5000 Series Oscilloscope FAQ

The 5000 Series oscilloscopes are plug-in oscilloscopes product line that offer a variety of plug-in types, featuring several high gain differential amplifiers. While the nomenclature changed over the years, the 5000 Series oscilloscopes with both storage and non-storage CRT's (cathode ray tubes) remained a prominent Tektronix offering for about 20 years, from 1970 to 1990.

These products were very successful in two market areas, the medical and mechanical market. In both cases, the key parameters were low-level, differential signals and noisy environments. The differential amplifiers were ideal products in both these fields. The high gain and noise rejection capabilities of the differential amplifier made it an ideal solution to vibration and ultrasonic applications. ERG, EMG and EKG applications in the medical field also require the high gain capabilities.

Features of the 5000 Series oscilloscope include:

  • Large CRT
  • High gain, differential amplifiers
  • Easy conversion from rack mount to bench to rack mount

Frequently Asked Questions

  1. Are the 5000 Series oscilloscopes the same as the TDS5000B Series oscilloscopes?

  2. I am looking at the used equipment market for a replacement for a 5103N. I have found several products that look similar but have different names. What should I be looking for?

  3. What is the difference between a 5103N and a 5110?

  4. I need a replacement for my 5111A. It is no longer possible to repair. We have been using it in medical research and there are some specific needs. What would you recommend?

  5. What is the relationship between the 5440 and 5110?

  6. A company that I was visiting had what looked like a 5110 oscilloscope. However, I did not recognize any of the plug-in models. It wasn't even Tektronix blue. Were other companies producing look alike 5000 Series products?

 

 

1.  
Are the 5000 Series oscilloscopes the same as the TDS5000B Series oscilloscopes?

No. The TDS5000B Series digital phosphor oscilloscopes were introduced in March 2004. TDS5000B Series Data Sheet


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2.  
I am looking at the used market for a replacement for a 5103N. I have found several products that look similar but have different names. What should I be looking for?

The 5103N is the bottom half of an oscilloscope. It is really only the power supply and plug-in compartments. In order to 'know' what you really need, you have to look at the display unit also. The two in combination tell you what the total oscilloscope package is. Question #2 goes into a little more detail as to the name changes that the product went through over its life span.


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3.   What is the difference between a 5103N and a 5110?

The oscilloscope went through several name changes over its life. The original idea was to only nomenclate the display, so the customer would have to order a display unit, a 5103N and whatever plug-ins that fit his application. Less than two years after the introduction, the product name was changed. Below is a chart that ties the two names together.


Model Bandwidth Original nomenclature
5110 2 MHz 5103N D10 - Standard non-storage instrument
5111 2 MHz 5103N D11 - Single beam storage instrument
5112 2 MHz 5103N D12 - Dual beam non-storage instrument
5113 2 MHz 5103N D13 - Dual beam storage instrument
5115 2 MHz 5103N D15 - Single beam storage instrument (high writing rate)

 

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4.   I need a replacement for my 5111A because it is no longer possible to repair. I have been using it in medical research and have some specific needs. What would you recommend?

There are several choices that need to be made. Those choices affect the product mix and price. Below are three instrument selections that match with the application.


5111A with Equivalent Application Cost
5A14/18 TDS2101 General purpose Low
5A22/21/26 TDS210/ADA400A/1103 Differential signal Medium
5A22/21/26 TDS420A/ADA400A Differential signal Med/high
1The TDS210 is a digital, 2-channel oscilloscope. It has 60 MHz bandwidth with 1 GS/s sampling rate.

 
The TDS420A is a digital, 4-channel oscilloscope. Its bandwidth is 200 MHz with a 100 MS/s sampling rate.

The ADA400A is a differential preamplifier, much like the 5A22. It requires power that can be provided from some of the oscilloscopes or from the 1103 power supply.


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5.   What is the relationship between the 5440 and 5110?

There are two differences; 1) the bandwidth, and 2) the plug-in compatibility. The 5110 had a maximum bandwidth of 2 MHz, while the 5440 maximum bandwidth was 60 MHz. The second difference was a little more subtle. The plug-ins designed for the 5440 would not operate in the 5110 while all the plug-in designed for the 5110 worked perfectly in a 5440.


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6.   A company that I was visiting had what looked like a 5110 oscilloscope. However, I did not recognize any of the plug-in models. It wasn't even Tektronix blue. Were other companies producing look alike 5000 Series products?

The 5000 Series was sold heavily into OEM situations. Several companies purchase hundreds of these products, which they then resold in their own systems. Other customers produced their own custom plug-ins for the 5000 Series mainframe, that addressed niche markets. So what you were looking at could have been a custom product, that used a 5000 Series oscilloscope.


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