Keysight Technologies (Agilent HP) Oscilloscopes

Early digital storage oscilloscopes from HP and Agilent established the core measurement architectures still in use. Legacy models like the 2-channel 54502A (400 MHz) and the 4-channel 54503A (500 MHz) provided early digitizing capabilities. Troubleshooting workloads were supported by the 54600 series, which included the 54601A (100 MHz) and the 2-channel 54615B (500 MHz).

To balance high sample rates with long acquisition windows, Agilent introduced MegaZoom technology. Scopes such as the 54622A and 54624A offered up to 2 MB of memory per channel to capture complex serial data streams without losing time resolution. This architecture expanded into mixed-signal testing with models like the 54645D, which combined 2 analog channels with 16 digital timing channels for logic analysis.

The InfiniiVision family is designed for general-purpose debugging where capturing elusive physical-layer glitches is critical. These instruments run on real-time operating systems (RTOS) and emphasize exceptionally fast update rates.

• DSO5000 and DSO6000 Series: Models such as the DSO5054A and DSO6104A feature MegaZoom III deep memory, delivering a 100,000 waveforms per second update rate and deep acquisition memory options.
• X-Series Upgrades: The InfiniiVision 3000 and 4000 X-Series improved this capture capability. The MSOX3054A and MSOX4154A reach waveform capture rates of 1,000,000 waveforms per second or more, allowing faster detection of random anomalies.
• High Performance Portable: The MSOX6004A offers a base bandwidth of 1 GHz (upgradable up to 6 GHz), 16 digital channels, a capacitive multi-touch display, and a maximum sample rate of 20 GSa/s on a half-channel setup, delivering high-end laboratory performance in a portable format.

For high-speed digital design, signal integrity analysis, and serial standard compliance, the Windows-based Infiniium series provides superior processing capabilities, deep memory, and low noise floors.

• 10-bit ADC Architectures: The S-Series MSOS404A and the 8-channel EXR-Series EXR258A utilize 10-bit hardware analog-to-digital converters, which provide up to 16 bits of resolution in high-resolution filtering mode. The EXR258A delivers a 2.5 GHz analog bandwidth and a 16 GSa/s sample rate on all 8 channels simultaneously.
• High-Speed Real-Time Analyzers: High-frequency validation is served by platforms like the DSO81004B (10 GHz real-time bandwidth, 40 GSa/s sample rate on 2 channels) and the DSA91304A (13 GHz analog bandwidth, 40 GSa/s on all 4 channels). These units feature dedicated software packages, such as EZJIT+ for jitter separation and real-time eye diagram analysis, making them suitable for compliance testing on high-speed serial buses.

For characterizing optical and electrical transceivers at very high bit rates, Keysight offers the modular Infiniium Digital Communications Analyzer (DCA) series. Mainframes such as the 86100A, 86100B, 86100C, and 86100D utilize plug-in modules to deliver bandwidths exceeding 80 GHz.

While the older 86100C uses a Windows XP Professional system and a classic interface, the 86100D DCA-X introduces the vector-based FlexDCA user interface alongside 100% backward compatibility with prior DCA modules. The 86100D can also be fitted with a precision timebase (Option PTB) to lower intrinsic jitter to typical levels below 50 fs rms, facilitating precise eye height and eye width measurements.