Tektronix TDS 620 User manual

User Manual
TDS 620 & 640
Digitizing Oscilloscopes
070-8506-01
Please check for change information at the
rear of this manual.
First Printing AUG 1992
Revised NOV 1992
Advanced Test Equipment Rentals
www.atecorp.com 800-404-ATEC (2832)
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Instrument Serial Numbers
Each instrument manufactured by Tektronix has a serial number on a panel insert or tag, or stamped on the
chassis. The first letter in the serial number designates the country of manufacture. The last five digits of the
serial number are assigned sequentially and are unique to each instrument. Those manufactured in the United
States have six unique digits. The country of manufacture is identified as follows:
B010000 Tektronix, Inc., Beaverton, Oregon, USA
E200000 Tektronix United Kingdom, Ltd., London
J300000 Sony/Tektronix, Japan
H700000 Tektronix Holland, NV, Heerenveen, The Netherlands
Instruments manufactured for Tektronix by external vendors outside the United States are assigned a two digit
alpha code to identify the country of manufacture (e.g., JP for Japan, HK for Hong Kong, IL for Israel, etc.).
Tektronix, Inc., P.O. Box 500, Beaverton, OR 97077
Printed in U.S.A.
Copyright E Tektronix, Inc., 1992. All rights reserved. Tektronix products are covered by U.S. and foreign
patents, issued and pending. The following are registered trademarks: TEKTRONIX, TEK, TEKPROBE, and
SCOPE-MOBILE.

WARRANTY
Tektronix warrants that this product will be free from defects in materials and workmanship for a period of three (3) years from
the date of shipment. If any such product proves defective during this warranty period, Tektronix, at its option, either will repair
the defective product without charge for parts and labor, or will provide a replacement in exchange for the defective product.
In order to obtain service under this warranty, Customer must notify Tektronix of the defect before the expiration of the
warranty period and make suitable arrangements for the performance of service. Customer shall be responsible for
packaging and shipping the defective product to the service center designated by Tektronix, with shipping charges prepaid.
Tektronix shall pay for the return of the product to Customer if the shipment is to a location within the country in which the
Tektronix service center is located. Customer shall be responsible for paying all shipping charges, duties, taxes, and any
other charges for products returned to any other locations.
This warranty shall not apply to any defect, failure or damage caused by improper use or improper or inadequate
maintenance and care. Tektronix shall not be obligated to furnish service under this warranty a) to repair damage resulting
from attempts by personnel other than Tektronix representatives to install, repair or service the product; b) to repair damage
resulting from improper use or connection to incompatible equipment; or c) to service a product that has been modified or
integrated with other products when the effect of such modification or integration increases the time or difficulty of servicing
the product.
THIS WARRANTY IS GIVEN BY TEKTRONIX WITH RESPECT TO THIS PRODUCT IN LIEU OF ANY OTHER
WARRANTIES, EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED. TEKTRONIX AND ITS VENDORS DISCLAIM ANY IMPLIED WARRANTIES
OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. TEKTRONIX’ RESPONSIBILITY TO REPAIR OR
REPLACE DEFECTIVE PRODUCTS IS THE SOLE AND EXCLUSIVE REMEDY PROVIDED TO THE CUSTOMER FOR
BREACH OF THIS WARRANTY. TEKTRONIX AND ITS VENDORS WILL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY INDIRECT,
SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES IRRESPECTIVE OF WHETHER TEKTRONIX OR THE
VENDOR HAS ADVANCE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES.

This apparatus has been designed and tested in accordance with IEC Publication 348, Safety Requirements for
Electronic Measuring Apparatus, and has been supplied in a safe condition. This manual contains some
information and warnings which have to be followed by the user to ensure safe operation and to retain the
apparatus in safe condition.
The apparatus has been designed for indoor use. It may occasionally be subjected to temperatures between
+5 _ C and –10 _ C without degradation of its safety.

