Teledyne LeCroy WaveSurfer Oscilloscopes
9 models with full specifications from LeCroy (Teledyne LeCroy).
The Teledyne LeCroy WaveSurfer series of benchtop digital storage oscilloscopes is engineered for general-purpose time-domain signal acquisition, visualization, and analysis in laboratory and bench environments. Designed to streamline daily debug and testing tasks, these four-channel instruments combine practical acquisition capabilities with highly accessible touch-screen interfaces. With standard 8-bit vertical resolution—which can be enhanced up to 11 bits through Enhanced Resolution (ERES) processing—these oscilloscopes are optimized for embedded system design, serial data analysis, and troubleshooting. The family spans bandwidths from 200 MHz up to 1 GHz, allowing technical buyers to match the analog bandwidth and sample rate to their specific signal requirements. This overview covers the technical characteristics of the series, detailing differences across the WaveSurfer 10, WaveSurfer 104MXs-A, WaveSurfer 3054, WAVESURFER 3024, WaveSurfer 44MXs-A, WAVESURFER 64MXS, WaveSurfer 3034, WaveSurfer 24MXs-A, and WaveSurfer 24Xs-A.
- Form Factor
- Benchtop digital oscilloscope
- Bandwidth Range
- 200 MHz to 1 GHz
- Input Channels
- 4
- Vertical Resolution
- 8-bit (up to 11-bit with ERES)
Models in this series
| Model | Type | Display | Input Coupling | Input Impedance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WaveSurfer 10 | *misc | — | — | — |
| WaveSurfer 104MXs-A | Digital | 10.4-inch color TFT-LCD touchscreen, SVGA (800 x 600) resolution | GND, DC 1 MOhm, AC 1 MOhm, DC 50 Ohm | 1 MOhm || 16 pF or 50 Ohm |
| WaveSurfer 3054 | *misc | 10.1-inch widescreen color TFT-LCD touch screen, 1024 x 600 resolution | AC 1 MΩ, DC 1 MΩ, DC 50 Ω, GND | 1 MΩ ± 1% || 16 pF, or 50 Ω ± 1% |
| WAVESURFER 3024 | *misc | 10.1-inch widescreen TFT-LCD capacitive touch screen with 1024 x 600 resolution | AC, DC, GND | 50 Ω ±1.5% or 1 MΩ ±1.0% || 16 pF |
| WaveSurfer 44MXs-A | Digital | 10.4-inch Color TFT-LCD touch screen, 800 × 600 SVGA resolution | AC, DC, GND | 1 MΩ ± 1% || 16 pF, or 50 Ω ± 1% |
| WAVESURFER 64MXS | Digital | 10.4-inch touchscreen TFT-LCD, 800 x 600 SVGA resolution | AC, DC, GND | 1 MΩ ± 1% || 16 pF or 50 Ω ± 1% |
| WaveSurfer 3034 | *misc | 10.1-inch widescreen capacitive touchscreen TFT-LCD, 1024 x 600 resolution | 50 Ω: DC, GND; 1 MΩ: AC, DC, GND | 1 MΩ ± 1% || 16 pF, or 50 Ω ± 1% |
| WaveSurfer 24MXs-A | Digital | 10.4-inch touchscreen TFT-LCD, SVGA (800 x 600) resolution | GND, AC 1MΩ, DC 1MΩ, DC 50Ω | 1 MΩ || 16 pF (selectable to 50 Ω) |
| WaveSurfer 24Xs-A | Digital | 10.4" SVGA Color TFT-LCD Touch Screen (800 x 600 resolution) | GND, AC 1 MΩ, DC 1 MΩ, DC 50 Ω | 1 MΩ ±1% || 16 pF; 50 Ω ±1% |
Physical Design and Touchscreen Interfaces
The WaveSurfer series is divided into two distinct form factors, primarily distinguished by their displays and physical dimensions.
- Widescreen Models (3000 Series): The WaveSurfer 3054, WAVESURFER 3024, and WaveSurfer 3034 feature a 10.1-inch widescreen TFT-LCD touchscreen display with a resolution of 1024 x 600. These instruments are highly compact, with a physical weight of 4.81 kg and depth profiles ranging from 123 mm to 152 mm. This makes them highly suitable for workspaces with limited bench space.
