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Compact Scope Targets Rackmount, Automated Test Apps

May 24, 2024

The MXO 5C series oscilloscope, which doesn't have an integrated display, delivers the same performance as the MXO 5 series at a fourth of the vertical height.

Alix Paultre

Related To: Electronic Design

Test & Measurement

TechXchange: Oscilloscope Techniques

Tailored for rackmount and other applications where a low-profile form factor is critical, the latest MXO 5C oscilloscope/digitizer from Rohde & Schwarz is the company’s first scope without an integrated display.

Delivering the same performance as the MXO 5 series, but with a fourth of the vertical height, the 2U instrument can be deployed in test systems where a traditional oscilloscope with a large display would not fit. Available with four or eight channels, the oscilloscope can be controlled via the integrated web interface, or by interacting with it programmatically, using the instrument as a high-speed digitizer.

Leveraging Advanced ASIC Tech

The MXO 5C series builds on Rohde & Schwarz’s next-generation MXO-EP processing ASIC technology, claiming the fastest acquisition capture rate at up to 4.5 million acquisitions per second. This makes it the first compact oscilloscope that can capture up to 99% of real-time signal activity, significantly enhancing the visualization of signal details and infrequent events.

Its form factor enables multiple channels to be deployed in close proximity. The eight-channel MXO 5C provides a density of 1500 cm³ per channel at 23 W per channel.

Primarily designed for rackmount usage, the instrument can also be used as a standalone bench oscilloscope by attaching an external display via the built-in DisplayPort and HDMI connectors. Furthermore, the instrument’s GUI is accessible via a web interface by typing in the oscilloscope’s IP address into a browser. The first oscilloscope to offer E-ink display technology, the MXO 5C shows the IP address and other critical information on a small non-volatile bistable display, which stays visible even when power is switched off.

The MXO 5C series targets multiple bandwidth ranges with 100-MHz, 200-MHz, 350-MHz, 500-MHz, 1-GHz, and 2-GHz models. A variety of upgrade options are available for demanding application needs, such as 16 digital channels with a mixed-signal oscilloscope option and an integrated dual-channel 100 MHz arbitrary generator. There are also protocol decode and triggering options for industry-standard buses and a frequency-response analyzer.

Alix Paultre | Editor-at-Large, Electronic Design

Alix is Editor-at-Large for Electronic Design. An Army veteran, Alix was a signals intelligence soldier on the East/West German border in the early ‘80s, and eventually wound up helping launch and run a publication on consumer electronics for the U.S. military stationed in Europe. Alix first began in this industry in 1998 at Electronic Products magazine, and since then has worked for a variety of publications, most recently as Editor-in-Chief of Power Systems Design. Alix currently lives in Wiesbaden, Germany.