Pocket Guide to

Oscilloscopes
Basic Oscilloscopes from Tektronix
TDS2000C Series
50 MHz to 200 MHz
2 or 4 analog channels
2.5 kpoints record length
Lifetime Warranty
* Limitations apply. For terms and conditions
visit: www.tektronix.com/lifetimewarranty
MSO/DPO2000B Series
70 MHz to 200 MHz
2 or 4 analog channels
Up to 16 digital channels
1 Mpoints record length
TBS1000B/
TBS1000B-EDU Series
50 MHz to 200 MHz
2 analog channels
2.5 kpoints record length
For our enitre line of oscilloscopes,
check out www.tektronix.com.
X ( t i m e )
Z ( i n t e n s i t y )
Y

(
v
o
l
t
a
g
e
)
Y ( v o l t a g e )
X ( t i m e )
Z ( i n t e n s i t y )
W h a t i s a n o s c i l l o s c o p e ?
T h e o s c i l l o s c o p e i s a d e v i c e t h a t d r a w s a g r a p h o f a n
e l e c t r i c a l s i g n a l .
I n m o s t a p p l i c a t i o n s , t h e g r a p h s h o w s h o w s i g n a l s c h a n g e
o v e r t i m e : t h e v e r t i c a l ( Y ) a x i s r e p r e s e n t s v o l t a g e a n d t h e
h o r i z o n t a l ( X ) a x i s r e p r e s e n t s t i m e . T h e i n t e n s i t y o r
b r i g h t n e s s o f a w a v e f o r m i s s o m e t i m e s c a l l e d t h e Z a x i s .
O s c i l l o s c o p e P r i n c i p l e s
K e y O s c i l l o s c o p e S p e c i f i c a t i o n s
B a n d w i d t h
T h e f r e q u e n c y r a n g e o f t h e i n s t r u m e n t .
R e c o r d L e n g t h
T h e n u m b e r o f w a v e f o r m p o i n t s u s e d t o c r e a t e a
r e c o r d o f a s i g n a l .
S a m p l e R a t e
H o w f r e q u e n t l y a d i g i t a l o s c i l l o s c o p e t a k e s a s a m p l e
o f t h e s i g n a l , s p e c i f i e d i n s a m p l e s p e r s e c o n d ( S / s ) .
D i s p l a yA / DA m p
A c q u i s i t i o n
M e m o r y
M i c r o -
p r o c e s s o r
D i s p l a y
M e m o r y
F i r s t , t h e s i g n a l t r a v e l s t h r o u g h t h e p r o b e t o t h e
v e r t i c a l a m p l i f i e r .
N e x t , a n a n a l o g - t o - d i g i t a l c o n v e r t e r ( A / D ) d i g i t i z e s t h e
s i g n a l b y s a m p l i n g t h e s i g n a l a t d i s c r e t e p o i n t s i n t i m e
a n d c o n v e r t s t h e s i g n a l s v o l t a g e a t t h e s e p o i n t s i n t o
d i g i t a l v a l u e s c a l l e d s a m p l e p o i n t s .
T h e s a m p l e p o i n t s f r o m t h e A / D a r e s t o r e d i n a c q u i s i t i o n
m e m o r y a s w a v e f o r m p o i n t s . T o g e t h e r , t h e w a v e f o r m
p o i n t s c o m p r i s e o n e w a v e f o r m r e c o r d .
T h e n u m b e r o f w a v e f o r m p o i n t s u s e d t o c r e a t e a
w a v e f o r m i s c a l l e d t h e r e c o r d l e n g t h .
T h e t r i g g e r d e t e r m i n e s t h e s t a r t a n d s t o p p o i n t s o f
t h e r e c o r d .
T h e s i g n a l p a t h i n c l u d e s a m i c r o p r o c e s s o r w h i c h
m e a s u r e s t h e s i g n a l a n d f o r m a t s i t f o r d i s p l a y .
T h e s i g n a l t h e n p a s s e s t h r o u g h t h e d i s p l a y m e m o r y
a n d i s d i s p l a y e d o n t h e o s c i l l o s c o p e s c r e e n .
H o w d o e s a d i g i t a l s t o r a g e o s c i l l o s c o p e w o r k ?
L e a r n M o r e . . .
F o r e v e r y t h i n g y o u s h o u l d k n o w a b o u t t h e b a s i c s o f
o s c i l l o s c o p e s a n d p r o b e s , c h e c k o u t :
- X Y Z s o f O s c i l l o s c o p e s
- A B C s o f P r o b e s
V i e w t h e s e p r i m e r s a n d m o r e a t :
w w w . t e k t r o n i x . c o m / f u n d a m e n t a l s
Vertical Controls
2 Horizontal Controls
3 Trigger Controls
1. Vertical Controls
Position and Volts-Per-Division (Volts/Div)
The vertical position control allows you to move the
waveform up and down on the display.
