Overview
The Tektronix Mixed Signal Oscilloscope can be used to probe the voltages of up to four voltage sources at once. Built in math functions allow the user to quickly analyze many different features of the signal inputs. Data can be saved, recalled, and exported for use elsewhere.
Capabilities
Multiple Channels
You can have up to four seperate channels on the Tektronix Oscilloscope
Sample Rate
The Tektronix Oscilloscope has a maximum sample rate of 1 GS/s
Bandwidth
The Tektronix Oscilloscope 100 MHz
Materials
NA
PPE
No special PPE is required to use the Tektronix Oscilloscope
Safety Features*
How To Use This Tool
Press the power button, located on the bottom left of the oscilloscope’s front, to turn on the machine. After a short boot-up sequence, it will be ready to use.
Figure 2 - Types of leads
By default, the oscilloscope will display channel 1 after boot-up. To view other channels, press their respective menu number. Push the channel menu button again to set vertical parameters for input waveforms and to display or remove the corresponding waveform from the display. If there is current flowing in the circuit, the oscilloscope should now be displaying the voltage waveform for the connected node. On the bottom left of the display, the channel and a voltage value will be shown. This voltage value is the number of volts per division, where division refers to the dotted square regions of the display. Time per division is displayed in the information box to the right of volts/division, and is shared for all channels. Press “Autoset” to have the software automatically scale the display. If needed, the volts/div can be manually scaled using the “vertical scale” knobs. To adjust time/div, use the “horizontal scale” knob. Each channel can have a unique volts/div scale, whereas all channels share the same time/div scale. Note that voltage is measured relative to ground, with values above ground being positive and values below ground being negative. Ground is indicated for each channel with a numbered arrow on the left side of the display. If the channel waveforms are overlapping, the position of ground can be adjusted using the “vertical position” knobs above each channel. See figure 3 for an example of two channels being displayed at once, with their grounds offset for easier reading.Figure 3 - Two signals at once
Triggering is an important function of oscilloscopes. enables the scope to display a steady image on the screen that can be viewed by the user. Without a trigger, or other form of synchronization, it would not be possible to display a steady signal on the screen (Poole).For a comprehensive tutorial on oscilloscope triggers, read this article: (https://www.radio-electronics.com/info/t_and_m/oscilloscope/oscilloscope-trigger.php) or view this video: (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H0Czb2zBzsQ). The method of triggering can be changed by pressing the “Trigger Menu” hard button. To take more precise measurements, activate cursors by pressing the “cursors” hard button. Pressing once will activate vertical cursors, pressing it a second time switches to horizontal cursors, and a third press will turn the cursors off. In figure 3, vertical cursors are activated; they are the vertical lines intersecting the two waveforms. Cursors usually come in pairs, so you can measure the difference between one and the other. (JIMB0) Cursors allow for more precise measurements for two reasons:- They can compare values between two points on the same waveform. This can be used to measure, for example, accurate peak-to-peak voltage, time constants, etc.
- They can compare values between two different waveforms. This is good for comparing a circuit’s input signal to its output signal.
- Simply press the power button again to shut down the oscilloscope.
- Place all cables and leads back onto the cable rack.
- Clear the Bench of any scrap wire/components
If the signal is not displaying correctly:
- Press “autoset” to automatically scale the display. This usually fixes the issue.
- If the signal is jittery or rolling across the screen, try adjusting the triggering. For more information on triggering, read this article from Radio Electronics: https://www.radio-electronics.com/info/t_and_m/oscilloscope/oscilloscope-trigger.php
- Reset the display to default settings by pressing “Default Setup” next to the “save” and “menu” buttons.
Most display problems are a result of bad triggering, sometimes resulting from unsynchronized channels. For more advanced solutions regarding channel synchronization and triggering options, consult pages 64-75 of the MSO 2014 manual.
References:
JIMB0. (n.d.). How to Use an Oscilloscope. Retrieved from Sparkfun: https://learn.sparkfun.com/tutorials/how-to-use-an-oscilloscope/using-an-oscilloscope
Poole, I. (n.d.). Oscilloscope Trigger / Triggering Tutorial. Retrieved from Radio-Electronics: https://www.radio-electronics.com/info/t_and_m/oscilloscope/oscilloscope-trigger.php
Tektronix, Inc. (2018, July 8). Tektronix MSO 2014 Mixed Signal Oscilloscope. Retrieved from Tektronix: https://www.tek.com/oscilloscope/mso2000-dpo2000-manual-0#
Author Information
Article was written by Alex DeBate
Last Updated: September 7 2018.