New 2GHz touchscreen scope from Tek, June 6th

[mikeselectricstuff]

You'd think they'd have set up a more stable trigger for their demo videos....

[Lukas]

Uoooh, now this is exciting: Looks like this scope dual-boots Linux and Windows.http://www.vicom.co.nz/images/syncfiles/mso58_s.pdf Page 15. The window decorations for all in the world look like XFCE. When installing an SSD, you can boot Windows 10 from that one. Without an SSD it seems to boot into some kind of linux.

[mikeselectricstuff]

So advanced it will even diagnose a motherboard that doesn't appear to have any power going to it....
Oh, and by the way dude, maybe that glitch you're seeing is because you're using a flying-lead ground connection.

[BrianH_Tektronix]

So to remove a waveform, you have to drag it to the bin, not just double-press like on pretty much any other scope? 

There are multiple ways to add or remove items around the user interface. The video only has time to show one way.

Uoooh, now this is exciting: Looks like this scope dual-boots Linux and Windows.http://www.vicom.co.nz/images/syncfiles/mso58_s.pdf Page 15. The window decorations for all in the world look like XFCE. When installing an SSD, you can boot Windows 10 from that one. Without an SSD it seems to boot into some kind of linux.

An embedded OS or Windows 10. First time a scope has ever offered an option! 

[BU508A]

An embedded OS or Windows 10. First time a scope has ever offered an option! 

But still only 15-port VGA output. Why not (additionally) HDMI or DVI?

[BrianH_Tektronix]

An embedded OS or Windows 10. First time a scope has ever offered an option! 

But still only 15-port VGA output. Why not (additionally) HDMI or DVI?

Actually there is a DVI-D, VGA, and a displayport on the back of the 5 Series MSO oscilloscope.

[mikeselectricstuff]

Looking at the PDF :
No specific Nth edge burst trigger - is this covered by sequence trigger mode ?
I2C/SPI/UART still regarded as optional 
Arbgen out relegated to the rear panel is pretty inconvenient

The analogue/digital input looks potentially nice, especially for labs with multiple scopes, so probes can be moved around as required, but I do wonder how much the digital probes will cost, and how reliable all those pins are going to be long-term. The connector looks pretty big & clunky
Is there any automatic diagnostic to report any bad pin connections?

What's with the "Fast Acq" button/option - is this a tradeoff between update rate and...?

How are bandwidth  upgrades handled ? PDF mentions an "Upgrade kit", and different input capacitance specs for >1GHz versions, which implies some hardware changes

Oh, and "400 W maximum power consumption" - low loud is the fan(s)?

[BU508A]

Are there any plans to send out some units to the usual suspects for a review / teardown (via the dumpster interlink connection network)? 

[Someone]

The analogue/digital input looks potentially nice, especially for labs with multiple scopes, so probes can be moved around as required, but I do wonder how much the digital probes will cost, and how reliable all those pins are going to be long-term. The connector looks pretty big & clunky

The casing of the digital pod does dwarf the already substantial size of the analog probe interface. There is a price from the indian import listings of $370 USD each for the 8 way probe.

[BrianH_Tektronix]

Looking at the PDF :
No specific Nth edge burst trigger - is this covered by sequence trigger mode ?

Yes there is a Nth edge burst trigger in sequence trigger mode.

The analogue/digital input looks potentially nice, especially for labs with multiple scopes, so probes can be moved around as required, but I do wonder how much the digital probes will cost, and how reliable all those pins are going to be long-term. The connector looks pretty big & clunky
Is there any automatic diagnostic to report any bad pin connections?

The FlexChannel inputs are a fantastic Tektronix invention. The pins should be very long lasting. Same quality as all our current VPI connections.

What's with the "Fast Acq" button/option - is this a tradeoff between update rate and...?

Like many high model scopes at Tektronix there is a FastAcq button that optimizes the scope acquisition system for fast waveform transfer, storage and analysis. Its very easy to use, and helps users discover rare events happening on test circuit.

How are bandwidth  upgrades handled ? PDF mentions an "Upgrade kit", and different input capacitance specs for >1GHz versions, which implies some hardware changes

Yes we have different hardware in different bandwidth models. Bandwidth is upgradable, and those needing over 1GHz will need a board swap. Otherwise its painless and we send you a upgrade license just like our MDO scopes today.

Oh, and "400 W maximum power consumption" - low loud is the fan(s)?

Its my quietest scope currently at my desk

[mikeselectricstuff]

What's with the "Fast Acq" button/option - is this a tradeoff between update rate and...?

