Keysight Technologies (Agilent HP) 33522B vs Keysight Technologies (Agilent HP) 33220A
This comparison page reviews the differences and shared capabilities of two waveform generators from Keysight Technologies (Agilent HP): the 33522B and the 33220A. Designed for engineers and technicians requiring precise signal generation, these instruments serve distinct operational tiers. The two-channel Keysight Technologies (Agilent HP) 33522B features higher bandwidth, Trueform signal generation, and 16-bit vertical resolution. The single-channel Keysight Technologies (Agilent HP) 33220A serves as a benchtop tool supporting standard waveforms up to 20 MHz with 14-bit arbitrary capability. This guide highlights how they compare across key metrics like channel density, memory depth, frequency ranges, and user interfaces to help you determine which model fits your test requirements.
- Channels
- 2 (33522B) / 1 (33220A)
- Bandwidth
- 30 MHz (33522B) / 20 MHz (33220A)
- Vertical Resolution
- 16-bit (33522B) / 14-bit (33220A)
- Max Sample Rate
- 250 MSa/s (33522B) / 50 MSa/s (33220A)
- Memory Depth
- 1 MSa (33522B) / 64 Kpoints (33220A)
Specifications
| Specification | Keysight Technologies (Agilent HP)33522B | Keysight Technologies (Agilent HP)33220A |
|---|---|---|
| General | ||
| Display | 4.3-inch Color TFT WQVGA (480x272) with LED backlight | Graphical LCD with graph mode |
| Recommended Calibration Interval | 1 year | — |
| Interfaces | — | USB, GPIB, LAN |
| Physical | ||
| Power Supply | 100 - 240 V at 50/60 Hz; 100 - 120 V at 400 Hz (< 45 W, < 130 VA) | 100–240 VAC, 50/60 Hz (autoranging) |
| Operating Temperature(°C) | 0 to 55 | 0 °C to 55 °C |
| Dimensions (W×H×D)(mm) | 261.1 × 103.8 × 303.2 (with bumpers) | — |
| Weight(kg) | 3.3 | — |
| General Characteristics | ||
| Number of Channels | 2 | — |
| Standard Waveforms | Sine, square, ramp, pulse, triangle, Gaussian noise, PRBS, DC | — |
| Built-In Arbitrary Waveforms | Cardiac, exponential fall, exponential rise, Gaussian pulse, Haversine, Lorentz, D-Lorentz, negative ramp, sinc | — |
| Sampling Rate | 1 μSa/s to 250 MSa/s | — |
| Vertical Resolution | 16 bits | — |
| Memory Depth (Per Channel) | 1 MSa standard (16 MSa with Option MEM) | — |
| Frequency Characteristics | ||
| Bandwidth | 30 MHz | — |
| Arbitrary Waveform Sample Rate Resolution | 1 μSa/s | — |
| Sine Frequency Range | 1 µHz to 30 MHz | — |
| Square Frequency Range | 1 µHz to 30 MHz | — |
| Pulse Frequency Range | 1 µHz to 30 MHz | — |
| Frequency Resolution | 1 µHz | — |
| Amplitude and Offset | ||
| Amplitude Range (into 50 Ohms) | 1 mVpp to 10 Vpp | — |
| Amplitude Range (into Open Circuit) | 2 mVpp to 20 Vpp | — |
| Output Impedance | 50 Ω (nominal) | — |
| Maximum Output Voltage | ±42 Vpk (isolated connector shells) | — |
| Signal Characteristics - Sine | ||
| Total Harmonic Distortion (THD) | < 0.04% | — |
| Non-Harmonic Spurious | < -75 dBc | — |
| Signal Characteristics - Square and Pulse | ||
| Rise/Fall Time | 8.4 ns | — |
| Waveform Sequencing | ||
| Sequence Length | 1 to 512 steps | — |
| Segment Repeat Count | 1 to 1,000,000, or infinite | — |
| Modulation Specifications | ||
| Operating Modes | Continuous, modulate, frequency sweep, burst, output gate | — |
| Supported Modulation Types | AM, FM, PM, FSK, BPSK, PWM, Sum | — |
| Inputs and Outputs | ||
| Sync/Marker Output Connector | Front-panel BNC, isolated | — |
