Tektronix MSO2012B 2-channel oscilloscope, Digital Storage oscilloscope, Bandwidth 100 MHz MSO2012B:A1:L3 Information Guide

Product codes
MSO2012B:A1:L3
Page of 30
BANDWIDTH 
System bandwidth determines an oscilloscope’s fundamental ability to  
measure an analog signal - the maximum frequency range that it can  
accurately measure. 
What you need
 
„
 Entry level scopes will often have a maximum bandwidth of 100 MHz. They can 
accurately (within 2%) show the amplitudes of sine-wave signals up to 20 MHz. 
 
„
 For digital signals, oscilloscopes must capture the fundamental, third and fifth 
harmonics or the display will lose key features. So, the bandwidth of the scope 
together with the probe should similarly be at least 5x the maximum signal 
bandwidth
 for better than ±2% measurement error – the ‘five times rule’.  
This is also needed for accurate 
amplitude measurements. 
 
„
 High-speed digital, serial communications, video and other complex signals  
can therefore require scope bandwidths of 500 MHz or more. 
Bandwidth is defined as the frequency at which a sine-wave 
input signal is attenuated to 70.7% of its true amplitude (the 
-3 dB or ‘half-power’ point, shown here for a 1 GHz scope). 
100
85
70.7
0.1
0.5
Frequency (GHz)
30% Amplitude degration!
Amplitude err
or (%)
1.0
-3 dB
 
~2% Amplitude degration
5
 
    
12 THINGS TO CONSIDER WHEN CHOOSING AN OSCILLOSCOPE
CONTENTS
1
2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 CONTACT
INTRO
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