Inexpensive scopes catch hidden glitches

Having bandwidths to 500 MHz, ac-powered portables canacquire waveforms more rapidly and at high resolution

Using 1-Mpoint-deep memory, 5000 Series digital storage oscilloscopes merge high resolution with lab-quality waveform acquisition and measurement capability in a lightweight (9-lb) portable frame (354 x 188 x 174 mm). Priced from about $4,000, the inexpensive ac-powered portable scopes can take measurements on a par with those previously requiring larger, more-expensive instrumentation, letting users quickly see hidden glitches in the field or at the bench.

Designed for a 100,000-waveform/s acquisition ratemore than 25 times faster than the next-closest competitorthe scopes provide exceptional glitch-capture capability for portables. And with 256 levels of intensity grading, the scopes’ XGA display can highlight varying degrees of signal activity so users can quickly see signal anomalies as they occur.

The series’ six units offer bandwidths of 100-, 300-, or 500-MHz and two or four channels, with 500-MHz units running at 4 Gsamples/s and the others at 2 Gsamples/s. The instruments have front- and back-panel USB ports, GPIB, LAN, and XGA-out. (From $4,050available now.)

Agilent Technologies , Santa Clara , CA
Sales 800-829-4444 (item 8137)
http://www.agilent.com/find/dso5000