400, 600-MHz scopes offer 12-bit resolution, high accuracy

400-, 600-MHz scopes offer 12-bit resolution, high accuracy

Laying claim to the title of first 12-bit general-purpose scope, the WaveRunner HRO 6 Zi four-channel oscilloscope couples its high resolution with an SNR of 55 dB, and is thus presented as also having the highest accuracy available. Available in models with bandwidths of 400 and 600 MHz, the scope has a 12-bit capability that lets designers simultaneously view both the large- and small-voltage components of signals, something traditional 8-bit scopes can’t do.

The SNR and ±0.5% dc vertical gain accuracy of the scope provide four times greater precision than 8-bit instruments. Per-channel memory when optionally configure for 256 Mpoints of data, can hold 30 s of data sampled at 10 Msamples/s; maximum sample rate is 2 Gsamples/s. Offset and timebase delay are widely adjustable, allowing easy signal and amplifier performance assessment and zooming on vertical and horizontal signal characteristics.

The scope’s WavePilot control area on the front panel is designed for convenient operation of cursors, decode, WaveScan, history, LabNotebook, and spectrum using their respective function buttons. A unigue feature of the scope’s user interface is a pivoting display that lets users view signals vertically and horizontally to obtain more detail (see below). This is a particular advantage when viewing up to 36 channels using the mixed-signal option, frequency-domain displays using the spectrum analysis package, or decoded waveforms using any of the scope’s embedded- and communication-focused tools.

The scope’s broad toolset includes a wide range of application packages, advanced triggering to isolate events, a user interface developed for quick and easy navigation, a wide range of probing options, and fast performance to validate designs, debug errors at board bring up, and characterize an embedded system. A combination of decode, trigger, measure/ graph, ProtoSync, and compliance tools address the embedded, military/avionics, and handset/mobile/cellular markets. (From $18,900 — available now.)

By Richard Comerford

LeCroy , Chestnut Ridge , NY
Customer Care Center 800-453-2769
http://www.lecroy.com