TDS 620 & TDS 640 User Manual
i
Welcome
This is the User Manual for the TDS 620 and TDS 640 Digitizing Oscillo-
scopes.
If you are a new user, the
Tutorial section will help you become familiar with
the operation of your oscilloscope.
The
Concepts section covers basic principles of oscilloscope operation.
These articles help you understand why your instrument works the way it
does.
Use the
In Detail section to learn how to perform specific tasks. See page 3-1
for a complete list of tasks covered in that section.
The
Appendices provide an option and accessories listing, product specifica-
tion, and other useful information.
The following documents are related to the use or service of the oscilloscope.
 The
TDS Family Programmer Manual (Tektronix part number
070-8318-04) describes using a computer to control the oscilloscope
through the GPIB interface.
 The
TDS 620 & 640 Reference (Tektronix part number 070-8505-01)
gives you a quick overview of how to operate your oscilloscope.
 The
TDS Family Option 2F Instruction Manual (Tektronix part number
070-8582-00) describes use of the Advanced DSP Math option (for TDS
oscilloscopes equipped with that option only).
 The
TDS Family Option 13 RS-232/Centronics Hardcopy Interface
Instruction Manual
(Tektronix part number 070-8567-00) describes using
the optional RS-232 and Centronics  interfaces for obtaining hardcopy
(for TDS oscilloscopes equipped with that option only). This manual also
provides module-level service information.
 The
TDS 620 & TDS 640 Performance Verification (Tektronix part number
070-8649-00) tells how to verify the performance of the oscilloscope.
 The
TDS 620 Service Manual (Tektronix part number 070-8507-00) and
the
TDS 640 Service Manual (070-8508-00) provide information for
maintaining and servicing your oscilloscope to the module level.
Related Manuals

Welcome
Welcome
ii
The Tutorial and In Detail sections list various procedures which you will
perform. This manual uses the following conventions to keep the instructions
clear and concise:
H Names of front-panel controls and menu labels appear in boldface print.
H Names are shown as they appear on the oscilloscope front panel and
menus (initial capitals, all uppercase, etc.). For example, front-panel
names are all upper case letters, VERTICAL MENU,CH 1, etc.
H Instruction steps are numbered. The number is omitted if there is only
one step.
H When steps require that you make a sequence of selections using front-
panel controls and menu buttons, an arrow ( ➞) marks each transition
between a front-panel button and a menu, or between menus. Also,
whether a name is a main-menu or side-menu item is clearly indicated:
Press VERTICAL MENU ➞Coupling (main) ➞DC (side) ➞Band-
width (main) ➞100 MHz (side).
Using the convention just described results in instructions that are graphi-
cally intuitive and simplified. For example, the instruction just given re-
places these five steps:
1. Press the front-panel button VERTICAL MENU.
2. Press the main-menu button Coupling.
3. Press the side-menu button DC.
4. Press the main-menu button Bandwidth
5. Press the side-menu button 100 MHz
H Sometimes you may have to make a selection from a pop-up menu:
Press TRIGGER MENU ➞Type (main) ➞Edge (pop up). In this exam-
ple, you repeatedly press the main menu button Type until Edge is
highlighted in the pop-up menu.
Conventions

TDS 620 & TDS 640 User Manual
iii
Contents
Product Description v. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Safety vii. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Start Up ix. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Tutorial
Overview 1-1. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Example 1: Displaying a Waveform 1-2. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Example 2: Multiple Waveforms 1-8. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Example 3: Automated Measurements 1-12. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Example 4: Saving Setups 1-17. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Concepts
Overview 2-1. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Triggering 2-2. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Acquisition 2-7. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Scaling and Positioning Waveforms 2-10. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Measurements 2-14. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
In Detail
Overview 3-1. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
At a Glance 3-2. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Acquisition Modes 3-12. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Autoset 3-17. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Cursor Measurements 3-19. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Delayed Triggering 3-24. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Display Modes 3-30. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Edge Triggering 3-35. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Hardcopy 3-39. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Contents
Contents
i
Help 3-47. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Horizontal Control 3-48. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Limit Testing 3-52. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Logic Triggering 3-57. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Measurement System 3-65. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Probe Cal 3-76. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Probe Compensation 3-82. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Probe Selection 3-84. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Pulse Triggering 3-91. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Remote Communication 3-98. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Saving and Recalling Setups 3-102. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Saving and Recalling Waveforms 3-104. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Selecting Channels 3-107. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Signal Path Compensation 3-109. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Status 3-111. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Triggering 3-112. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Vertical Control 3-116. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Waveform Math 3-119. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Zoom 3-122. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Appendices
Appendix A: Options and Accessories A-1. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Appendix B: Specification A-7. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Appendix C: Algorithms A-25. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Appendix D: Packaging for Shipment A-39. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Appendix E: Factory Initialization Settings A-41. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Glossary & Index
Glossary G-1. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Index I-1. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Change Information

TDS 620 & TDS 640 User Manual
v
Product Description
The Tektronix TDS 600 Digitizing Oscilloscopes are superb tools for acquiring,
displaying, and measuring waveforms. Their performance addresses the
needs of both benchtop lab and portable applications with the following fea-
tures:
H 500 MHz maximum analog bandwidth.
H 2 Gigasamples/second maximum digitizing rate.
H Four channels for acquisition—the TDS 640 lets you use and display all
four channels simultaneously; the TDS 620 lets you use and display any
two channels simultaneously. All channels can acquire at the maximum
digitizing rate.
H Waveform Math—Invert a single waveform and add, subtract, and multiply
two waveforms. On instruments equipped with option 2F, integrate or
differentiate a single waveform or perform an FFT (fast fourier transform)
on a waveform to display its magnitude or phase versus its frequency.
H Eight-bit digitizers.
H Up to 2,000-sample record length per channel.
H Full GPIB software programmability.
H Complete measurement and documentation capability.
H Intuitive graphic icon operation blended with the familiarity of traditional
horizontal and vertical knobs.
H On-line help at the touch of a button.

