HP 54710A Assembly instructions

User’s Reference
Publication number 54720-97005
First edition, October 1995
This book applies directly to firmware revision 4.XX.
For Safety information, Warranties, and Regulatory
information, see the pages behind the index
Copyright Hewlett-Packard Company 1992-1995
All Rights Reserved
HP 54710A, 54710D, 54720A
and 54720D Oscilloscopes
Advanced Test Equipment Rentals
www.atecorp.com 800-404-ATEC (2832)
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Printed in USA July 2004
Notice
Hewlett-Packard to Agilent Technologies Transition
This manual may contain references to HP or Hewlett-Packard. Please note that Hewlett-
Packard’s former test and measurement, semiconductor products and chemical analysis
businesses are now part of Agilent Technologies. To reduce potential confusion, the only
change to product numbers and names has been in the company name prefix: where a
product name/number was HP XXXX the current name/number is now Agilent XXXX. For
example, model number HP8648 is now model number Agilent 8648.
Contacting Agilent Sales and Service Offices
The sales and service contact information in this manual may be out of date. The latest
service and contact information for your location can be found on the Web at:
http://www.agilent.com/find/assist
If you do not have access to the Internet, contact your field engineer or the nearest sales
and service office listed below. In any correspondence or telephone conversation, refer to
your instrument by its model number and full serial number.
United States
(tel) 1 800 452 4844
(fax) 1 800 829 4433
Latin America
(tel) [phone]
(fax) [phone]
New Zealand
(tel) 0 800 738 378
(fax) 64 4 495 8950
Canada
(tel) [phone]
(fax) [phone]
Japan
(tel) (81) 426 56 7832
(fax) (81) 426 56 7840
Asia Pacific
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Europe
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Australia
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(fax) (61 3) 9210 5947

HP 54710A, 54710D, 54720A, and 54720D
Oscilloscopes
The HP 54720 is a modular, high-performance oscilloscope that
contains four data acquisition systems behind each of four plug-in
slots. Each plug-in slot provides 8 bits, 2-GSa/s maximum sample
rate, 16K maximum acquisition memory on the A models and 64K
maximum acquistion memory on the D models, and up to 1.5-GHz
bandwidth (depending on the plug-in you are using). A two-wide
plug-in, like the HP 54721A, uses two slots which allows a maximum
sample rate of 4 GSa/s and a maximum acquisition memory of 32K in
the A models and 128K in the D models. A four-wide plug-in, like the
HP 54722A, uses four slots which allows a maximum sample rate of 8
GSa/s and a maximum acquisition memory of 64K in the 54720A and
256K in the 54720D.
The HP 54720 also has firmware modularity by having a 3-1/2 inch
disk drive and flash ROMs, which allows for upgrades of the system
firmware features in the oscilloscope.
The plug-ins provide analog signal conditioning for the A/D converters
that are inside the mainframe.
This performance and flexibility provide you with the most accurate
analysis of single-shot phenomena found in any laboratory
oscilloscope.
The HP 54710 gives you the same performance as the HP 54720,
except that it has two acquisition systems.
This oscilloscope has many powerful features, and each of them is
described in this book. Your key to unlocking the power of the
oscilloscope depends how you combine its features for your
application, and your knowledge of how each feature effects the
operation of the oscilloscope.
All calibration and repair information is contained in the Service
Guide, and all programming information is contained in the
Programmer’s Reference.
ii

