Inexpensive scopes go anywhere

Small and lightweight, units can also act as 16-channel logic analyzers

Dubbed “Virtual Oscilloscopes,” the VS5000 series consists of digital-storage and mixed-signal oscilloscopes that each weigh a mere 0.7 kg and measure just 45 x 141 x 217 mm — a lot less than your notebook computer. Priced starting at less than $400, the 400-Msample/s dual-channel DSOs and MSOs have both USB 2.0 and Ethernet ports, suiting them for use on the road, in the lab, or on the production floor.

The series consists of four DSOs and MSOs with bandwidths of 25, 40, 60, or 100 MHz that offer equivalent time sampling to 25 Gsamples/s for close-in inspection of repetitive waveforms. Mixed-signal units provide the ability to look at 16 digital signals in logic-analyzer fashion, and the instruments can store up to 1 Msample (single channel) analog or 512 kpoints in LA mode.

The scopes offer manual, track and auto cursor measurements and have hardware frequency counters built in. They can also perform 20 automatic measurements, including peak-to-peak, min, max, rms, pre- and overshoot, FFT, period, delay, rise and fall time, and positive and negative duty cycle and width Software and accessories are included. (DSOs, from $399; MSOs, from $599 — available November.)

RIGOL Technologies , Monument , CO
Information 719-488-8306

http://www.rigolna.com/products_vs5000.aspx