Tektronix Introduces the 8 Series Sampling Oscilloscope Platform with Support for 56GBd and 28GBd applications

New optical transceiver test platform reduces test time and boasts repeatability, addressing test challenges for optical manufactures striving to meet demand for increased bandwidth and network capacity

BEAVERTON, Ore., Aug. 20, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — Tektronix, Inc. today announced the new 8 Series sampling platform, a disaggregated modular instrument series boasting parallel acquisition, with up to 4 channels per mainframe and the highest measurement accuracy for PAM4 optical signals on multiple inputs simultaneously. The 8 Series consists of the TSO820 Sampling Oscilloscope Mainframe, optical sampling modules, and TSOVu, a new software platform that runs independent of the mainframe on host PC for both live and offline processing of acquired data. Tektronix also introduces the TCR801, an external optical clock recovery module which covers dual band ranges around both 26GBd and 53GBd. These instruments and software provide a platform solution for fast acquisition and analysis.

“Our customers are facing new challenges with the increased demand for bandwidth and network capacity,” says Matt Ochs, General Manager of the Performance Portfolio at Tektronix. “The 8 Series helps solve critical problems by delivering a scalable platform that reduces test times, while also providing fast, accurate and repeatable test results.”

The 8 Series’ mainframe is a configurable, compact instrument with the smallest modular form factor in the market, at 3U high. Built to maximize the utilization of the rack space, this instrument is ideal for optical manufacturing applications, where users can quickly add new analysis capabilities and reconfigure test systems to support upcoming standards and changes in workflow. Offline and remote modes of operation extend the analysis and visualization capability of the TSO820 beyond the oscilloscope to a user computing environment, facilitating seamless transition from design phase to debug, characterization and manufacturing test.

New TCR801 Optical Clock Recovery
The TCR801 Optical Clock Recovery instrument works with new and existing test equipment, including the TSO820 and DSA8300. This single mode, external instrument has a FC/PC optical connection for PAM4 and NRZ and utilizes external optical splitters.

New TSOVu Software
The TSOVu software platform enables an external computing environment with a comprehensive programmatic interface boosting automation. This software solution also offers a new measurement plug-in architecture, enabling quick iterations of existing measurements as well as future customer defined measurements.

Availability
The 8 Series is now available worldwide and comes with a one-year warranty. For more information, visit tek.com/