Accessories Supplied
The following accessories are supplied with the oscilloscope.
•This User’s Reference
•One Programmer’s Reference
•One Service Guide
•One 2.3 meter (7.5 feet) power cord
See Also The Service Guide for available power cords.
Accessories Available
The following accessories are available for use with the oscilloscope.
CAUTION Make sure you use the correct length screw to rackmount the oscilloscope.
If you use a screw that is too short, it may not hold the oscilloscope safely in
the rack. If you use a screw that is too long, it can damage the oscilloscope.
•HP 54710-68703 (Opt 907) Rackmount kit, handles only. Includes
M4 X 0.7 X 12 mm flat-head screws, HP part number 0515-2227
•HP 54710-68704 (Opt 908) Rackmount kit, ears only. Includes M4
X 0.7 X 14 mm flat-head screws, HP part number 0515-0435
•HP 54710-68705 (Opt 909) Rackmount kit with ears and handles.
Includes M4 X 0.7 X 20 mm flat-head screws, HP part number
0515-0456
•HP 54720-68701 (Opt 002) Training kit including a PC board,
training guide, and power supply
•HP 10087A HP 54710A to HP 54720A upgrade service
•HP 54701A 2.5-GHz active probe
•HP 54006A 6-GHz passive probe
•HP 10430A 500-MHz 6.5-pF passive probe
•HP 10441A 500-MHz 9-pF passive probe
•HP 1141A 200-MHz differential probe
•HP 1142A Power supply for HP 1141A Probe
iii

In This Book
This book consists of 24 chapters, a glossary, and an index. Most of
the chapters describe the various menus in the oscilloscope. These
chapters contain the word "Menu" as part of their title. For example,
"Acquisition Menu" discusses the various softkey menus that come up
on the display when you press the Acquisition hardkey on the front
panel. The remaining chapters contain additional information about
the oscilloscope. For example, "Measurements" discusses how the
oscilloscope calculates the measurement results when you select an
automatic measurement.
You will find it easier to use this reference book if you are at least a
little familiar with how to use the front panel. The best way to learn
how to use the front panel is by reading the User’s Quick Start Guide
that is supplied with the oscilloscope.
iv

How the Oscilloscope Works
1
Front Panel Features
2
Acquisition Menu
3
Applications
4
Calibration Overview
5
Channel Menu
6
Define Measure Menu
7
Disk Menu
8
Display Menu
9
Messages
10
Marker Menu
11
Math Menu
12
Measurements
13
Setup
14
v

vi

Setup Print Menu
15
Specifications and
Characteristics
16
Time Base Menu
17
Trigger Menu
18
Utility Menu
19
Waveform Menu
20
FFT Menu
21
Limit Test Menu
22
Mask Menu
23
Histogram Menu
24
Glossary
Index
vii

viii

Contents
1 How the Oscilloscope Works
Hardware Architecture 1–10
Data Flow 1–15
Sampling Overview 1–18
Choosing Plug-ins 1–24
Choosing Probes 1–27
System Bandwidth 1–32
2 Front-Panel Features
Autoscale Key 2–3
Clear Display Key 2–3
Display 2–4
Entry Devices 2–7
Fine Mode 2–8
Help Menu 2–9
Indicator Lights 2–10
Local Key 2–12
Run Key 2–13
Stop/Single Key 2–14
3 Acquisition Menu
Sampling Mode 3–4
Digital BW Limit 3–6
Interpolate 3–6
Sampling Rate 3–12
Record Length 3–14
Averaging 3–19
Completion 3–20
4 Applications
Contents – 1

5 Calibration Overview
Mainframe Calibration 5–3
Plug-in Calibration 5–4
Normal Accuracy Calibration Level 5–5
Best Accuracy Calibration Level 5–6
Probe Calibration 5–8
6 Channel Menu
Display 6–4
Scale 6–5
Offset 6–6
Input 6–6
Probe 6–7
Calibrate 6–10
7 Define Measure Menu
Define Measure Menu 7–2
Thresholds 7–4
Top-Base 7–6
Define
∆time 7–8
Statistics 7–9
8 Disk Menu
Disk Menu 8–2
Directory 8–3
Load 8–5
Store 8–6
Delete 8–8
Format 8–9
Type 8–10
File Format 8–12
From File, To File, or File Name 8–20
To Memory 8–21
Contents
Contents – 2