Like many high model scopes at Tektronix there is a FastAcq button that optimizes the scope acquisition system for fast waveform transfer, storage and analysis. Its very easy to use, and helps users discover rare events happening on test circuit.

So what's the downside - why would you want to turn it off?

[technogeeky]

...
Arbgen out relegated to the rear panel is pretty inconvenient
...

I thought that, but countered with: many times I use an arbgen I want to tee it into a scope input; having it on the front of a scope (especially near to the BNC input, which is *must* be given 8 inputs) is often a pain, just resulting in whatever the shortest length BNC I have (which is usually somewhat long) sitting there on the table. I suppose the real solution is to make a short BNC jumper, but then you're picking input channels. 

Anyway, long story short I do like the ARB output on the back.

[BrianH_Tektronix]

What's with the "Fast Acq" button/option - is this a tradeoff between update rate and...?

Like many high model scopes at Tektronix there is a FastAcq button that optimizes the scope acquisition system for fast waveform transfer, storage and analysis. Its very easy to use, and helps users discover rare events happening on test circuit.

So what's the downside - why would you want to turn it off?

There is no compromise in this scope! You could always keep it turned on, but to keep with some tradition and easy viewing its turned off by default. Remember its an easy button press to enable. 

UPDATE: The standard way we optimize the horizontal scale changes when in FastAcq to allow record length to be smaller by default as you adjust the horizontal scale. This keeps the scope waveform update date a higher priority as you play with the settings. There is still no limitation on scope usage, but in some cases if you wanted to manually increase record length you'd eventually slow the scope down.

[technogeeky]

I was similarly confused as was Mike about the lack of HDMI. But I am pretty sure the mechanical soundness of a DVI connector is superior to that of an HDMI connector. I suppose you could use a DVI to HDMI (female) connector and view that connector itself as sacrificial.

Speaking of which, to tektronix:

1. Why not throw in a DVI to HDMI (female) connector and claim to support "HDMI (through adapter, included)" in your literature.

Though evidently you can also do displayport -> HDMI, so maybe that would be a better route?

[Muxr]

I was similarly confused as was Mike about the lack of HDMI. But I am pretty sure the mechanical soundness of a DVI connector is superior to that of an HDMI connector. I suppose you could use a DVI to HDMI (female) connector and view that connector itself as sacrificial.

Speaking of which, to tektronix:

1. Why not throw in a DVI to HDMI (female) connector and claim to support "HDMI (through adapter, included)" in your literature.

Though evidently you can also do displayport -> HDMI, so maybe that would be a better route?

Most consumer gears will do because anyway no one will sue you for patent infringing if you build hobbyist or cheap consumer gears, especially if you are in China or some other western IP unfriendly country, but if Tek is to do this, they need to pay HDMI consortium patent fee to use HDMI interface.
The $1 adapter doesn't come with a patent license, you need to pay additional x% of retail equipment price as royalty. So, if you want to use HDMI interface, just but the adapter yourself and use it. HDMI consortium won't sue you even if you infringed their IP since it doesn't worth it.

Absolutely true. Display Port however should be much more affordable to license.

[djnz]

Testequity has pricing info now.

[sibeen]

Shit, with those prices I may as well get two.

[TheSteve]

Maybe they will offer a limited release bundle, 4 channel with MSO @350 MHz and all licenses for $2080.00 to match the R&S. 

[KE5FX]

You wouldn't need to pay any royalties for using HDMI unless you wanted HDCP DRM support, which wouldn't be relevant here.

Bold move on that pricing, in any event... let's see how it works out for them.   

[snoopy]

Testequity has pricing info now.

Obviously not aimed at hobbyists but I don't think that was their intended market to begin with. Nor is the R&S RTB if you pay normal retail price !!

[snoopy]

Looks like it is pretty fast at decoding serial buses too

[technogeeky]

After looking at the prices, I wondered what kind of scaling this equipment had in price. And since, unlike most oscilloscopes, there is a 2nd scaling in number of channels... I wondered which couples more closely to its respective scaling parameter.

Perhaps there are no surprises here:

• cost vs bandwidth grows exponentially^[1]
• cost vs #ch grows exponentially

^[1] In fact, this is so closely matched to an exponential fit, I think you can conclude that this is an imposed correlation (in other words, this is the primary way they chose pricing).

[Muxr]

Looks pretty cool. Would love to see a teardown.

[JPortici]

So to remove a waveform, you have to drag it to the bin, not just double-press like on pretty much any other scope? 
"first scope designed from the ground up for touch interaction" I think R&S and Micsig  may have something to say about that...

.. and lecroy

looking at the videos

[djnz]

.. and lecroy

It has a dual core Intel i5 processor - isn't that like Lecroy too?