When discussing total harmonic distortion (THD), the fundamental of the wave in question is known as the first harmonic. Quantifying THD, therefore, begins with the second harmonic. Theoretically, the number of harmonics is limited only by some maximum frequency based on minimum quantum wavelength. In reality, however, we are interested in a relatively small number […]
oscilloscope measurements
Test setup handles IEEE 802.3cg 10BASE-T1S compliance for auto industry apps
The first 10BASE-T1S compliance test setup has been developed for the R&S RTO and R&S RTP oscilloscopes, which will provide fully automated testing conforming to the current version of IEEE 802.3cg 10BASE-T1S interfaces. Rohde & Schwarz continues to participate actively in the OPEN Alliance, using its expertise to help drive the development of complete and […]
New approach to frequency analysis on oscilloscopes
It has often been the case that optimizing scope setting to display a detailed view of an FFT results in a time-domain view that is suboptimal. Not anymore. Gary Waldo, Tektronix The debugging of embedded systems often involves looking for clues that are hard to discover when examined one domain at a time. The ability […]
Setting up a serial or parallel bus in the Tektronix MDO3000 Series oscilloscope
The buttons that access digital functions in the Tektronix MDO3000 Series oscilloscope are grouped together near the bottom of the front panel, just above the analog ports and the Analog Channel One input. Nearby is an insulated cover over the digital input ports and the digital D15-0 button. You may wonder how it is possible […]
The difference between noise and jitter
Noise and jitter in electronics are closely related phenomena. Both are unwanted electrical energy that we mitigate where possible and otherwise work around. Weak signals are obscured by noise. No amount of filtering can reduce noise that is caused by fluctuations intrinsic to the signal being measured, but this noise can be partially eliminated by […]
Toolkit, breakout test fixture help debug automotive Ethernet problems
A new Automotive Ethernet Debug Toolkit + Automotive Ethernet Breakout Test Fixture provides a dedicated debug environment for debugging signal quality communication issues. The setup separates bidirectional traffic and characterizes system performance with 12 eye diagram measurements. The unique and dedicated Automotive Ethernet Debug Toolkit is designed to detect signal quality communication issues between a […]
Software simplifies scope-based automotive Ethernet testing
Two new software packages greatly simplify Automotive Ethernet testing, debug and Protocol Decode on Tektronix 5 and 6 Series mixed-signal oscilloscopes (MSO). Using the new Signal Separation software, engineers can now perform Automotive Ethernet testing without disrupting the ECU system or cutting the Ethernet cable to install a directional coupler, while the PAM3 analysis package […]
New software simplifies automotive Ethernet testing
Two new software packages are said to greatly simplify Automotive Ethernet testing, debug and Protocol Decode for use with 5 and 6 Series Tektronix mixed signal oscilloscopes (MSO). Using the new Signal Separation software, automotive engineers can now perform Automotive Ethernet testing without disrupting the ECU system or cutting the Ethernet cable to install a […]
Rogowski Coil current probes make ac or fast-pulse current measurements
Teledyne Test Tools T3RC Rogowski Current Probes offer broad current measurement ranges and a wide frequency span. Five models are available, providing measurement capabilities up to 6,000 A and with the capability to connect around the leg of a small T0-220 device. The probes connect to any standard oscilloscope via a conventional BNC connection. The […]
Visualizing phase relationships in capacitors
The ideal capacitor consists of two conductive plates separated by a thin dielectric layer that separates and insulates the two plates from each other so they have no direct or resistive electrical connection. When voltage is applied across the plates, they store the electrical charge. The capacitor may take many forms. If the plates are […]