9DisplayMenu
Persistence 9–3
Color Grade Display 9–5
Draw Waveform 9–6
Graticule 9–10
Label 9–13
Color 9–17
10 Messages
11 Marker Menu
Off 11–3
Manual 11–3
Waveform 11–5
Measurement 11–7
Histogram 11–8
Marker Hints 11–8
12 Math Menu
Function 12–3
Define Function 12–4
Display 12–7
Contents
Contents – 3

13 Measurements
The Oscilloscope Waveform Measurement Process 13–11
The Process Starts With Data Collection 13–12
Then the System Builds a Histogram 13–13
The System Calculates Min and Max From the Data Record 13–14
Then It Calculates Top and Base 13–15
Thresholds Are the Next Values Calculated 13–17
Finally, Rising and Falling Edges are Determined 13–18
Standard Waveform Definitions 13–21
Voltage Measurements 13–21
Timing Definitions 13–24
Some Important Measurement Considerations 13–26
Making Automatic Measurements from the Front Panel 13–27
Increasing the accuracy of your measurements 13–29
Measuring time intervals 13–30
Statistics 13–34
Time-interval measurements 13–38
14 Setup Menu
Setup Memory 14–3
Save 14–3
Recall 14–4
Default Setup 14–4
15 Setup Print Menu
Print Format 15–4
Destination 15–6
Data 15–8
Setup Factors 15–8
TIFF and GIF files on the Apple Macintosh Computer 15–9
Contents
Contents – 4

16 Specifications and Characteristics
Specifications 16–3
Characteristics 16–4
Product Support 16–9
General Characteristics 16–10
17 Time Base Menu
Scale 17–3
Position 17–3
Reference 17–4
Windowing 17–5
18 Trigger Menu
Trigger Basics 18–4
Sweep 18–6
Mode 18–7
Source 18–20
Level 18–20
Slope 18–20
Holdoff and Conditioning 18–21
19 Utility Menu
HP-IB Setup 19–3
System Configuration 19–4
Calibrate 19–10
Self-Test 19–14
Firmware Support 19–14
Service 19–16
20 Waveform Menu
Waveform 20–3
Pixel 20–6
Contents
Contents – 5

21 FFT Menu
Display 21–3
Source 21–3
Window 21–3
FFT Scaling 21–4
FFTs and Automatic Measurements 21–8
FFT Basics 21–10
22 Limit Test Menu
Test 22–4
Measurement 22–4
Fail When 22–5
Upper Limit 22–7
Lower Limit 22–7
Run Until 22–7
Fail Action 22–9
23 Mask Menu
Polygon Masks in the Oscilloscope 23–4
Test 23–6
Scale mask 23–7
Edit Mask 23–9
Run Until 23–18
Fail Action 23–20
24 Histogram Menu
Histograms in the oscilloscope 24–3
Mode 24–6
Axis 24–6
Histogram Window 24–7
Histogram Scale 24–8
Run Until 24–10
Contents
Contents – 6

Glossary
Index
Contents
Contents – 7

Contents – 8

1
Hardware Architecture 1–3
Data Flow 1–8
Sampling Overview 1–11
Choosing Plug-ins 1–17
Choosing Probes 1–20
System Bandwidth 1–25
How the Oscilloscope Works

How the Oscilloscope Works
This chapter gives you a brief overview of how the oscilloscope
functions. This chapter is not intended for troubleshooting purposes,
but rather to give you an idea of the basic hardware inside the
oscilloscope, so you can make better decisions about configuring the
oscilloscope when you are making measurements. The following
topics are discussed:
•Hardware Architecture
•Data Flow
•Sampling Overview
•Choosing Plug-ins
•Choosing Probes
•System Bandwidth
1–2

Hardware Architecture
This is a high-level look at the internal hardware of the oscilloscope. You will
find a complete block diagram of the oscilloscope in the Service Guide that is
supplied with the oscilloscope.
Figure 1-1 is a functional block diagram of the hardware in the oscilloscope.
Figure 1-1
How the Oscilloscope Works
Hardware Architecture
1–3