TDS520 Tektronix Digital Oscilloscope

Used

Additional Features:

  • Bandwidth: 500 MHz
  • 2 Channels
  • Sample Rate: 500 MS/s
  • Record Length: 15 kpts
  • Sensitivity: 1 mV-10 V
  • Glitch Capture: 4 ns
  • Glitch and Logic Trigger
  • Color Display
  • Infinite and Variable Persistence Displays
  • 8-bit Vertical Resolution
  • 1% Vertical Accuracy
  • Hi-Res Mode
  • Tek TriStarM (DSP) Processor for Fast Waveform Processing and Live Measurement Updates
  • Peak Detect Mode for High-speed Glitch Capture
  • 22 Automatic Measurements
  • Full GPIB Programmability

The Tektronix TDS520 is a portable 500 MHz, 2 Channel Digital Oscilloscope that is an exceptional choice for demanding field service applications.

An Intuitive User Interface

A Graphical User Interface (GUI) with more than 99 screen icons helps users easily grasp the operating details. A familiar front panel, dedicated knobs, autosetup, and on-line help facilitate quick user adaptation.

High-Fidelity Acquisitions

The signal acquisition system provides up to 2 channels, 500 MHz bandwidth, 1 GS/s sampling, record lengths to 50 k, wide dynamic range, 8-bit vertical resolution, fast overdrive recovery, calibrated DC offset, 1mV/division sensitivity, and internal calibration--all helping ensure the highest accuracy ever in a general-purpose oscilloscope. An exclusive Hi-Res acquisition mode increases resolution on single-shot events up to 12 bits.

Advanced Triggering

The Tektronix TDS520 triggering circuits allow you to trigger on the most complex and erratic signals. The TDS520 features innovative logic, glitch, pulse width and runt pulse triggering. The icon-based user interface makes complex triggering setups easy and unambiguous.

Multiprocessor Architecture

A Motorola 68020, Tek TriStar digital signal processor, and a powerful proprietary display processor combine to provide the power for live display updates, high-speed averaging, selectable, interpolation and many other fast waveform processing, display and measurement functions.

An Evolution of Performance, Fidelity, and Ease of Use

The power of the TDS500 Series is the result of a number of significant advances in oscilloscope engineering, including:

  • An evolution of Tektronix's multiprocessor architecture that utilizes separate processor for the scope's executive display, and digitizing functions-a concept originally created for Tek's lab-quality 11000/DSA Series.
  • Unparalleled levels of circuit integration and state-of-the-art surface mount technology, enabling all of the acquisition system to be mounted on a single board.
  • Significant advances in intuitive human interface features that enable the addition of productive new capabilities without adding complexity. A design goal for the TDS was to make virtually every feature discoverable and understandable without reference to the manual.

These breakthroughs have helped spawn a multitude of features and capabilities never before seen in a mainstream oscilloscope. These include:

Wide Dynamic Range and Fast Overdrive Recovery

The TDS Series can recover from overdriven signals to within 1% om about 20 ns--approximately 2 orders of magnitude faster than the settling time of competitive amplifiers

Peak Detect

The TDS digitizers run at full speed at all times. High-speed demultiplexers, downstream from the digitizers, handle the task of acquiring waveform points appropriated to the selected digitizing speed. The peak detect mode instructs the demultiplexers to display all signal peaks, ensuring that glitches as small as 4 ns (10 ns for the TDS Series) are acquired and displayed at any time/division setting.

In addition, because input signals are rarely undersamples, the risk of aliasing is reduced.

Hi-Res Mode

At slower time/division settings, over-sampled data points captured by the high-speed digitizers are normally disregarded. In Hi-Res mode, these extra points are averaged on-the-fly, extending vertical resolution to 12 bits on single-shot events. Hi-Res mode is especially useful for filtering out high-frequency noise and for visually enhancing single-shot events.

Logic and Video Triggering

Special TDS 500 triggering functions isolate many common fault conditions in logic circuits. Glitch trigger can single out pulses that are as narrow as 2 ns. Runt triggering can recognize pulses too low to qualify as logic highs and too high to qualify as logic lows, such as those which result from intermittent tri-state bus problems. While glitches and runt pulses are difficult for most oscilloscopes to see, the TDS 500 makes them easy to find and provides up to three other channels for tracing their cause.
Long Record Lengths

The TDS Series' enables customized data capture for increased measurement resolution or long event recording. A zoon mode allows detailed signal examination through waveform expansion or compression of the whole record onto one screen. The TDS 500 offers 15 k points and 5 k points standard, The Option 1M extends the record length from 15 k to 50 k and 5 k to 30 k per channel respectively.

Stable Triggers Ensured

Tektronix's superb trigger conditioning circuitry provides stable triggering on complex waveforms. Selectable trigger conditioning includes AC or DC Couple, Noise Reject, High Frequency Reject, and Low Frequency Reject.

Easy to Learn and Operate
On most scopes, advanced features are so cryptic or complicated that they may never be utilized. But while the TDS Series offers more advanced functions than any similar oscilloscope, its unique use of icons, logical grouping of functions and familiar front panel layout make operation easy, even for the unique features.

Triggers, setup conditions, measurements, acquisition modes and other functions are clearly illustrated by the TDS system of icons. The scopes' VGA-quality display resolution makes all waveform, icon and text information exceptionally sharp and clear.

More Information
ManufacturerTektronix
ConditionUsed
Channels2
Frequency500 MHz
Record Length50 kPts
Sampling Rate500 MS/s
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