Tektronix MSO46B/4-BW-200 – Mixed Signal Oscilloscope (6 Flex Channels / 200 MHz Bandwidth)

The Tektronix 4 Series B MSO sets a new standard for performance, analysis capabilities and overall user experience in bench oscilloscopes — ideal for debugging and validating embedded systems and power converters. The second generation of this instrument incorporates a new processing platform, more than doubling its responsiveness, and significantly accelerating measurements and data transfers with full support for remote operation and control. Models are available with 4 or 6 FlexChannel inputs for high visibility into designs. High-resolution 12-bit sampling delivers precise measurements on a new higher-contrast 13.3-inch HD display. And synchronized, multi-channel spectrum analysis facilitates noise hunting and RF measurements.

This exceptional measurement performance is paired with an intuitive award-winning user interface making it easy to achieve fast, accurate results.

The 4 Series B is offered with 4 or 6 Flex channels and bandwidth up to 1.5 GHz. The chart below provides a brief overview of each.

The 4 Series B MSO redefines what a Mixed Signal Oscilloscope (MSO) should be. FlexChannel technology enables each channel input to be used as a single analog channel, eight digital logic inputs (with the TLP058 logic probe), or simultaneous analog and spectrum views with independent acquisition controls for each domain. Imagine the flexibility and configurability this provides.

With a six FlexChannel model, you can configure the instrument to look at six analog and zero digital signals. Or five analog and eight digital. Or four analog and 16 digital, three analog and 24 digital and so on. You can change the configuration at any time by simply adding or removing TLP058 logic probes, so you always have the right number of digital channels.

Previous-generation MSOs required tradeoffs, with digital channels having lower sample rates or shorter record lengths than analog channels. The 4 Series B MSO offers a new level of integration of digital channels. Digital channels share the same high sample rate (up to 6.25 GS/s), and long record length (up to 62.5 M points) as analog channels.

Each TLP058 logic probe provides eight high-performance digital inputs. Please note, the TLP058 is sold separately.

The 4 Series B MSO offers a revolutionary new Stacked display mode. Historically, scopes have overlaid all waveforms in the same graticule, forcing difficult tradeoffs:

• To make each waveform visible, you vertically scale and position each waveform so that they don’t overlap. Each waveform uses a small percentage of the available ADC range, leading to less accurate measurements.
• For measurement accuracy, you vertically scale and position each waveform to cover the entire display. The waveforms overlap each other, making it hard to distinguish signal details on individual waveforms.

The new Stacked display eliminates this tradeoff. It automatically adds and removes additional horizontal waveform ‘slices’ (additional graticules) as waveforms are created and removed. Each slice represents the full ADC range for the waveform. All waveforms are visually separated from each other while still using the full ADC range, enabling maximum visibility and accuracy. And it’s all done automatically as waveforms are added or removed! Channels can easily be reordered in stacked display mode by dragging and dropping the channel and waveform badges in the Settings bar at the bottom of the display. Groups of channels can also be overlaid within a slice to simplify the visual comparison of signals.

Oscilloscopes have included touch screens for years, but the touch interface has been an afterthought. The 4 Series B MSO display includes a capacitive touchscreen and provides the industry’s first oscilloscope user interface truly designed for touch.

The touch interactions that you use with phones and tablets, and expect in a touch enabled device, are supported.

• Drag waveforms left/right or up/down to adjust horizontal and vertical position or to pan a zoomed view
• Pinch and expand to change scale or zoom in/out in either horizontal or vertical directions
• Drag items to the trash can or drag them off the edge of the screen to delete them
• Swipe in from the right to reveal the Results Bar or down from the top to access the menus in the upper left corner of the display

Smooth, responsive front panel controls allow you to make adjustments with familiar knobs and buttons, and you can add a mouse or keyboard as a third interaction method.

It is often easier to debug an issue by viewing one or more signals in the frequency domain. Oscilloscopes have included math-based FFTs for decades in an attempt to address this need. However, FFTs are notoriously difficult to use for two primary reasons.

First, when performing frequency-domain analysis, you think about controls like Center Frequency, Span, and Resolution Bandwidth (RBW), as you would typically find on a spectrum analyzer. But then you use an FFT, where you are stuck with traditional scope controls like sample rate, record length and time/div and have to perform all the mental translations to try to get the view you’re looking for in the frequency domain.

Second, FFTs are driven by the same acquisition system that delivers the analog time-domain view. When you optimize acquisition settings for the analog view, your frequency-domain view isn’t what you want. When you get the frequency-domain view you want, your analog view is not what you want. With math-based FFTs, it is virtually impossible to get optimized views in both domains.

Spectrum View changes all of this. Tektronix’ patented technology provides both a decimator for the time domain and a digital downconverter (DDC) for the frequency domain behind each FlexChannel. The two different acquisition paths let you simultaneously observe both time- and frequency-domain views of the input signal with independent acquisition settings for each domain. Other manufacturers offer various ‘spectral analysis’ packages that claim ease of use, but they all exhibit the limitations described above. Only Spectrum View provides both exceptional ease of use and the ability to achieve optimal views in both domains simultaneously.

Traditionally, performing RF measurements, such as RF Channel Power (CHP), Adjacent Channel Power Ratio (ACPR), and Occupied Bandwidth (OBW), required a dedicated spectrum or signal analyzer or spectrum analyzer software. This additional hardware or software leads to more complexity and higher costs. Available standard with Spectrum View, integrated RF Measurements on each channel save users time, bench space, and costs with the ability to validate RF transmitter CHP, ACPR, and OBW directly on the oscilloscope.

Tektronix offers a wide variety of software options to customize the 4 Series B to your specific application. Options include record length extension, waveform generation, protocol analysis, power analysis and more. Available options can be found in the accessories section of this page.

To simplify the ordering process, several option bundles are also available:

• 4-STARTER-PER – Includes I2C, SPI, RS-232/422/UART serial trigger and analysis, AFG (Arbitrary/Function Generator)
• 4-PRO-SERIAL-PER – Includes 4-STARTER plus 62.5 MS/ch record length and additional select serial analysis options
• 4-PRO-POWERPER – Includes 4-STARTER plus 62.5 MS/ch record length and select power analysis options
• 4-PRO-AUTO-PER – Includes 4-STARTER plus 62.5 MS/ch record length and select automotive analysis options
• 4-PRO-MILGOV-PER – Includes 4-STARTER plus 62.5 MS/ch record length and additional select serial analysis options
• 4-ULTIMATE-PER – Includes 4-STARTER, all 4-PRO bundle options plus 62.5 MS/ch record length and RF vs Time traces, triggers, Spectrograms, and IQ capture, extended Spectrum View capture bandwidth, and video trigger options