Frequently Asked Questions

Can I upgrade my DPO4000 to an MSO4000?
No, you cannot upgrade a DPO4000 to an MSO4000.

Will my DPO4000 application keys work in my MSO4000?
Yes, all the application keys for the DPO4000 will work with the MSO4000 and vice versa.

Will SignalExpress™ Tektronix Edition work with the MSO4000?
Yes, SignalExpress TE will work with the MSO4000. However, only analog channels can be transferred.

How do the MagniVu specs compare to the main digital acquisition?
The MagniVu sample rate is 16.5 GS/s and the record length is 10,000 points centered on the trigger.
The main acquisition has a sample rate of 500 MS/s and a record length of 10M points.

Can the position of MagniVu be moved?
No, MagniVu is always centered around the trigger point.

If stopped do you have to reacquire to get MagniVu data?
No, MagniVu is acquired every acquisition. You can switch between the MagniVu record and main record at any time, running or stopped.

Can you display the main and MagniVu trace at the same time?
No, you can view the MagniVu trace or the main, but not both at the same time.

What are the white edges on my MSO4000?
The MSO4000 has multiple transition detection hardware. When the system detects multiple transitions, the user will see a white edge on the display. White edges indicate that more information is available by zooming in or acquiring at faster sampling rates. In most cases zooming in will reveal the pulse that was not viewable at the previous settings. If the white edge is still present after zooming in as far as possible, this indicates that increasing your sample rate on the next acquisition will reveal higher frequency information than your previous settings could acquire.

Does the DPO4000 offer parallel buses?
No, parallel buses are only offered on the MSO4000.

Can you create a serial and parallel bus using both analog and digital channels?
Yes, both parallel and serial buses can use a mix of both analog and digital channels. This capability is available for display, search, and triggering functionality.

Why is the digital trace high green and low blue?
The digital channels are coded green for all high (logical one) and blue for low (logical zero). This makes it easy to know the state of your logic when zoomed in far enough that no edges transition on screen.

Can automated measurements be made on the digital channels?
No, cursors are the only way to measure the digital channels.

On the P6516 digital probe, why is one of the wires on each pod blue?
The first channel is blue to make it easy to find.

Does the common ground use a standard automotive spade connector?
Yes, this is a standard automotive spade connector. This was done so customers can easily create their own grounds.

The P6516 has two ground connections, which should I use?
The common ground connector is adequate for applications up to ~20 MHz. All other applications should use the ground located at the probe tip.

What is the probe loading of the P6516 MSO probe?
3 pF, 20 kOhm.

Can TLA logic analyzer probes be used with the MSO4000, or can the P6516 MSO probe be used on the TLA logic analyzer?
No. The delay of the P6516 is matched to the delay of the P6139A and the connector is designed to minimize the front panel connector size.

Oscilloscopes use a 5X over-sampling rule, does this rule also apply for digital channels?
No, it is recommended you use at least 10X over- sampling on digital channels to obtain maximum timing resolution.

Does the MSO4000 support Mictor connectors?
Yes, order NEX-HD2HEADR. This adapter breaks out all 34 channels to square pin headers.

Can the MSO4000 do synchronous clocking?
No, the MSO4000 only supports Asynchronous clocking. If the application requires synchronous clocking the customer should purchase a TLA logic analyzer.

The Agilent MSO has one threshold per 8 channels. Does the MSO4000 have this limitation?
No, the MSO4000 can set an individual threshold for each channel.

What is the system bandwidth of the DPO4000 or MSO4000 with a TDP0500 and TDP1000?
A DPO4104 or MSO4104 with a TDP0500 has a system bandwidth of ~450 MHz. A DPO4104 or MSO4104 with a TDP1000 has a system bandwidth of ~700 MHz. Either probe with any other DPO4000 or MSO4000 is ~350 MHz.

How does the DPO4000 get the new capabilities mentioned in TABLE 3, p.11.?
Via a new firmware version available on Tek.com on MSO4000 PA date. This firmware is free for current DPO4000 Series customers.