewildering array of shapes, sizes and specifications. Of the 350 models stocked by RS Components, just 20 are analogue versions – although for radio frequency applications these are still preferred by some engineers. Functionality, particularly with respect to waveform display, storage, manipulation, and reporting, has grown significantly in recent years. However, scope manufacturers have been diligent in ensuring that the interface between the instrument and the user has been kept as simple as possible. As scopes have become more useful, and more affordable, users have become expert in adapting them to address their individual test and measurement tasks. The time taken to identify faults, even within high speed, complex waveforms, has been greatly reduced. Here’s the pick of some of the latest innovations in oscilloscopes available from RS.
PC-based scopes
For service engineers on the move, the PC-based scopes from PicoScope combine features that are integral to many high performance bench top instruments with small, lightweight, ergonomic packages powered from a USB 2.0 interface, through which the instruments also pass data . At their simplest, the 2104/2105 models are single-channel scopes not much bigger than probes yet capable of up 100 MS/s real-time sample rates with 25MHz analogue bandwidth. But PCbased instruments are not limited to the lower end of the functionality range. The PicoScope 6403 is a sophisticated, 350MHz bandwidth, 4-channel instrument capable of real-time sample rates up to 5GS/s and boasting a 1GS buffer memory for easy signal analysis – quite an achievement for a scope measuring just 255 x 170 x 40mm and weighing less than 1kg.
Hand-held instruments
Fluke Scopemeters are popular with maintenance engineers as self-contained, battery-powered digital storage oscilloscopes. Once again, small size is no barrier to high-end performance. The recently introduced Fluke Scopemeter 199C is a 2-channel scope that will operate for up to 4 hours from a rechargeable NiMH battery pack. It offers 200MHz bandwidth, real-time sampling at up to 2.5GS/s and a deep memory of 27500 points per input. There’s a choice of advanced triggering modes and the input sensitivity range is from 5mV to 100V/division.
Agilent scopes
The Agilent Infi nivision range of MSOs (mixed signal oscilloscopes) and DSOs (digital signal oscilloscopes) includes products with real-time bandwidths from 100MHz to 1GHz. At the heart of these instruments is the MegaZoom III ASIC, combining fast waveform update rates and usable deep memory with smooth, responsive controls. The scopes are upgradeable, so you can start with a DSO and upgrade to an MSO later. At the top of the range, the 7000 series has an integral 12.1-inch XGA display but the instrument is only 16.5cm deep. The 6000 series comes with optional battery packs and scopes in the economical 5000 series weigh just 4kg.
Tektronix scopes
Tektronix MSO/DPO3000 mixed-signal, bench top scopes feature up to 20 channels (2 or 4 analogue and up to 16 digital), analogue bandwidths up to 500MHz, realtime sampling at up to 2.5GS/s and 5 Megapoint record length. With a suite of advanced triggers, the scopes have 9-inch displays, a 146mm deep footprint and weigh 4kg. Connectivity includes USB 2.0 Host Ports on both the front and rear panels and there is optional application support for power analysis and both HDTV and custom video analysis.
Isotech DSos
The Istotech IDS8104 is an economical digital storage oscilloscope with a bright colour TFT LCD display, 1GS/s single shot sample rate and 25K maximum record length for waveform capture of multiple and complex waveforms. The 25GS/s equivalent time sampling mode maintains an effective high sample rate for fast timebase settings for repetitive signals. USB connectivity and PC communication software supports printer and PC communications and enables unlimited waveform and panel setup storage to USB fl ash drives.
LeCroy 50gS/s MSo
The MSO 104Xs-A mixed signal oscilloscope is a top-end instrument with integral touch screen aimed at embedded system design and debug applications. The 4-channel, 1GHz bandwidth model delivers real-time sampling at up to 50GS/s and a wide range of serial data trigger and decode tools for I2C, SPI, UART, Serial Audio, CAN, and LIN. The hardware allows for fast processing of long memory,even when looking at all 22 inputs.
Article by Graham Cave, product Manager, RS Components
View the latest oscilloscipes available from RS at rswww.com/electronics
