Faster Performance, Lower Price, Smaller Footprint, Most Most Intuitive Use, Best and Largest Display Establish New Benchmark

BEAVERTON, Ore.—Tektronix, Inc., a leading worldwide provider of test, measurement and monitoring instrumentation, announces the new AFG3000 Series of Arbitrary/Function Generators (AFG). The AFG3000 Series of arbitrary/function generators consists of six models whose ease-of-use and performance establishes a new benchmark in the "value" category. With the AFG3000 Series, engineers will have available a powerful function, pulse, and arbitrary waveform generator to shorten test time and reduce time from design to market.

Customers in a wide array of industries the computer, communications, and consumer electronics industries and in government and education markets are working on new electronic circuitry of increasingly higher speeds. The design and test of this circuitry often requires one or more simulated input signals from a missing or difficult to obtain component or sensor. These signals can be as simple as an audio frequency or clock signal or more complex such as a serial data stream or signal from an airbag sensor during a crash.

Arbitrary/ function generators are often the instrument of choice, but users routinely outgrow the capabilities of existing test equipment. Thanks to an innovative architecture based on a powerful "Generator on a Chip" (GoC) ASIC, the AFG3000 Series delivers industry-leading performance in its class. At the same time, the platform’s user interface is straightforward and easy to use, and provides the largest available display, all maximizing productivity. Even with these compelling advantages, the instruments in the AFG3000 Series are priced below competing offerings.

The six models that comprise the new Tektronix AGF3000 Series address the problem for engineers, who need to test electronic circuits with one or more signal inputs and sine waveforms at frequencies up to 240 MHz, generate arbitrary waveforms up to 2 GS/s, obtain up to 1 ppm clock stability, and who desire an intuitive graphical UI. For applications requiring signals with sampling rates of 1GS/s or more, the AFG3000 Series can save users up to 75 percent of the cost when compared to many alternative high performance products. The models at the top of the series will appeal to designers developing high-performance computing or communications equipment and video products. The more basic models will attract users in colleges and trade schools, as well as designers of consumer electronics, medical and automotive systems.

"The AFG3000 Series offers unprecedented performance and ease of use at a very attractive price," said Mike Higashi, Vice President, Signal Sources Product Line, Tektronix. "Tektronix is committed to innovation in signal sources that will provide our customers with the very best instruments in the market. The AFG3000 Series is a major development towards this goal, a serious problem solver providing customers with compelling advantages that transform the arbitrary/function generator market."

"We've reviewed one of the new AFG3000 Series units and we're very impressed," said Randy Stephens, System & Applications Specialist, Texas Instruments. "This product has many compelling attributes including excellent performance and the best user interface we've seen in this class of instrument. The 5 ns edge time in the AFG3102 for square waves and pulses is best in class. Like most similar instruments, it is really three products in one, providing many attributes typical of function generators, pulse generators, and arbitrary waveform generators. What's different about the Tektronix AFG3000 is that it excels at more of these than any other single product. The AFG3000 Series represents the most significant advance in the arbitrary/function generator market for many, many years."

Unprecedented Ease of Use in an Arbitrary Function/Waveform Generator

A common frustration with existing instruments is that the operation of the instrument is often difficult to learn and easy to forget. Across all industry segments, customers have expressed that ease of use is their main concern about existing equipment. Since arbitrary/function generators are typically used only occasionally on occasion, customers have to relearn the instrument operation. This results in impaired productivity. Operation of the AFG3000 is easy to learn due to the largest display in the industry and intuitive user interface. Users will appreciate that the AFG3000 Series is just as intuitive as the popular Tektronix TDS1000 and TDS2000 oscilloscope series, allowing them to focus on design tasks and improving time to market.

"The new Tektronix AFG3000 Series signal sources are very usable, versatile and offer a strong value proposition," said Galen Wampler, President, Prime Data. "Dual channels, increased performance, and a great display open a lot of possibilities for new applications and even replacement of multiple pieces of equipment." The easy to understand and navigate user interface will help users to better concentrate on the problem and not on the instrument setup. "The AFG3000 Series is a big step forward for signal sources."

ArbExpress Software Facilitates Waveform Creation and Editing

The ArbExpress 2.0 software package extends the ease of use to the creation and editing of arbitrary waveforms on a PC. ArbExpress 2.0 seamlessly translates oscilloscope data from all popular Tektronix oscilloscopes and also enables direct transfer of waveform data out of the MathWorks MatLab software that eliminates tedious conversion and modification. The software also allows the building of equations with ease, using interpreter-based logic and a wide range of functions. This enables customers to spend more of their valuable time on their original task and less on learning and re-learning instrument and software usage. ArbExpress 2.0 is available without charge.

Generator On A Chip

The architecture of the AFG3000 Series is transformational with the integration of Generator-On-A-Chip technology. This custom waveform generator ASIC enables excellent price/performance and the compact form factor of the AFG3000 Series. In a single CMOS 0.18 micron IC, the Generator-On-A-Chip provides Direct Digital Synthesis (DDS), a Digital-to-Analog Converter that operates up to 2 GS/s, provides true 14-bit amplitude resolution, the ability to synchronize multiple channels, category leading memory for arbitrary waveforms, standard function generator waveforms, pulse generator with variable period and independently adjustable rise and fall times, modulation source, noise source, burst capability, and frequency sweep. A single ASIC within the AFG3000 Series provides all of these functions, enabling engineers to address a multitude of design tasks today and into the future. eeProductCenter's Alex Mendelsohn Says ...

