Tektronix TDS500 Series Digital Oscilloscopes
9 models with full specifications from Tektronix.
The Tektronix TDS500 series represents a broad family of legacy 500 MHz digital oscilloscopes engineered for waveform acquisition, digital design, and system debugging. Spanning standard, A, B, C, and D generations, these instruments provide technical buyers and test engineers with reliable signal analysis options. All models in this series share a 500 MHz analog bandwidth, a calculated rise time of 700 ps, selectable 1 M̩ and 50 ̩ input impedance, and standard 8-bit vertical resolution that can be expanded up to 12 bits using High Resolution (HiRes) or averaging modes. Users can choose between 2-channel and 4-channel configurations depending on the complexity of their test requirements.
- Analog Bandwidth
- 500 MHz
- Calculated Rise Time
- 700 ps
- Vertical Resolution
- 8 bits (up to 12 bits with HiRes)
- Input Sensitivity Range
- 1 mV/div to 10 V/div
Models in this series
| Model | Type | Operating Temperature | Trigger Coupling | Trigger Modes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TDS520A | *misc | 4 to 50 | DC, AC, Low Frequency Reject (LF Rej), High Frequency Reject (HF Rej), Noise Reject | Auto, Normal, Single Sequence |
| TDS544A | Digital | +5 °C to +50 °C | DC, AC, Noise Reject, HF Reject, LF Reject | Auto, Normal, Single |
| TDS540C | Digital/Analog | 0 to +50 °C | AC, DC, HF Reject, LF Reject, Noise Reject | Auto, Normal, Single |
| TDS520B | *misc | 0 to +50 °C (floppy drive: +10 to +50 °C) | AC, DC, Noise Reject, HF Reject, LF Reject | Auto, Normal, Single Sequence |
| TDS540B | *misc | 0 to +50 °C | DC, AC, Noise Reject, HF Reject, LF Reject | Auto, Normal, Single Sequence |
| TDS540 | Digital | 0 to +50 °C (without floppy drive), +4 to +50 °C (with floppy drive) | AC, DC, HF Reject, LF Reject, Noise Reject | Auto, Normal, Single |
| TDS520 | Digital | 0 to +50 °C | DC, AC, HF Reject, LF Reject, Noise Reject | Auto, Normal, Single Sequence |
| TDS524A | Digital | 0 to +50 °C | DC, AC, HF Reject, LF Reject, Noise Reject | Auto, Normal, Single |
| TDS520D | *misc | +4 to +50 °C (with floppy drive) | DC, AC, HF Reject, LF Reject, Noise Reject | Auto, Normal, Single |
Channel Configurations and Precision
The TDS500 series is divided into 2-channel and 4-channel designs to match different testing environments:
- 2-Channel Models: The TDS520, TDS520A, TDS520B, TDS524A, and TDS520D include two primary analog channels. Many of these models, including the TDS520, TDS520A, TDS520B, and TDS524A, feature two additional auxiliary inputs (Aux 1 and Aux 2) to provide supplementary signal monitoring.
- 4-Channel Models: For multi-signal synchronization, the TDS540, TDS544A, TDS540B, and TDS540C provide four dedicated analog channels.
DC gain accuracy also varies by model generation. The standard TDS520, TDS520A, TDS520B, TDS540, and TDS524A offer a DC gain accuracy of 1.5%. Newer iterations, such as the TDS544A, TDS540B, TDS540C, and TDS520D, improve this specification to 1%.
Sample Rate and Acquisition Variations
The maximum real-time sample rate scales with the generation and channel count of the instrument. Standard 2-channel models like the TDS520 and TDS520A offer a maximum sample rate of 500 MS/s. This is increased to 1 GS/s in the TDS520B (single channel active) and the TDS540 (single channel active).
Among the 4-channel models, the TDS544A provides 1 GS/s on one channel, 500 MS/s on two channels, and 250 MS/s when all four channels are active. The higher-performance TDS540B and TDS540C models feature a maximum real-time sample rate of 2 GS/s on a single channel. Additionally, the TDS540C incorporates monochrome InstaVu™ acquisition technology to achieve capture rates up to 400,000 waveforms per second.
Display Technologies and Connectivity
The display systems in this series differ significantly by model, defining how waveforms are visualized:
- Monochrome CRT Displays: The TDS520, TDS520A, TDS520B, TDS540, TDS540B, and TDS540C utilize a standard 7-inch monochrome CRT. The TDS520D features a 7-inch monochrome digital phosphor display (DPO) with intensity modulation, providing a three-dimensional representation of amplitude, time, and distribution over time.
- Color Displays: The TDS544A features a 7-inch color NuColor CRT display, while the TDS524A incorporates a 7-inch NuColor liquid-crystal color shutter display for multi-color trace separation.
All instruments in this family come with a standard GPIB (IEEE-488.2) communication port. Serial (RS-232) and Centronics parallel ports are standard on some models or available via Option 13 on the TDS520, TDS520A, TDS520B, TDS520D, and TDS540.
Frequently asked questions
- Which TDS500 series models feature color displays?
- The TDS544A features a 7-inch color NuColor CRT display, and the TDS524A is equipped with a 7-inch NuColor liquid-crystal color shutter display. Other models, including the TDS520, TDS520A, TDS520B, TDS520D, TDS540, TDS540B, and TDS540C, use monochrome CRT displays.
- What is the differences in maximum real-time sample rates across these models?
- The maximum real-time sample rate is 500 MS/s for the TDS520 and TDS520A. It is 1 GS/s on a single channel for the TDS520B, TDS540, and TDS544A. The TDS540B and TDS540C deliver the highest performance in the group with a maximum real-time sample rate of 2 GS/s on a single channel.
- Are serial and parallel interfaces standard on the TDS500 series?
- GPIB is standard across all models. RS-232 and Centronics parallel interfaces are available as an option (Option 13) on the TDS520, TDS520A, TDS520B, TDS520D, and TDS540, and standard on other specific models.