Oscilloscope THD performance

Ronnie4416 · 19th October 2010, 08:05 AM

If oscilloscopes are one of the main tools that analyze electrical signals as they give a full representation of the signal amplitude variation over time why most scopes I’ve seen (if not all) don’t have THD specification on their data sheet?

SY · 19th October 2010, 10:54 AM

Remember, a scope gives a visual representation. Your eyes are not particularly sensitive to HD- it takes several percent before it becomes clearly visible.

Ronnie4416 · 19th October 2010, 12:06 PM

Now I know there is no need to exert effort looking for THD spec on any scope data sheet. Thanks Stuart.

Elvee · 19th October 2010, 01:56 PM

This kind of specification exists for oscilloscopes, but it isn't given in a THD format, rather as linearity, which is obviously more meaningful:

Ronnie4416 · 21st October 2010, 12:10 PM

@Elvee
So what scope brand & model is the data sheet? If linearity specification is more meaningful how come popular brands like Agilent, LeCroy, & Tektronix (mentioned in alphabetical order) don't specify them on their data sheet?

Elvee · 21st October 2010, 01:54 PM

This spec is extracted from the TEK 2445 manual:

http://web.mit.edu/jhawk/www/tek2445.pdf

But I've seen this kind of spec (maybe with a slightly different formulation) on other instruments and manufacturers.

19th October 2010, 08:05 AM	#1
Ronnie4416 diyAudio Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Pampanga, Philippines	Oscilloscope THD performance If oscilloscopes are one of the main tools that analyze electrical signals as they give a full representation of the signal amplitude variation over time why most scopes I’ve seen (if not all) don’t have THD specification on their data sheet?

19th October 2010, 10:54 AM	#2
SY diyAudio Moderator Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Chicagoland Blog Entries: 1	Remember, a scope gives a visual representation. Your eyes are not particularly sensitive to HD- it takes several percent before it becomes clearly visible. __________________ If there's a sucker born every minute, where do the rest of them come from?

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19th October 2010, 12:06 PM	#3
Ronnie4416 diyAudio Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Pampanga, Philippines	Now I know there is no need to exert effort looking for THD spec on any scope data sheet. Thanks Stuart.

21st October 2010, 12:10 PM	#5
Ronnie4416 diyAudio Member Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Pampanga, Philippines	@Elvee So what scope brand & model is the data sheet? If linearity specification is more meaningful how come popular brands like Agilent, LeCroy, & Tektronix (mentioned in alphabetical order) don't specify them on their data sheet?

21st October 2010, 01:54 PM	#6
Elvee diyAudio Member Join Date: Sep 2006	This spec is extracted from the TEK 2445 manual: http://web.mit.edu/jhawk/www/tek2445.pdf But I've seen this kind of spec (maybe with a slightly different formulation) on other instruments and manufacturers.