When I sat down recently with Tek's field marketing director to get a hands-on demo of these new arbitrary/function generators, I felt like I was re-visiting the rollout of Tektronix's TDS1000, TDS2000, and TDS3000B Series oscilloscopes. I had to look closely to be sure I wasn't about to test drive a scope. The new AFG3000 Series have big (5.6-in.) menu-display LCDs that look very much like oscilloscope screens.

"Yup," confirmed Gary McFarlane, "they have the same look-and-feel. The settings are shown on-screen, and the function and mode you select is displayed as a waveshape, too. You can also quickly see the scale you're on, and select frequency, period, and phase using soft keys."

It's worth pointing out the generators' very large color LCDs, too. Competing models from companies such as Agilent and Fluke have much smaller LCDs. The competition also has more limited color.

Stack 'Em High

Adding to the oscilloscope illusion, when McFarlane operated the AFG3102 in our demo session, he stacked it with one of Tek's TDS2024 4-channel oscilloscopes. This clean looking high-rise package was really compact—and didn't gobble much benchtop real estate, either. Very nice.

One of the things not mentioned in Tek's press release (on the left) is where these new generators stand versus their competition and like pieces of test equipment. As McFarlane points out, there are quite a few low cost arbitrary waveform generators, or ARBs, out there, but most typically top out at 50-MHz or perhaps 80-MHz at best.

"If you need to generate signals at 100-MHz you," says McFarlane, "generally you have to purchase an ARB with much more capability. You might have to spring for an expensive box that goes to 500 MHz."

Six Models

You won’t be saddled with that problem with these new boxes. With six models in the AFG3000 Series line, you can get ones with 240-MHz function generator capability and 2-Gsample/s speeds, or slower ones at 25-MHz and 250-Msample/s rates. That should let you select a model to closely—and cost-effectively—meet your needs.

Single and dual-channel models are also part of the family mix. By the way, the slash character in the Arbitrary/Function Generator moniker underscores the ability to deliver both arbitrary waveforms and math-based functions such as sine and pulse waves.

At the low end, a Model AFG3021, priced at about $1780, generates sine waves at up to 25-MHz, and works as a pulse/ARB to 12.5-MHz. It operates at the arbitrary waveform sample rate of 250-Msamples/s. Arbitrary waveform memory supports four waveforms, of 64-kbytes each.

At the top of the line is the $8500 dual-channel AFG3252, with 240-MHz sinewave capacity and a 120-MHz pulse/ARB capability. It packs a waveform sample rate of up to 2-Gbits/s, and has memory enough for four waveforms of 128-kbytes each. In between are other models at 100-MHz with 1-Gsample/s sampling rates.

Any of these is capable of generating waveforms that you define, as well as standard ramp, triangle, and sinewave signals. All deliver 14 bits of vertical resolution. The pulse generator function delivers streams of squarewaves or pulses, with settable and separate rise and fall times. "The ability to set rise and fall time has been unavailable in this price range prior to this product line," points out McFarlane.

Wide Appeal

It's likely that the models at the top of the series will appeal to those of you developing high-performance computing, communications, and video designs. The more basic models would make cost-effective tools for labs in schools, and will also appeal to designers of consumer electronics, medical, and automotive systems, where higher frequency gear simply isn't needed, but performance and cost are nonetheless important.

Prices for other models range from $2700 for a dual-channel 25-MHz Model AFG3022, to $3600 for a single-channel AFG3101 100-MHz unit. An AFG3102 dual-channel 100-Mhz box comes in at about $4800. Just below the top-of-the-line dual channel AFG3252 is the single-channel equivalent, the AFG3251. It's priced at $6400.

Independent Selection

Not stated in the press release is that the three dual-channel models provide completely independent selection of waveform and frequency for each channel. If you're working with mixed-signal devices, for example, you'll be able to drive a device with both analog and digital signals simultaneously—and at two distinct frequencies if necessary.

Similarly, two serial bit streams, one ideal and the other impaired, can be fed to a component at the same time. By using the generator's phase-align and phase-adjust features, the dual-channel versions can also generate I/Q channels (in-phase and quadrature) for testing communications circuits.

You can also generate AM, FM, and PM signals, as well as noise and DC. Internal modulation can be set from as low as 2-milliHertz to as high as 50-kHz. You can set AM modulation from zero all the way up to an over-modulated 120%, and also set FM deviation. PM phase deviation can be varied from zero to 180°.

Remote Control

Finally, these instruments can be operated on a LAN (local area network), or using IEEE-488/GPIB (General Purpose Interface Bus), or across a USB (Universal Serial Bus) connection. All of these ports are accessible from both front and rear panel jacks, too. There's also a USB port for a memory stick. It lets you store and load waveforms. That can be very useful where multiple users are sharing generators.

If you'd like an arbitrary/function generator that's user-friendly, I think you'd be hard pressed to find a family that has models that top Tek's. The AFG3000s will save you from obsessively looking at your generated signals with a scope to make sure they're right, which can save time and might free up a probe at times. That big display also inspires confidence, as it reveals a lot about the generator's signals and configuration.

When you factor-in Tek's ArbExpress 2.0 software, and the way it translates scope data from all of the company's oscilloscopes (and lets you transfer waveform data out of MatLab), these instruments shape up as friendly, powerful, and cost-effective.

Check them out by contacting Gary McFarlane at Tektronix, Inc., 14150 S.W. Karl Braun Dr., PO Box 500, M/S 50-216, Beaverton, Oregon 97007-0001. Phone: 503-627-2099. Fax: 503-627-1112.

Click here to view a datasheet on Tek's Web site.

Tektronix, 503-627-2099, www.tektronix.com