Tektronix Application Notes

Digital Debugging Tips Using a Mixed Signal Oscilloscope

As electronic products become faster and more complex, they are harder to design, verify and debug. In this application note, learn about the powerful digital analysis capability of the Mixed Signal Oscilloscope (MSO) Series, and how to speed debug of digital circuits.
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Power Supply Measurement and Analysis

This primer focuses on switch-mode power supply design measurements with an oscilloscope and application-specific software.
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SDRAM Memory Systems: Embedded Test & Measurement Challenges

DRAM (Dynamic Random Access Memory) is attractive to designers because it provides a broad range of performance and is used in a wide variety of memory system designs for computers and embedded systems. This DRAM memory primer provides an overview of DRAM concepts, presents potential future DRAM developments and offers an overview for memory design improvement through verification.
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Improve Measurement Accuracy and Reduce Cost with Tektronix Passive Probes

This application note describes how the Tektronix high bandwidth, low capacitance passive voltage probes reduce the oscilloscope user's total cost of ownership, improve performance and measurement accuracy, and save the user setup time.
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Debugging Serial Buses in Embedded System Designs

Many embedded system designs utilize serial buses such as I2C, SPI , RS-232/422/485/UART, CAN, LIN, FlexRay and I2S/LJ/RJ/TDM. Learn how to quickly and efficiently debug today’s serial buses with the powerful trigger, decode, and search capabilities of the MSO/DPO Series.
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XYZs of Signal Generators

The Signal Generator, or Signal Source, is the stimulus source that pairs with an acquisition instrument like an oscilloscope to create the two elements of a complete measurement solution. In its various configurations, the signal generator can provide stimulus signals in the form of analog waveforms, digital data patterns, modulation, intentional distortion, noise, and more. To make effective design, characterization, or troubleshooting measurements, it is important to consider both elements of the solution. This primer explains the basics of Signal Generators, including the many types of generators, their applications and their contribution to a complete test and measurement solution.
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The Basics of Serial Data Compliance and Validation Measurements

This primer is designed to help you understand the common aspects of serial data transmission and to explain the analog and digital measurement requirements that apply to these emerging serial technologies.
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High-speed Interconnects: Characterization and Measurement-based Modeling

As modern signaling standards push digital designs to the gigahertz and gigabit ranges, interconnect performance becomes the key factor in enabling reliable system operation. This primer will take you through the challenges and solutions to obtain accurate measurement-based interconnect models for each part of the interconnect link. It will take you through the theory of time domain and frequency domain measurements and the modeling of system performance based on TDR/T measurements for the most efficient results.
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Analyzing 8b/10b Encoded Signals with a Real-time Oscilloscope

This application note discusses troubleshooting and verifying devices with 8b/10b serial buses using the Tektronix MSO/DPO/DSA70000 Series oscilloscopes with their powerful real time triggering of 8b/10b serial buses.
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TCP/IPv4 and Ethernet 10BASE-T/100BASE-TX Debugging with the MSO/DPO4000B Series Oscilloscopes

This application note covers the overall view of the Internet Protocol Suite and the operation of each layer and concludes with working with Ethernet 10BASE-T and 100BASE-TX signals with the MSO/DPO4000B with DPO4ENET.
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Using FastFrame™ Segmented Memory

Chief among the challenges in working with high-speed digital technologies are infrequent or intermittent events. With the high sample rates and bandwidths of today's oscilloscopes, it's all about optimizing the quality of the information you get out of your scope; capturing multiple events at a sufficient high enough horizontal resolution for effective analysis and optimizing the use of the memory for storing and displaying only the necessary data. This application note will explain how the FastFrame(TM) Segmented Memory feature of the high performance scopes from Tektronix eliminate any compromise for you in the quality of the data acquired and the efficient use of the memory.
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