| Sync Output Impedance | 50 Ω (nominal) | — |
| Sync Output Level (into 50 Ohms) | 1.5 Vpp (nominal) | — |
| Sync Output Level (into Open Circuit) | 3 Vpp (nominal) | — |
| Modulation Input Connector | Rear-panel BNC, isolated | — |
| Modulation Input Voltage Range | ±5 V full-scale | — |
| Modulation Input Impedance | 5 kΩ (nominal) | — |
| Modulation Input Bandwidth (-3 dB) | 0 Hz to 100 kHz (typ) | — |
| External Trigger Input Connector | Rear-panel BNC, chassis-referenced | — |
| Frequency Reference | ||
| High-Stability Timebase Accuracy (Option OCX) | ±0.1 ppm (1 year) | — |
| Waveform Characteristics | ||
| Square / Pulse Jitter (rms) | < 40 ps (typical) | — |
| Pulse Minimum Width | 16 ns | — |
| Pulse Edge Time (10% to 90%) | 8.4 ns to 1 µs (adjustable) | — |
| Amplitude & Offset | ||
| DC Offset Range (into 50 Ω) | ±5 Vpk (AC + DC) | — |
| DC Offset Range (into Open Circuit) | ±10 Vpk (AC + DC) | — |
| Modulation & Sweep | ||
| AM Depth Range | 0% to 120% | — |
| FM Peak Deviation | 1 µHz to 15 MHz | — |
| Sweep Time | 1 ms to 3600 s | — |
| Outputs | ||
| Output Isolation | 42 Vpk maximum to earth ground | — |
| Short-Circuit Protection | Indefinite to ground | — |
| General Specifications | ||
| Warm-up Time | 1 hour | — |
| Environmental | ||
| Storage Temperature | -40 °C to 70 °C | — |
| Operating Altitude | Up to 3,000 meters | — |
| Shock and Vibration | MIL-PRF-28800F Class 3 | — |
| Sweep | ||
| Sweep Direction | Up or Down | — |
| Burst | ||
| Burst Count | 1 to 100,000,000 cycles, or Infinite | — |
| Burst Phase | -360° to +360° | — |
| Modulation | ||
| PM Phase Deviation Range | 0 to 360° | — |
| Compliance | ||
| Safety Compliance | EN 61010-1, UL 61010-1, CSA C22.2 No. 61010-1 | — |
| EMC Compliance | EN 61326-1, CISPR 11 Group 1 Class A | — |
| General Signal Generation | ||
| Channels | — | 1 |
| Standard waveforms | — | Sine, square, ramp, pulse, noise, DC |
| Pulse waveform | — | Pulse generation with variable edge |
| Arbitrary waveform capability | — | Yes (user‑defined arb) |
| Output impedance | — | 50 Ω nominal |
| Amplitude range (High Z) | — | 20 mVpp to 20 Vpp |
| Amplitude range (50 Ω) | — | 10 mVpp to 10 Vpp |
| DC offset range (High Z) | — | ±10 V |
| DC offset range (50 Ω) | — | ±5 V |
| Sine and square capability | — | 20 MHz sine and square waveforms |
| Ramp/triangle capability | — | Ramp and triangle waveforms |
| Noise waveform (built‑in) | — | Noise waveform available |
| DC waveform | — | DC output waveform available |
| Sine Wave Performance | ||
| Max sine frequency | — | 20 MHz |
| Square and Pulse Performance | ||
| Max square frequency | — | 20 MHz |
| Arbitrary Waveform | ||
| Sample rate (arb) | — | 50 MSa/s |
| Vertical resolution (arb) | — | 14‑bit |
| Memory depth (arb) | — | 64 Kpoints |
| Modulation, Sweep, and Burst | ||
| Modulation types | — | AM, FM, PM, FSK, PWM |
| Sweep types | — | Linear, logarithmic |
| Burst | — | Burst operation supported |
| I/O and Interfaces | ||
| Main output connector | — | BNC |
| Remote interfaces (included) | — | USB, GPIB, LAN |
| User Interface and Storage | ||
| Display capability | — | Graph mode for visual verification of signal settings |
| Software and Drivers | ||
| Remote programming | — | SCPI command set |
| Instrument control software | — | IntuiLink software included |
| Waveform editor compatibility | — | IntuiLink Waveform Editor add‑in |