Product Description
Product Description
vi

TDS 620 & TDS 640 User Manual
vii
Safety
Please take a moment to review these safety precautions. They are provided
for your protection and to prevent damage to the oscilloscope. This safety
information applies to all operators and service personnel.
These two terms appear in manuals:
H
statements identify conditions or practices that could result in
damage to the equipment or other property.
H
statements identify conditions or practices that could result in
personal injury or loss of life.
These two terms appear on equipment:
H
CAUTION indicates a personal injury hazard not immediately accessible
as one reads the marking or a hazard to property including the equipment
itself.
H
DANGER indicates a personal injury hazard immediately accessible as
one reads the marking.
This symbol appears in manuals:
Static-Sensitive Devices
These symbols appear on equipment:
DANGER
High Voltage Protective ground (earth)
terminal
ATTENTION
Refer to
manual
Symbols and Terms

Safety
Safety
viii
Observe all of these precautions to ensure your personal safety and to pre-
vent damage to either the oscilloscope or equipment connected to it.
Power Source
The oscilloscope is intended to operate from a power source that will not
apply more than 250 VRMS between the supply conductors or between either
supply conductor and ground. A protective ground connection, through the
grounding conductor in the power cord, is essential for safe system operation.
Grounding the Digitizing Oscilloscope
The oscilloscope is grounded through the power cord. To avoid electric shock,
plug the power cord into a properly wired receptacle where earth ground has
been verified by a qualified service person. Do this before making connec-
tions to the input or output terminals of the oscilloscope.
Without the protective ground connection, all parts of the oscilloscope are
potential shock hazards. This includes knobs and controls that may appear to
be insulators.
Use the Proper Power Cord
Use only the power cord and connector specified for your product. Use only a
power cord that is in good condition.
Use the Proper Fuse
To avoid fire hazard, use only the fuse specified in the parts list for your
product, matched by type, voltage rating, and current rating.
Do Not Remove Covers or Panels
To avoid personal injury, do not operate the oscilloscope without the panels or
covers.
Electric Overload
Never apply a voltage to a connector on the oscilloscope that is outside the
voltage range specified for that connector.
Do Not Operate in Explosive Atmospheres
The oscilloscope provides no explosion protection from static discharges or
arcing components. Do not operate the oscilloscope in an atmosphere of
explosive gases.
Specific Precautions

TDS 620 & TDS 640 User Manual
ix
Start Up
Before you use the digitizing oscilloscope, ensure that it is properly installed
and powered on.
To properly install and power on the oscilloscope, do the following:
Installation
1. Be sure you have the appropriate operating environment. Specifications
for temperature, relative humidity, altitude, vibrations, and emissions are
included in
Appendix B: Specification at the rear of this manual.
2. Leave space for cooling. Verify that the air intake and exhaust holes on
the sides of the cabinet (where the fan operates) are free of any airflow
obstructions. Leave at least 2 inches (5.1 cm) free on each side.
WARNING
To avoid electrical shock, be sure that the power cord is discon-
nected before checking the fuse.
3. Check the fuse (see Figure i) to be sure it is the proper type and rating.
You can use either of two fuses (see Table i). Each fuse requires its own
cap. The oscilloscope is shipped with the UL approved fuse installed.
4. Check that you have the proper electrical connections. The oscilloscope
requires 90 to 250 VACRMS, continuous range, 47 Hz to 63 Hz, and may
require up to 300 W.
5. Connect the proper power cord from the rear-panel power connector
(Figure i) to the power system.
Operation

Start Up
Start Up
x
Power Connector
Principal Power Switch
Fuse
Figure i: Rear Panel Controls Used in Start Up
Table i: Fuse and Fuse Cap Part Numbers
Fuse Fuse Part
Number Fuse Cap Part Number
.25 inch  1.25 inch (UL 198.6, 3AG):
6 A FAST, 250 V. 159-0013-00 200-2264-00
5 mm  20 mm (IEC 127): 5 A (T),
250 V. 159-0210-00 200-2265-00
Power On
1. Check that the rear-panel principal power switch is on (Figure i ). The
principal power switch controls all AC power to the instrument.
2. If the oscilloscope is not powered on (the screen is blank), push the
front-panel ON/STBY button to toggle it on (Figure ii).
The ON/STBY button controls power to most of the instrument circuits.
Power continues to go to certain parts even when this switch is set to
STBY.
Once the oscilloscope is installed, you can leave the principal power
switch on and use the ON/STBY button as the power switch.

