The R&S MXO 5 from Rohde & Schwarz is the first eight-channel oscilloscope that can detect 4.5 million acquisitions and 18 million waveforms per second across multiple channels. This acquisition rate is the fastest in the world, allowing the instrument to capture up to 99 percent of real-time signal activity. As the first eight-channel oscilloscope with digital triggering, the R&S MXO 5 is exceptional at isolating small signal anomalies. This makes it a powerful tool for efficient debugging across applications, from power conversion to automotive analysis.
Powerful EMI testing features
The R&S MXO 5 has a minimal blind time that is ideal for EMI diagnostics during product design phases, helping to avoid costly redesigns during pre-production. It is also the first oscilloscope to feature 45,000 FFTs per second. This exceptional speed provides engineers with outstanding RF signal visibility and enables efficient debugging across a wide range of applications.
Figure 1 Different range displays for the same signal.
A normal sine tone can conceal many spectral elements. The R&S MXO 5 can display four simultaneous spectra, as shown in Figure 1, enabling it to reveal spectral elements that would normally remain hidden. It shows how the instrument displays different ranges for the same signal, allowing the user to observe various frequency details.
Easier power sequencing
Power sequence verification is a key application for multi-channel oscilloscopes. Normally, when a device under test (DUT) has more power rails than available channels, repeated measurements or a second oscilloscope are needed and measurements need to be synchronized for a complete picture of power timing. The eight-channel R&S MXO 5 makes synchronization easier by eliminating the need for separate measurements or devices.
This oscilloscope series has many automotive measurement applications. It supports automotive Ethernet along with the basic triggers for automotive buses and decoding. Current and high-voltage probes are often needed when designing electric drive trains and the number of available measurement channels often imposes limits. The R&S MXO 5 addresses this challenge by providing enough current for eight active probes at the same time.
Deepest-in-class standard memory
Figure 2 Inside the R&S MXO 5.
Looking inside the R&S MXO 5 in Figure 2 reveals internally developed next-generation MXO-EP processing ASIC technology and a generous memory block. Each channel of the R&S MXO 5 has 500 Mpoints of acquisition memory; more than 5× the standard memory of other scopes in its class. The instrument also features segmented memory to capture signals separated by inactivity. This is useful for applications like laser pulses, serial bus activities and RF pulses. It enables signal capture over long observation periods, up to 10,000 segments.
The standard history mode can access previous acquisitions. For applications that require long observation periods, a 1 Gpoint of memory (channels interleaved) and 1 million segment upgrade is available.
Radar pulse analysis
With a maximum bandwidth of up to 2 GHz, the R&S MXO 5 might seem insufficient for RF and radar applications. However, through a down-converter, the DUT’s high frequency carrier can be mixed down with a modulation bandwidth up to the oscilloscope’s rated bandwidth. With real-time capture rates of 99 percent, the oscilloscope records like a real-time spectrum analyzer. Recorded data can be transferred to an external PC for deeper analysis. Providing pristine RF performance with a wide dynamic range is a strength of the R&S MXO 5. Uniform bandwidth flatness also contributes to capturing clean pulse shapes. This is useful when investigating pulse compression. The oscilloscope excels in phased-array antenna applications by providing a time-synchronized multiple-channel capture.
Every detail recorded
Figure 3 Noisy signals on the left improved with the 18-bit HD mode on the right.
Input channels have a 12-bit ADC with a vertical resolution of 4096 quantization levels at all sampling rates, ensuring that signal details are captured without compromise. The hardware has an 18-bit architecture with an HD mode to enhance ADC resolution, as shown in Figure 3. The improved resolution does not reduce the sampling rate. Bit resolution enhancements usually cause decimated samples, but a moving average filter eliminates aliasing noise components and maintains high resolution for precise capturing and triggering.
The R&S MXO 5 is sensitive down to 500 μV/div without any bandwidth reductions. At 1 mV/div, the maximum noise is 130 μV at 2 GHz bandwidth. Precision and accuracy are further enhanced with the patented digital trigger architecture, featuring controllable trigger sensitivity and sample-based event detection. An ±5 V offset at higher sensitivity vertical scales simplifies voltage ripple measurements where 10× passive probes can easily offer a ±50 V offset range. Further offset range and higher sensitivity can be achieved with higher bandwidth power rail probes like the R&S RT-ZPR.
Evolved user experience
The oscilloscope features an intuitive user interface. The 15.6 in. full-HD capacitive touchscreen reduces learning curves, providing a seamless and engaging visual experience. The instrument stands 314 mm high with a 153 mm × 445 mm footprint, ideal for lab benches that are short on space. The optional VESA mount plate can save even more space.
The scope suits office workstations, with a noise level 1 m in front of the instrument of 25 dBA. Working remotely with the instrument is easy, as the built-in webserver interface allows users to control and observe waveforms directly on a standard web browser.
Get the big picture faster
The R&S MXO 5 is a versatile, market-leading instrument that provides engineers with in-depth analysis of designs. With at least 100 MHz of bandwidth, this oscilloscope covers entry-level applications where more channels are needed for faster insight.
The base model comes with a deep memory of 500 Mpoints per channel. This supports recording long events with high sampling rates but does not compromise the vertical resolution crucial for power integrity measurements. With a 12-bit ADC and the 18-bit HD mode, the instrument allows accurate power ripple quantification while maintaining excellent noise performance. The synergy of these features enables fast acquisitions, facilitating swift data accumulation and efficient statistical result correlation.
Rohde & Schwarz
Munich, Germany
www.rohde-schwarz.com/product/MXO5