- Legacy and MXs/Xs Series: The WaveSurfer 104MXs-A, WaveSurfer 44MXs-A, WAVESURFER 64MXS, WaveSurfer 24MXs-A, and WaveSurfer 24Xs-A feature a slightly larger 10.4-inch color TFT-LCD touchscreen with an SVGA (800 x 600) resolution. These configurations carry a heavier physical profile, weighing approximately 7.2 kg to 7.26 kg with a depth of 152 mm.
Bandwidth and Rise Time Performance
Selecting the correct WaveSurfer model depends on the maximum frequency component of the signals under test. The family offers several analog bandwidth categories:
- 1 GHz Bandwidth: The WaveSurfer 104MXs-A provides the highest bandwidth in this selection, supporting 1 GHz acquisitions and a maximum single-channel sampling rate of 5 GS/s.
- 500 MHz and 600 MHz Bandwidth: The WAVESURFER 64MXS operates at 600 MHz with a 583 ps calculated rise time, while the WaveSurfer 3054 operates at 500 MHz with a typical rise time of 700 ps.
- 300 MHz and 400 MHz Bandwidth: The WaveSurfer 44MXs-A delivers a 400 MHz bandwidth (875 ps rise time), and the WaveSurfer 3034 offers 300 MHz (1.15 ns typical rise time).
- 200 MHz Bandwidth: The WAVESURFER 3024, WaveSurfer 24MXs-A, and WaveSurfer 24Xs-A provide 200 MHz of analog bandwidth with typical rise times of 1.75 ns, ideal for lower-speed embedded systems.
Additionally, the WaveSurfer 10 serves as a general-purpose benchtop digital oscilloscope configured for laboratory signal acquisition.
Input Channel Configurations and Electrical Integrity
Each of these oscilloscopes is equipped with four analog input channels. The input coupling can be toggled between GND, AC, and DC paths. The input impedance is selectable between a 1 MΩ path (with 16 pF capacitance) for general-purpose probing and a 50 Ω path for high-frequency signal integrity.
Voltage tolerances vary depending on the model group. The 3000 series models (WaveSurfer 3054, WAVESURFER 3024, and WaveSurfer 3034) feature a maximum rated input voltage of 300 Vrms on the 1 MΩ path. In contrast, the MXs and Xs series models (such as the WaveSurfer 104MXs-A, WaveSurfer 44MXs-A, WAVESURFER 64MXS, WaveSurfer 24MXs-A, and WaveSurfer 24Xs-A) support a higher maximum input voltage threshold of 400 V max (DC + Peak AC for frequencies less than or equal to 10 kHz). On all models, the 50 Ω input path is strictly rated for a maximum of 5 Vrms.
Frequently asked questions
- Which WaveSurfer models are the lightest and most compact?
- The WaveSurfer 3054, WAVESURFER 3024, and WaveSurfer 3034 are the lightest models in the family, weighing 4.81 kg. They also feature a compact 10.1-inch widescreen display.
- What is the maximum vertical resolution available on these scopes?
- While the standard hardware digitizers operate at 8-bit vertical resolution, models like the WaveSurfer 3054, WAVESURFER 3024, WaveSurfer 44MXs-A, WAVESURFER 64MXS, WaveSurfer 3034, WaveSurfer 24MXs-A, and WaveSurfer 24Xs-A support Enhanced Resolution (ERES) filtering, which mathematically increases the resolution up to 11 bits.
- Do these oscilloscopes support standard interface connections for automated testing?
- Yes. Most models, including the WaveSurfer 104MXs-A, WaveSurfer 3054, WAVESURFER 3024, WaveSurfer 44MXs-A, WAVESURFER 64MXS, WaveSurfer 3034, WaveSurfer 24MXs-A, and WaveSurfer 24Xs-A, feature standard RJ-45 LAN ports and USB Host/Device interfaces. An optional GPIB interface can also be integrated.