Start Up
TDS 620 & TDS 640 User Manual
xi
ON/STBY Button
Figure ii: ON/STBY Button
Self Test
The oscilloscope automatically performs power-on tests each time it is turned
on. The screen will display messages that state whether or not it passed self
test. (If the self test passed, the status display screen will be removed after a
few seconds.)
Check the self test results.
If the self test fails, call your local Tektronix Service Center. Depending on the
type of failure, you may still be able to use the oscilloscope before it is serv-
iced.
Power Off
Press the ON/STBY switch to turn off the oscilloscope.
Once the oscilloscope has been set up for operation, use the
Signal Path
Compensation
and Probe Cal features to help ensure maximum accuracy for
your most critical measurements
. These features and the proper use of the
P6205 Active Probe (shipped with your instrument) are discussed on the
following page.
Before You Begin

Start Up
Start Up
xii
Signal Path Compensation (SPC) lets you compensate your oscilloscope for
the current ambient temperature, helping to ensure maximum possible accu-
racy for your most critical measurements. See
Signal Path Compensation on
page 3-109 for a description of and operating information on this key feature.
Probe Cal lets you compensate any channel of your oscilloscope for the effect
of the probe on gain accuracy and offset accuracy. Like SPC, Probe Cal helps
ensure maximum possible accuracy for your most critical measurements. See
Probe Cal on page 3-76 for a description of and operating information on this
feature.
The P6205 Active Probe is a superb tool for coupling signals to your oscillo-
scope. It teams with the oscilloscope to provide extremely low loading capaci-
tance to ensure best possible signal reproduction of signals up to Volts.
NOTE
Do not use the P6205 probe to measure signals above Volts
since errors in signal measurement will result. Instead, use the
optional accessory P6139A Passive Probe or one of passive probes
listed in Appendix A under Accessory Probes. (The P6139A probe
is for measurements up to Volts.)
CAUTION
Do not use the P6205 Active Probe to measure signals greater than
Volts. Such signals may damage the probe. Instead, use the
optional accessory P6139A Passive Probe or one of passive probes
listed in Appendix A under Accessory Probes. (The P6139A probe
is for measurements up to Volts.)

Tutorial
Replace this page with the tab divider of the same name.

TDS 620 & TDS 640 User Manual
1Ć1
Overview
The four examples in this section demonstrate the basic functions of the
TDS 600 Digitizing Oscilloscopes. Use the
At a Glance section (starting on
page 3-2) to help you locate the correct knobs, buttons, and menus.
H
Example 1 teaches you how to reset the oscilloscope, display and adjust
waveforms, and use the autoset function.
H
Example 2 explains how to add, control, and delete multiple waveforms.
H
Example 3 introduces you to the automated measurement system.
H
Example 4 discusses saving and recalling the oscilloscope setups.
The
Concepts and In Detail sections also teach you about the oscilloscope
organization and specific functions.
All the examples use the same setup with one standard probe (supplied with
this oscilloscope). Once you perform this setup, you do not have to change
the signal connections for any of the other examples.
Power on the oscilloscope. Remove all probes and signal inputs from the
input BNC connectors along the lower right of the front panel. Then, connect
the probe from the CH 1 connector to the PROBE COMPENSATION connec-
tors (Figure 1-1).
Figure 1-1: Connecting a Probe for the Examples
Setting Up for the
Examples

Tutorial
1Ć2
Example 1: Displaying a Waveform
In this first example you learn about resetting the oscilloscope, displaying and
adjusting a waveform, and using the autoset function.
Begin each example by resetting the oscilloscope to a known factory default
state. Reset the oscilloscope when you begin a new task and need to “start
fresh” with known default settings.
1. Press save/recall SETUP (Figure 1-2).
SETUP Button
Figure 1-2: SETUP Button Location
Main menus are displayed along the bottom of the oscilloscope screen.
Figure 1-3 shows the Setup main menu.
Recall Factory Setup
Main-Menu Item and Button
OK Confirm Factory Init
Side-Menu Item and Button
Figure 1-3: The Displayed Setup Menu
Resetting the
Oscilloscope