7-GHz DPO/Communications Analyzer Addresses Serial Data Buses

Nov. 24, 2003

The real-time TDS7704B digital phosphor oscilloscope (DPO) and its 7-GHz bandwidth, along with the CSA7404B communications signal analyzer, raise the performance bar for measuring and analyzing high-speed 1-Mbit/s to 3.125-Gbit/s serial data buses. The scope features a silicon-germanium (SiGe) trigger system with jitter as low as 1.0 ps rms and glitch detection as low as 110 ps.

"High-speed environments such as Fibre Channel, XAUI, InfiniBand, and PCI Express present engineers with significant analysis and interoperability challenges," says Colin Shepard, vice president of oscilloscope products. "Our customers are looking for test equipment that can handle the raw performance of the latest buses and, equally important, make complex, time-consuming testing fast and simple."

The oscilloscope's input rise time is 43 ps and delta-time measurement accuracy is within 1.5 ps rms. The unit's waveform-capture rate of more than 400,000/s, powered by Tektronix's DPX technology, is orders of magnitude faster than existing digital oscilloscopes.

The TDS7704B's robust waveform database-acquisition mode significantly reduces the time it takes to accrue the millions of cycles' worth of samples required by most compliance tests. A MultiView zoom feature makes it easy to expand localized waveform segments while maintaining an overall view of the larger record. The display is a full-color 1024- by 768-pixel 10.4-in. XGA unit.

The TDS7704B costs $59,000, and the CAS7404B goes for $57,500.

Tektronix Inc.www.tektronix.com (800) 833-9200, option 1

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About the Author

Roger Allan

Roger Allan is an electronics journalism veteran, and served as Electronic Design's Executive Editor for 15 of those years. He has covered just about every technology beat from semiconductors, components, packaging and power devices, to communications, test and measurement, automotive electronics, robotics, medical electronics, military electronics, robotics, and industrial electronics. His specialties include MEMS and nanoelectronics technologies. He is a contributor to the McGraw Hill Annual Encyclopedia of Science and Technology. He is also a Life Senior Member of the IEEE and holds a BSEE from New York University's School of Engineering and Science. Roger has worked for major electronics magazines besides Electronic Design, including the IEEE Spectrum, Electronics, EDN, Electronic Products, and the British New Scientist. He also has working experience in the electronics industry as a design engineer in filters, power supplies and control systems.

After his retirement from Electronic Design Magazine, He has been extensively contributing articles for Penton’s Electronic Design, Power Electronics Technology, Energy Efficiency and Technology (EE&T) and Microwaves RF Magazine, covering all of the aforementioned electronics segments as well as energy efficiency, harvesting and related technologies. He has also contributed articles to other electronics technology magazines worldwide.

He is a “jack of all trades and a master in leading-edge technologies” like MEMS, nanolectronics, autonomous vehicles, artificial intelligence, military electronics, biometrics, implantable medical devices, and energy harvesting and related technologies.