TDS 500B, TDS 600B, & TDS 700A User Manual
E–1
Appendix E: Probe Selection
The TDS Oscilloscope can use a variety of Tektronix probes for taking different
kinds of measurements. To help you decide what type of probe you need, this
section introduces the five major types of probes: passive, active, current,
optical, and time-to-voltage probes. See Appendix A: Options and Accessories
for a list of the optional probes available; see your Tektronix Products Catalog
for more information about a given probe.
NOTE. With some TDS models, Tektronix ships the recommended general-pur-
pose probes as standard accessories. (The model probe and number shipped
depends on the model — see Probes in Table A–2 on page A–4.) The TDS 680B,
TDS 684B, and TDS 784A Oscilloscopes come without probes, but for general-
purpose measurements and to take advantage of the 1-GHz bandwidth of these
oscilloscopes, the P6245 Active Probe is recommended. This manual lists the
P6245 optional-accessory probe in Appendix A: Options and Accessories.
Passive Voltage Probes
Passive voltage probes measure voltage. They employ passive circuit compo-
nents such as resistors, capacitors, and inductors. There are three common
classes of passive voltage probes:
General purpose (high input resistance)
Low impedance (Z
O
)
High voltage
High input resistance probes are considered “typical” oscilloscope probes. The
high input resistance of passive probes (typically 10 MW) provides negligible
DC loading and makes them a good choice for accurate DC amplitude measure-
ments.
However, their 8 pF to 12 pF (over 60 pF for 1X) capacitive loading can distort
timing and phase measurements. Use high input resistance passive probes for
measurements involving:
Device characterization (above 15 V, thermal drift applications)
Maximum amplitude sensitivity using 1X high impedance
Large voltage range (between 15 and 500 V)
General Purpose (High
Input Resistance) Probes
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