| Power and Physical | ||
| Power input | — | 100–240 VAC, 50/60 Hz |
Signal Integrity and Channel Architectures
The Keysight Technologies (Agilent HP) 33522B is a dual-channel generator providing bandwidth up to 30 MHz for sine, square, and pulse waveforms. It utilizes Trueform technology to combine DDS and point-by-point signal generation, yielding a typical square and pulse jitter of less than 40 ps. Its sampling rate ranges from 1 μSa/s to 250 MSa/s, with a 16-bit vertical resolution and a standard memory depth of 1 MSa per channel (upgradable to 16 MSa with Option MEM).
The Keysight Technologies (Agilent HP) 33220A is a single-channel instrument with a maximum frequency of 20 MHz for sine and square waveforms. It operates at an arbitrary sampling rate of 50 MSa/s, with a 14-bit vertical resolution and a memory depth of 64 Kpoints. While the 33220A operates with standard DDS-based functionality, the 33522B offers larger memory storage and faster signal replication rates for arbitrary waveforms.
Modulation and Waveform Variety
For standard waveforms, both instruments provide sine, square, ramp, pulse, noise, and DC options. The Keysight Technologies (Agilent HP) 33522B expands on this list by adding triangle, Gaussian noise, and PRBS as standard options. It also features built-in arbitrary waveforms including cardiac, exponential fall, exponential rise, Gaussian pulse, Haversine, Lorentz, D-Lorentz, negative ramp, and sinc.
Modulation capabilities differ slightly between the two models. Both generators support AM, FM, PM, FSK, and PWM. The Keysight Technologies (Agilent HP) 33522B adds support for BPSK and Sum modulation, along with sequence capabilities ranging from 1 to 512 steps and adjustable pulse edge times from 8.4 ns to 1 µs. The Keysight Technologies (Agilent HP) 33220A supports linear and logarithmic sweeps alongside its standard burst operations.
Display, Interfaces, and Operating Limits
Visual verification is handled differently on each front panel. The Keysight Technologies (Agilent HP) 33522B features a 4.3-inch Color TFT WQVGA display (480x272 resolution) with an LED backlight. In contrast, the Keysight Technologies (Agilent HP) 33220A relies on a graphical LCD display with a built-in graph mode for reviewing signal settings.
Both units share some common physical and environmental baselines. They operate in temperatures from 0 °C to 55 °C and use standard 50 Ω nominal output impedances. Both can accept 100–240 V, 50/60 Hz input power. For connectivity, the Keysight Technologies (Agilent HP) 33220A comes standard with USB, GPIB, and LAN interfaces, while the Keysight Technologies (Agilent HP) 33522B includes isolated sync and modulation connectors alongside safety compliance ratings like EN 61010-1.
Frequently asked questions
- What are the main differences in standard arbitrary memory between these two models?
- The Keysight Technologies (Agilent HP) 33522B provides 1 MSa of standard memory depth per channel (upgradable to 16 MSa), while the Keysight Technologies (Agilent HP) 33220A provides 64 Kpoints of memory.
- Do both models support adjustable pulse edge times?
- The Keysight Technologies (Agilent HP) 33522B explicitly supports adjustable pulse edge times from 8.4 ns to 1 µs. The Keysight Technologies (Agilent HP) 33220A lists pulse generation with a variable edge but does not specify the numerical adjustment range in its specifications.