Digital and Analog are interelated and independent domains
Oscilloscope today are design in such a way that it can be able for engineers to perform analysis on signals in various domain. Spectrum analyzer, logic analyzer, digital and analog oscilloscope are the most of the signals engineers need to measure. Going digital is a must nowadays. For design engineers perspective, being able to operate all types of oscilloscopes is minimum requirement to be an engineer. Portablility is another trend that the real world is evolving to facilitate engineers for their convenience in measuring signals. I think that scope will be convenience and user friend as it will be software driven in Ipad, iphone or other portable devices. Reading the manual and get yourself like an expert in Tektronix equipment is important.
Absolutely - I agree. It is the same thing that happens when you design as an Analog Designer in Cadence. The digital output of behavioral model could be deceiving. You need to watch the thresholds. The same applies here.
Mixed Signal Oscilloscope is a combination of an Oscilloscope and Logic Analyzer, but it is more strong on oscilloscope part. This is just like "there is more pasta in pasta with sauce". However it can not replace a stand alone logic analyzer if the application demands number of channel to be more than 16, and user wants to do both timing and state analysis (Asynchronous and Synchronous Accqusition) etc.
Jim Kobylecky 3/27/2012 3:41:57 PM User Rank Blogger
Re: Convergence
Thought I'd add that one engineer I talk to maintains that there aren't any low frequency signals anymore. An exaggeration, but true in that in that everything is getting smaller and faster. Even general purpose scopes have to have high quality acquisition. That is what worries me about tablet apps. Yes, it's great to have low cost processing, but how good is the capture I'm processing? (Sound of head repeatedly striking benchtop.)
Jim Kobylecky 3/27/2012 3:25:10 PM User Rank Blogger
Re: Convergence
Many good points in this chat. It's also a good reminder that I need to get the next blog installments done.
Myself, I don't see a general purpose scope even with two domains as totally replacing a logic analyzer--it all depends on what you need to do.
But for trouble-shooting? I suspect that the 20% digital capability you would get would resolve 80%--and it would do a great job of characterizing what you might need more help for.
I've seen but not played with a scope that added the frequency domain and was very impressed (well, more like stunned and blown away). Again I wouldn't expect it to totally replace a spectrum analyzer, but for a simple guy like myself, it should do everything I'd ask.
Besides, I'm sure there's a Tek sales engineer nearby just waiting to be asked the hard stuff.
"This is traditionally the realm of instruments such as the logic analyzer." The big picture here is that the scope+logic_analyzer have become one instrument. How good is the convergence? Would anyone need a stand-alone logic-analyzer if they could have this scope?
In another blog, we saw the scope+spectrum_analyzer became one instrument. Probably, the scope+logic_analyzer+spectrum_analyzer already exist as one instrument which I am not aware of. What's the next level of convergence?
Thanks Jim for also reminding us of the proper ways to connect our probes, etc.
The flip side of the coin being that a digital representation on the scope may be misleading. Unless you've adjusted the threshold to perfectly match the logic in question (which will have a tolerance range, so a perfect match is impossible anyway), the digital waveform may not equal reality.
I'd rather force myself to keep brain engaged by concentrating on the real signal, than to accidentally miss a problem because I was paying more attention to the digital interpretation.
The digital feature is great for logic analysis I'm sure, once you know your signal quality is okay, but perhaps less great for looking at one or two signals. Can you set up the scope to mimic the oscillations & noise that will occur at the receiver of a slow edge? ;-) Didn't think so.
Nice look at the digital and analog waveforms on this scope. Great point that you want to be able to see the signal as the chip sees it as well as the analog version. I like how this scope shows both. Looking at only the analog waveform sometimes makes you wonder if the digital chip is really seeing a hi or lo. This scope appears to so a good job at showing both.
Learning how to use a new scope can make life in the lab so much easier when debugging. How many times have you looked at something on a new scope and not been too confident in what it was showing? I know i've gotten another scope out just to verify what a new instument is showing me!
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