The volts-per-division (volts/div) setting varies the size
of the waveform on the screen. The volts/div setting
is a scale factor. If the volts/div setting is 5 volts, then
each vertical division represents 5 volts and an entire
screen of 8 divisions can display 40 volts from top
to bottom.
Input Coupling
Determines which part of the signal presented to the
oscillscope's input is displayed on the screen.
DC coupling shows all of an input signal.
AC coupling blocks the DC component of a signal
so that you see the waveform centered around
zero volts.
Ground coupling disconnects the input signal from the
vertical system, which lets you see where zero volts is
located on the screen.
2. Horizontal Controls
Position and Seconds-Per-Division
(Sec/Div)
The horizontal position control allows you to move
the waveform left and right on the display.
The seconds-per-division (sec/div) setting varies
the rate at which the waveform is drawn across
the screen (also known as the time base setting or
sweep speed). The sec/div setting is a scale factor.
If the setting is 1 ms, then each horizontal division
represents 1 ms and the entire screen of 10 divisions
represents 10 ms.
Oscilloscope Front Panel
3 Main Sections:
1
Untriggered Display Triggered Display
Threshold: +
slope: -
Threshold: -
slope: -
Threshold: -
slope: +
Threshold: +
slope: +
3. Trigger Controls
Trigger controls allow you to capture single-shot
waveforms and stabilize repetitive waveforms.
Imagine the jumble on the screen that would result if each
time the trace is drawn across the screen, the drawing
begins at a different part of the waveform. The trigger
ensures the same part of the waveform is drawn each
time, making repetitive waveforms appear static.
The trigger circuit acts as a comparator. When the signal
matches the trigger setting, the oscilloscope generates a
trigger and captures a signal. Edge triggering is used most
often; it captures the signal on a rising or falling edge.
Trigger level and slope
The slope control determines whether the trigger point
is on the rising edge (positive slope) or the falling edge
(negative slope) of a signal.
The level control determines where on the edge the
trigger point occurs.
Source
Determines which signal is compared to the
trigger settings.
Modes
Determines whether or not the oscilloscope draws a
waveform based on a signal condition.
Normal mode - the oscilloscope only sweeps if the
input signal reaches the set trigger point; otherwise
the screen is frozen on the last acquired waveform.
Auto mode - the oscilloscope sweeps, even without
a trigger. If no signal is present, a timer in the
oscilloscope triggers the sweep. This ensures that
the display will not disappear if the signal does not
cause a trigger.
Single sequence mode - After the oscilloscope detects
a trigger, the oscilloscope acquires and displays one
triggered screen of a signal and then stops.
Coupling
Similar to vertical coupling. High frequency, low frequency,
and noise rejection trigger coupling are useful for eliminating
noise from the trigger signal to prevent false triggering.
Tips for Capturing your Signal
1. Return the oscilloscope to a known state.
Press the Default Setup button.
2. Connect the appropriate probe to the oscilloscope.
- Check that the oscilloscope and probe
bandwidths match.
- Check probe compensation.
3. Connect your probe to the circuit signal.
When using an oscilloscope, you need to adjust three
basic settings to accommodate an incoming signal:
- The vertical scale (volts/div).
- The time base / horizontal scale (sec/div).
- The trigger level, slope, source, mode, and type.
If you do not see a signal, check the following:
Is the channel on?
Is the waveform off screen?
- Adjust the vertical position and scale.
- Adjust vertical coupling if signal has large DC
component.
If your waveform is indistinguishable, adjust the
horizontal scale.
If you can not get a stable trace, check the following:
Trigger level and source.
For waveforms with events far apart in time, use
normal mode.
For single shot events, use single sequence mode.
When using two or more traces, one trace may
be stable while the others keep racing across
the display. The frequencies of the waveforms
are different.
- Change trigger source to characterize each
signal individually.
- Or, use single sequence mode.
Copyright 2014, Tektronix. All rights reserved. Tektronix products are covered by U.S. and foreign patents, issued and pending. Information in this publication supersedes that in all previously
published material. Specification and price change privilegesreserved. TEKTRONIX and TEK are registered trademarks of Tektronix, Inc. All other trade names referenced are the service
marks, trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies.
04/14 EA/WWW 3GW-20181-5
step 2 step 1 step 3
1. Print the four-panel guide on both
sides of a single sheet of paper
2. Fold the guide in half with a horizontal fold 3. Fold the guide in half with a vertical fold
Pocket Guide to
Signal Sources
Pocket Guide to
Signal Sources
Pocket Guide to
Signal Sources