Oscilloscope CPU architectures

[japlytic]

Technically, this involves part of a computer, which is the CPU.

I am curious of what CPU architectures have been used in oscilloscopes.

As far as I know, LeCroy used Motorola 68000, 68020 and 68030 CPUs in their scopes at one time, and I have seen a number of ARM CPUs being used in newer scopes, and some of them have the x86 (and even the x64) architecture - I've seen Tektronix logic analyzers use Windows (including 95 and 2000) too!

What other CPU architectures have been used in oscilloscopes (past and present), particularly Hitachi Super H, MIPS, Motorola 68040 and PowerPC?

[japlytic]

Re: Oscilloscope CPU architectures

UPDATE: Tonight, I have found that LeCroy was at least one of the manufacturers who used PowerPC CPUs in some of their scopes, but I am still wondering if the 68040 was used in oscilloscopes.

[japlytic]

Re: Oscilloscope CPU architectures

UPDATE: During a random search, I found Yokogawa was at least one of the manufacturers who used Hitachi Super H CPUs in their scopes, but now I am wondering wherether MIPS CPUs have been used in oscilloscopes.

[goontron]

Re: Oscilloscope CPU architectures

honestly i don't think many people around here care enough to pay any attention, i'm not trying to sound mean but, i don't think anybody cares all that much as long as it works mate. its sort of like "your hardware RAID card has a MIPS processor" most would respond "ok" anyway its 17:00 over there? its 24:00 over here! so night.

[tom66]

Re: Oscilloscope CPU architectures

Oscilloscope architecture is fascinating.

Most modern scopes use a high performance FPGA to capture data and write this data to the LCD panel. Some, like the ones from Agilent and Tek, use an ASIC. Usually the main processor is only responsible for features such as waveform math, FFT, and the user interface, so doesn't need to be particularly powerful. Agilent's new 3000X scope only has a 400MHz ARM processor (running Windows CE...), because most of the heavy lifting is done in their custom ASIC.

[Elysarian]

Re: Oscilloscope CPU architectures

I'm still happily using my (unknown age) Telequipment S51B

It has valves in it!

[ben7]

Re: Oscilloscope CPU architectures

Isay exactly what tom66 said.

If you go on YouTube, there is a channel called "eevblog"

There are a numberof digital oscilloscope teardowns on there. Be warned, the videos are sometimes over an hour long xD

[joshnz]

Re: Oscilloscope CPU architectures

Isay exactly what tom66 said.

If you go on YouTube, there is a channel called "eevblog"

There are a numberof digital oscilloscope teardowns on there. Be warned, the videos are sometimes over an hour long xD

Dave jones,
That bloke is packed full of information great channel to subsribe to.