Keysight Technologies (Agilent HP) Oscilloscopes

Keysight’s oscilloscope offering in the table breaks down into a few distinct approaches:

• Modular sampling mainframes (Infiniium DCA / DCA‑X): mainframes such as the 86100C and 86100D accept plug‑in modules to reach very high effective bandwidths and provide dedicated digital communications analysis capabilities (pattern lock, extinction ratio, automated eye/jitter metrics). The 86100D adds features such as FlexDCA and DCA‑J user interfaces and precision timebase options.

• High‑performance real‑time Infiniium DSOs (Infiniium 80000B/8000/5000 families): fixed real‑time analog bandwidth instruments (for example DSO81004B at 10 GHz, DSO80604B at 6 GHz, DSO80404B at 4 GHz) that emphasize instantaneous capture, low noise and low jitter for signal integrity measurements.

• Digital Signal Analyzers (DSA / Infiniium 90000A Series): models such as DSA90404A, DSA90804A and DSA91304A combine very high sample rates, deep memory and serial‑data analysis toolsets (SDA, EZJIT+) aimed at characterizing and debugging high‑speed serial links.

• Mixed‑signal and midrange InfiniiVision instruments: MSO and MSOX models (for example MSOX6004A, MSO9404A, MSOX4154A, MSOX3054A) provide mixed analog+digital capability with 16 logic channels and are positioned for embedded design debug and throughput‑oriented troubleshooting.

Modular DCA mainframes (86100 series)

• Purpose: measurement of very high data‑rate serial links, exhaustive eye and jitter analysis and TDR/TDT when fitted with appropriate modules. Example models: 86100C and 86100D. The 86100C provides a 14‑bit mainframe A/D and supports extremely high module bandwidths; the 86100D is code‑compatible with earlier DCA modules and adds dual UI options and precision timebase capability.

Real‑time Infiniium 80000B / 8000 / 5000 families

• Purpose: real‑time capture with industry‑grade signal integrity and low noise. Example models: DSO81004B (10 GHz real‑time bandwidth), DSO80604B (6 GHz), DSO80404B (4 GHz). These instruments provide low noise floors and calculated rise time specs appropriate for high‑speed analog/digital measurements.

DSA (Infiniium 90000A Series)

• Purpose: combine high sample rates, deep memory and serial‑data analysis. Examples: DSA90404A, DSA90804A, DSA91304A. These models include SDA and EZJIT+ analysis, high real‑time sampling rates per channel and long record lengths to support jitter decomposition and eye diagrams.

InfiniiVision MSO / MSOX series

• Purpose: mixed‑signal debug for embedded and digital systems. Examples: MSOX6004A (1 GHz base bandwidth, 16 digital channels, upgradeable bandwidth), MSO9404A (4 GHz MSO), MSOX4154A (1.5 GHz MSO in 4000 X‑Series). These instruments emphasize waveform update rate, MegaZoom memory architectures and integrated logic channel views.

Select on the basis of measurement objective and interface requirements rather than feature lists alone:

• Bandwidth versus real‑time capture: choose modular DCA mainframes (86100 series) when required bandwidth exceeds single‑instrument real‑time limits and when comprehensive eye/jitter/TDR analysis is needed. Choose an Infiniium real‑time DSO (DSO8xxx/DSO80404B/DSO80604B/DSO81004B) when deterministic, single‑shot capture and low noise/jitter are primary.

• Serial‑link analysis and jitter decomposition: the DSA family (DSA90404A, DSA90804A, DSA91304A) and DCA mainframes include SDA and EZJIT+ analysis and clock recovery tools; use these when standard compliance and jitter separation are required.

• Embedded and mixed‑signal debug: select an MSO/MSOX model (MSOX6004A, MSO9404A, MSOX4154A, MSOX3054A) when digital timing and protocol decode must be combined with analog waveform debug; note the integrated 16 digital channels on many MSO models.

• Practical tradeoffs: consider number of analog channels, digital‑channel count, record length and waveform update rate. If deep memory and long records are needed for packet capture or long acquisitions, prefer models that list larger per‑channel memory depth in the specification table.