A Guide to the Tektronix 2430-series Digititizing Storage Oscilloscopes

And the 2402 TekMate Computer

What oscilloscope allows you to EMAIL a waveform and front-panel setup to another user? Answer at the end.

The Tektronix 2400 Series oscilloscopes were perhaps the most powerful instruments of their time. The 2445, 2465 and 2467 were truly beyong "state of the art" and were the best of the best. The 2430 series of digitizing storage oscilloscopes were their equal in the digital storage world. They combined high bandwidth and sampling rates with powerful automation features and waveform processing capabilities. In 1991, four models were available: 2430A, 2431L, 2432A, and 2440. These oscilloscopes are more, much more, than indicators of waveforms. Together with the 2402 and a PC, they constitute a complete waveform processing and analysis system. While the 2402 is out-of-date as a computer, the system is not as a processing entity. It can be used as an ordinary oscillosope but I believe it still is an instrument intended for events rather than waves.

Oscilloscope Models

2430A: Sampling rate 100 MS/sec, Bandwidth: 150 mHz.

2431L: Sampling rate 250 MS/sec, Bandwidth: 300 mHz (no delay sweep, no glitch capture, limited AUTO SETUP)

2432A: Sampling rate 250 MS/sec, Bandwidth: 300 mHz

2439: Sampling rate 500 MS/sec, Bandwidth: 300 mHz (no delay sweep, no glitch capture, limited AUTO SETUP)

2440: Sampling rate 500 MS/sec, Bandwidth: 300 mHz

A word about GPIB

 In 1965, Hewlett-Packard designed the Hewlett-Packard Interface Bus ( HP-IB ) to connect their line of programmable instruments to their computers. Because of its high transfer rates (nominally 1 Mbytes/s), this interface bus quickly gained popularity. It was later accepted as IEEE Standard 488-1975, and has evolved to ANSI/IEEE Standard 488.1-1987. Today, the name G eneral Purpose Interface Bus (GPIB) is more widely used than HP-IB. ANSI/IEEE 488.2-1987 strengthened the original standard by defining precisely how controllers and instruments communicate. S tandard Commands for Programmable Instruments (SCPI ) took the command structures defined in IEEE 488.2 and created a single, comprehensive programming command set that is used with any SCPI instrument. Many Tektronix instruments, including the 2430-series oscilloscopes, are available with GPIB interface cards.

Oscilloscope Options

The important oscillosope options are:

03 - Word Recognizer Probe Pod (P6407)

05 - Video waveform trigger system

11 - Probe Power

22 - Two additional matching probes

1R - Prep for rack mounting kit

TekMate 2402 and 2402A Instrument Extensions

The 2402 TekMate instrument extension is really an IBM clone computer that uses the oscilloscope as both keyboard and monitor. The 2402 has two floppy drives, the 2402A could be had with a hard drive in place of the second floppy. The 2402 communicates with the scope on the GPIB bus, and will transfer waveform data, programs and front panel setups both directions. Waveforms can be stored on floppy disks, processed by software in the 2402, and reloaded into the scope for display. As many waveforms can be stored as one has disks to store them on!

The processor is an 80286 running at 16 mHz. It has about 1M of RAM. It sounds pretty puny by todays standards, but actually works!

Keyboard

A standard IBM keyboard can be plugged into the 2402. It does not appear to be necessary however. All functions can be executed from menues on the oscilloscope itself.

Monitor

My 2402 has a 9-pin female connector for a CGA monitor. The 2402A had a VGA card. I have seen pictures of a 2402A that has this connector blocked off. The availability of CGA monitors is none-to-nil, so unless you have one, I would not worry too much about this feature.

GPIB Cables

The special GPIB cables are necessary to connect the 2430 scope to the plotter, the 2402 and any other controllers and scopes that were on the network. If you don't have these devices, then you can do without a GPIB cable. If you have a 2402 or 2402A without a cable, you need to find one. They come up for sale on eBay from time-to-time, cost seems to be around $20. As far as I can tell, you need the genuine article, no subtitutes or improvisation would do. It appears that a printer could be connected to the scope using a standard printer cable.

Probes

Supplied probe was the P6137, a highly sophisticated probe featuring 10X, 400 mHz bandwidth with readout capability and auto setup activation.

Printers and Plotters

HC100 Color Plotter

The HC100 is a four-color plotter designed to make waveform plots directly from the Tektronix 2430-series oscilloscopes.It does not rquire an intervening controller. Under program control from the instrument attached by a GPIB cable, front panel commands can be used to plot digitally stored waveforms and printouts of instrument setup information. They are sometimes for sale, but do not have a GPIB interface, which you need.

HC200 Dot Matrix Printer

This unit could be used to produce waveform plots as well as capturing setup information. It can be attacvhed directly to the scope with a printer cable, so a GPIB is not required.

Manuals

This is the most important thing to consider. The manuals are very important to fully utilize these instruments. Manuals for the scopes are generally available from manual sellers, eBay sellers etc. I have not seen the manuals for sale for the 2402. Without a manual, it would be very difficult to figure this unit out.

Each model of scope has its own. Most of these are available:

Operators Manual*

Programmers Reference Manual**

Users Reference Guide

Service manual

GPIB Pocket Guide**

*Necessary to use the scope

** Necessary to program the scope

There is also an Easy Start self-study course with video tapes.

The TekMate has hardware and DOS software manuals: These are essential to be able to operate the 2402.

Software

Software is essential to the operation of the 2402. The oscilloscope itself has all of the basic firmware installed, and if it hasn't been erased will not need updating. There appears to be three levels of software:

Firmware: Installed in the scope. Some updates and reloads are available from Bruce Lane at Bluefeather Technologies. Other stuff may still be available from Tektronix.

2402 software: The 2402 requires disks with its operating system on them. It looks like a special form of DOS, but is called DSO Utility Software. I don't know if any of this is available from anyone. Mine arrived with it included, thankfully.

Generic software. Some good stuff is available from Tektronix by free download. A program called ZOOM, for the 2430 scopes is there, as well as the comprehensive WAVEWRITER software which alllows much manipulation of waveforms on a Windows-based PC. It also allows the creation of waveforms using a Tektronix Arbitrary Waveform Generator. I have not tried it yet, I will report what I find when I do.

Answer to trick question - The Tektronix 2432A and Tekmate 2402, of course!