Tektronix Oscilloscope Triggering controls and their usage

[bradshaw106]

Great video! I had a tektronix 2246a giving to me by my uncle and I'm trying to figure this thing out... Your video helped a lot! Thanks

[w2aew]

@bradshaw106 I'm glad this video helped. Check out my other scope videos too!

[nlimchua]

I've always been curious about many of the controls that come with Tek scopes and the manuals just don't explain them as clearly as you do. Your digital SA video is good too but I'm suffering from info overload! Wish they weren't too expensive so I could have hands-on like you do. B^)

[w2aew]

@nlimchua I'm glad that my videos have helped you to understand these controls a little better! Any others are you unclear about?

[nlimchua]

@w2aew oh yes! I've always been curious about practical real-world applications of the x-y function on the timebase knob. I saw some in your other videos - but more demos please. Also, the rear of my 2465A have ch2 sig out, A gate out, step/auto ext switch, B gate out and ext. Z axis IN. These are a mystery to me. Would love vids about these! thx.

[axel1973w]

Excellent Tutorial!

[orion2020]

WOW thanks alot i been searching all over the internet for this!!!!. got my first oscilloscope an old trio kenwood 15mhz!!!, was fiddling around without knowing much.., after watching this it all makes sense thank you!!!!!!!!!

[w2aew]

@orion2020 I'm glad that this video helped to clear things up for you! You might want to check out some of my other videos on other basic oscilloscope topics which you can find on my "channel", or even the full-blown "Scopes for Dopes" 2+hr video which you can find on the "Favorites" section of my channel.

[jllarivee60]

This is very helpfull. You sound very intelligent and made alot of sense. Thank you very much.

[avatarcollides2day]

Nice. Im in my first year of EE and my first lab is on the oscilloscopeBK Precision 2121

[w2aew]

@avatarcollides2day Good luck with your studies. I've been an EE for more than 25yrs. If you have the time, I have a video in my "Favorites" section which is a 2 hour comprehensive Oscilloscope Basics class which I taught earlier this year. It should teach you everything you'll need to know.

[avatarcollides2day]

@w2aew

Thanks. By the way, what are your thoughts on the job market for EEs now and the income they make ? I had a dilemma to study to be either EE or a ChemEng. But i chose this because of the wide span of options it has to offer.

[w2aew]

@avatarcollides2day I think it's still a good market for EEs - not as good as it was 10 years ago, but still good. Income is generally good too - but it does take dedication to work up the ladder. Pursue what you are interested in - potential employers will recognize the passion...

[nlimchua]

@w2aew Watched the Basics video. Pleased to finally meet you, Mr. Wolke!

[nlimchua]

@nlimchua I would appreciate a video to show practical applications for the following controls: Add, Invert, GPIB(gen.purpose interface bus) and the purpose of a button on my 2465A that says, "INIT@50%". thx!

[w2aew]

@nlimchua Which one, the Scopes for Dopes video? That was a long one!

[MrBorismans]

Best advanced tutorial! Awesome!

[w2aew]

@MrBorismans I'm glad you enjoyed it - thank you!

[thewii552]

On the tektronix 465, is it normal for the trace to be pretty thick? (like about 3mm). Also, what does the astigmatism knob do?

[w2aew]

@thewii552 It shouldn't be that wide in my opinion. On my 465B, the trace is 1mm or less. It gets a little fuzzier at low V/div settings. The trace sharpens up a bit more when the BW limit is turned on. The astigmatism control works in conjunction with the Focus - best thought of as a "skew" control, making the focus control apply linearly in all locations of the screen, in both X and Y directions.

[thewii552]

@w2aew sorry, (I'm a n00b) but what does the BW limit do? (I have been wondering that for a while now

[w2aew]

@thewii552 No apologies needed. The bandwidth (BW) refers to the vertical frequency response. So, for a 100MHz scope, this means that the scope will respond accurately to signals from DC up to 100MHz. Actually, the signal amplitude will be 3dB down at 100MHz. The 20MHz BW limit allows you to intentionally limit the response BW down to 20MHz (so the response will be DC thru 20MHz). This control is typically used to reduce the noise on the trace when measuring low-speed signals.

[thewii552]

@w2aew ohhhhhhhh. Thanks! (I screwed around with knobs and stuff and fiked my trace). Also, knowing what BW limit does will come in really handy, I've needed that feature before and didn't know I had it.

[supertruckertom]

Got my subscription,

Thanks for the video, still learning my way around a 2230

Got any suggestion for probes for it.

KG4BXN

[w2aew]

@supertruckertom The 2230 is a 100MHz scope, so there are many probes that will work with it. You can use simple 1X probes but probably won't achieve the full 100MHz BW with those. Also, you can use switchable 1X/10X probes or regular 10X probes with that scope. Genuine Tek probes are very high quality, but you aren't forced to stay with them. For a 10X probe that you choose, just be sure that it's compensation range covers the input capacitance of your scope.

[supertruckertom]

@w2aew It has one 6121 that came with it and was looking for another. Maybe I can find one NOS but will probably get a new model passive probe from Tek. The Digital Storage portion is fun to usel. I just wish I could find the option 10 GPIB or even option 12 RS-232 serial interface. Tek had an old DOS serial comm program to pull data off of it in the support section. I'll probably be wishing for a long time on those options though. I joined a Tek users group too. Thanks.

[jgeidl1116]

Superb!!!

[pauloninja85]

probably one of the best videos i have seen about scopes,thanks for the video,oh,and nice scope :)

[w2aew]

@pauloninja85 I'm glad you enjoyed it!