The LeCroy Model 8500 WaveMaster DSO is actually new. Sure, it addresses the standard faster, wider, deeper issues just like everybody else, but the WaveMaster also gives you answers quickly. Try pursuing that concept with other long-memory DSOs. The proprietary X-Stream architecture encompasses the entire data acquisition process and provides a genuine system performance breakthrough.
The front end of the signal-processing chain starts with silicon germanium amplifiers and analog-todigital converters (ADCs) that track the incoming signal and digitize it.
Digitized data is streamed to custom memory chips that buffer the data, packetize it, and transfer the packets via a dedicated high-speed bus to the microprocessor cache. But, streamlined hardware data transfer is just part of the story. X-Stream software technology allows the initial part of a long waveform to be under analysis by the microprocessor while the remainder of the data record still is flowing through the streaming architecture.
New algorithms enable the data packets and the relevant display, measurement, and analysis routines to be simultaneously resident in cache memory. According to LeCroy, this eliminates the trade-offs between long record lengths and fast processing by allowing WaveMaster to perform waveshape analysis 10× faster than any other DSO.
Features and Benefits
What else do you get for your $54,990 starting price? Four 50-Ω input channels with 5-GHz bandwidth and 10-GS/s sampling rate backed up by a 500k-point memory per channel are good starts. When using only two channels, the maximum sample rate and memory length double to 20 GS/s and 1M-point.
The 5-GHz trigger bandwidth and maximum 2-ps jitter complement the input channel performance. Triggering includes pattern/logic, exclusion, and 600-ps glitch and pulse-width modes. The range of SMART Trigger® functions also is provided.
The internal clock accuracy is ≤1 ppm and jitter over a 1-ms period is ≤1 ps rms. The time interpolator provides 1-ps resolution with 5-ps accuracy. This timing stability supports the optional $2,495 JTA2 jitter and timing analysis software package.
One new feature is histicons—live postage-stamp-size icons that depict parameter histograms. You can simultaneously display up to eight analysis or math traces and four signal traces. Or, you could present some of the 38 parameter measurements as histicons, allowing more space for waveforms.
If the 28 math functions don’t include the one you need, you can write your own, although you first need to buy the optional XMAP master analysis package for $4,995. A Visual Basic script you write or a calculation routine from a third-party software package easily integrates into the DSO processing chain.
XMAP also provides FFTs of all acquired points, frequency-domain averaging, 12 more jitter and timing analysis parameters, time vs. time JitterTrack™ plots, 2-billion event histograms, and 18 more statistical measurements.
Built-in peripherals include a floppy disk; a CD ROM drive; USB, SVGA video, 10/100Base-T, and parallel ports; an SVGA touch screen; and an optical threebutton wheel mouse. All these instrument control methods and an optional full function keyboard can be used interchangeably.
Finally, you’ll need some probes. The PP066 is a passive 10:1/20:1 7.5-GHz low-capacitance probe for $995. Higher input impedance requirements are met by the $2,450 2.5-GHz HFP2500 Active Probe or the 1-GHz AP034 Differential Probe for $3,595.
Of course this wouldn’t be a LeCroy scope if it only had 500k-point memories. You can choose options of 4M-, 16M-, 32M-, or 48M-points per two channels at prices from $4,990 to $19,990. LeCroy, 845-425-2000, www.rsleads.com/203ee-226
March 2002