along with 4 analog channels and 16 digital signal inputs. Thanks to the MDO4000B series, engineers can capture analog, digital, and RF signals in sync to gain a complete, time-correlated view of the system, saving days or even weeks of debugging time.
The vast majority of system designs in production or under development today include at least some wireless capability, such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, or ZigBee. From input devices like keyboards and mice to smart homes and multimedia devices, consumers demand the convenience of wireless technology. As RF becomes more mainstream, designers are responding by expecting better support from their test equipment for RF testing. Even for designs that don't incorporate wireless technologies, engineers face challenges with EMI, noise, modulation, and other frequency-related signaling. Now, for the same price as a multi-system instrument (MSO) without spectrum analyzer capabilities, engineers can purchase a single instrument that meets the vast majority of their test and measurement requirements, including RF testing and debugging.
"There's a fundamental shift happening with wireless technology in embedded systems. Because RF technologies are affordable and readily available, they're becoming as widely accepted and used as serial data was a few years ago," said Dave Farrell, general manager of conventional oscilloscopes at Tektronix. "Furthermore, with the increasing speed of digital signals, the effects of electromagnetic interference (EMI) have become a common problem requiring observation of the RF spectrum in even non-wireless systems. Just as MSOs have replaced analog-only oscilloscopes, it follows that MDOs are the next logical evolution and are becoming the well-accepted industry standard.".
Under the new pricing structure, Tektronix is offering the MDO4000B-3 models with a built-in 3 GHz spectrum analyzer at the same prices as the current MSO4000B oscilloscopes with equivalent analog bandwidth, model for model. Given that the prices are identical, there is no reason for designers to purchase MSO models, even if they don't have an immediate need for RF capability. Furthermore, there is a strong likelihood that they will require RF measurements at some point, thus saving thousands of euros in the future on the purchase of a spectrum analyzer. With this change, Tektronix will discontinue the MSO4000B series oscilloscopes. For customers requiring 6 GHz frequency coverage, Tektronix has reduced the prices of its MDO4000B-6 series by approximately 15%, making it even more affordable.
To further encourage the shift to mixed-domain oscilloscopes, Tektronix has today expanded its product lineup with the MDO3000 series (see separate announcement). The MDO3000 series can capture analog, digital, and RF signals at a lower price point, making it an ideal entry-level, general-purpose instrument. For more advanced troubleshooting and debugging, the MDO4000B offers additional features and functionality, including synchronized acquisition of all signals, including RF.
In addition to the four analog channels and 16 digital inputs, the MDO4000B-3 models feature a 3 GHz spectrum analyzer across all MDO models, offering bandwidths from 100 MHz to 1 GHz. Furthermore, the MDO models offer all the features and options available with the MSO4000B series. For applications requiring wider frequency coverage, the new pricing for Tektronix MDO4000B-6 oscilloscopes, which include a 6 GHz spectrum analyzer, is now equivalent to the previous pricing for models with 3 GHz spectrum analyzers.
Introduced to the market in August 2011, Tektronix's mixed-domain oscilloscopes have gone on to win more than a dozen industry innovation awards and remain the only oscilloscope with an integrated spectrum analyzer capable of capturing time-correlated analog, digital, and RF signals, allowing users to view the entire system of a device. Engineers using the MDO4000 oscilloscopes report significant increases in debugging productivity, along with the versatility and technical capability they need to tackle a wide variety of test problems. Available analog bandwidth ranges from 100 MHz to 1 GHz, with a sampling rate of 2.5 or 5 GS/s and a 20 M-point record length.
The MDO4000B-3 and MDO4000B-6 oscilloscopes are now available worldwide. Prices start at €7,660.
** For customers who have existing MSO models integrated into their systems or who use them due to special requirements, some MSO4000B models will remain available to support these various needs.
