Tektronix intros differential probe

Tektronix has introduced the P7313SMA differential probe. With 13 GHz bandwidth and an extended termination voltage range, the new SMA probe is designed for serial bus validation and compliance testing of the latest high-speed standards including HDMI 1.3 that promises consumers the highest-quality home theater experience, and PCI-Express 2.0 that promises new levels of performance and scalability in computing devices.

Tektronix says SMA probes provide the capability for customers to connect to two SMA connectors on their device under test and bring those two signals into a differential probe that converts the two complementary signals into one single-ended signal. The P7313SMA probe is designed for measuring differential signals in a 50? signaling environment, providing the ability to convert from a differential SMA signal path to a single oscilloscope input channel.

The Tektronix P7313SMA differential probe provides the ability to measure a high-speed differential signal on each channel of a multiple channel oscilloscope such as the DSA70804, said Mike Fitzgerald, General Manager, Measurement Accessories Product Line, Tektronix. Unlike competing alternatives in the market, the P7313SMA probe has an extended termination voltage range that makes it ideal for testing differential standards with high common mode voltages like HDMI. The P7313SMA provides engineers working with the latest high-speed serial standards a world class differential acquisition system.

The P7313SMA provides a common mode DC voltage input to the termination network. The termination voltage can be supplied either externally by the user or internally by the oscilloscope. There is also an automatic mode that senses the common mode voltage of the input signal and automatically sets the termination voltage to match. In addition to the extended termination voltage range, the P7313SMA offers industry-leading return loss, a critical specification that is very important in compliance testing as frequencies increase. An extended dynamic range allows the probe to measure larger signals while in the 2.5x low noise attenuation setting.