Author Topic: Example Project: Tektronix TekProbe Adapter/Breakout  (Read 17981 times)

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Offline voltsandjoltsTopic starter

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Example Project: Tektronix TekProbe Adapter/Breakout
« on: May 05, 2017, 08:23:44 am »
I have some TekProbes which I wanted to use on another brand of 'scope so made this adapter board.
Signal path feeds straight through on a BNC coupler.
Requires +/-18VDC supply preferably from current limited dual channel bench supply.

Overview PDF  1.2MB :
https://filedn.com/l5C6rr68NJOFlFbvMqdgEzu/EEVBlog/adapter.PDF

CircuitStudio Project  8.3MB :
https://filedn.com/l5C6rr68NJOFlFbvMqdgEzu/EEVBlog/TekProbeAdapterEEVBlog2.zip
 
« Last Edit: January 27, 2024, 06:00:17 pm by voltsandjolts »
 

Offline JamesH-AltiumOfficial

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Re: Example Project: Tektronix TekProbe Adapter/Breakout
« Reply #1 on: May 09, 2017, 04:28:36 am »
Hi voltsandjolts,

Thank you for posting your useful project! It's nicely documented and good to see CircuitStudio in use.

Also it's nice to see that you used the little known Guides feature to add guides for alignment.
For others:
Home > Board > Board Options > Guides button, opens the Snap Guide Manager.
Click the Add button to add a guide and click the ... button to snap to an object on your board.
It will snap to the object like a pad center if (Hotspot Snap) or (Hotspot Snap (All Layers)) is displayed in the Status Bar. Press Shift E to cycle through the 3 Electrical snap modes.

In the Board Options dialog, enable the Snap To Linear Guides if you'd like objects to snap to them.

Best regards,

James Harriman
Altium
 
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Offline KE5FX

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Re: Example Project: Tektronix TekProbe Adapter/Breakout
« Reply #2 on: May 09, 2017, 05:53:36 am »
I'd totally buy one of these if you were selling them.  :-+  (Same Agilent scope, same Tek probes.)  How about some pogo pins for the Agilent probe interface, instead of requiring an external supply?  The voltages you need might already be available.
 

Offline tggzzz

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Re: Example Project: Tektronix TekProbe Adapter/Breakout
« Reply #3 on: May 09, 2017, 08:27:50 am »
Consider posting the gerber files, or some PCB houses allow you to make the design available for anyone to buy (e.g. dirtypcbs.com)
There are lies, damned lies, statistics - and ADC/DAC specs.
Glider pilot's aphorism: "there is no substitute for span". Retort: "There is a substitute: skill+imagination. But you can buy span".
Having fun doing more, with less
 

Offline MarkL

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Re: Example Project: Tektronix TekProbe Adapter/Breakout
« Reply #4 on: May 15, 2017, 02:55:12 pm »
I'd totally buy one of these if you were selling them.  :-+  (Same Agilent scope, same Tek probes.)  How about some pogo pins for the Agilent probe interface, instead of requiring an external supply?  The voltages you need might already be available.
Unfortunately, the TekProbe interface needs +/15V and the Agilent autoprobe interface only supplies +/-12V.  There's some discussion of autoprobe here:

  https://www.eevblog.com/forum/projects/agilent-probe-interface-(-autoprobe-and-probe-id)/msg42290/#msg42290

Agilent/Keysight solves this problem by putting DC-DC converters in their N2744A TekProbe adapter.  So it's possible, but more complicated.

A lot of Agilent/Keysight scopes are fairly limited in the power available from the autoprobe interface anyway, so the external power supply I don't think is so bad.  Ideally, a solution could implement both by getting power from the autoprobe interface for low power probes, with an option for external power if more is needed.
 
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Offline voltsandjoltsTopic starter

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Re: Example Project: Tektronix TekProbe Adapter/Breakout
« Reply #5 on: May 16, 2017, 09:01:55 am »
I wanted this adapter to be usable with any scope so didn't consider using Agilent Autoprobe interface.

Consider posting the gerber files

Now included in the download (gerber + drill)
 

Offline Neomys Sapiens

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Re: Example Project: Tektronix TekProbe Adapter/Breakout
« Reply #6 on: June 30, 2017, 08:25:26 pm »
Well, this is not exactly what I thought about, but close. And your layout contains the necessary data. I want to build a real breakout box for TekprobeII, not an interface for other scopes. Coax needs to go through, all other lines ending in double 2mm jacks with 10mm or 12.5mm shorting plugs.
 

Offline Harvs

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Re: Example Project: Tektronix TekProbe Adapter/Breakout
« Reply #7 on: June 30, 2017, 11:21:45 pm »
Also it's nice to see that you used the little known Guides feature to add guides for alignment.
For others:
Home > Board > Board Options > Guides button, opens the Snap Guide Manager.
Click the Add button to add a guide and click the ... button to snap to an object on your board.

Thanks voltsandjolts for posting, and to James for pointing out something I'm not currently using.

However I can't for the life of me find the ... button.  I must be blind.  Could someone point it out for me?

 

Offline voltsandjoltsTopic starter

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Re: Example Project: Tektronix TekProbe Adapter/Breakout
« Reply #8 on: July 02, 2017, 04:26:36 pm »
Hi Harvs,
Prepare to kick yourself!
In the table click on a X or Y value cell for a guide or snap point, as if you were editing the value.
When you click on the cell the fabled [...] button shall appear at the side of that cell which allows you to select an object to snap to.
 

Offline Harvs

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Re: Example Project: Tektronix TekProbe Adapter/Breakout
« Reply #9 on: July 02, 2017, 10:40:07 pm »
Hi Harvs,
Prepare to kick yourself!
In the table click on a X or Y value cell for a guide or snap point, as if you were editing the value.
When you click on the cell the fabled [...] button shall appear at the side of that cell which allows you to select an object to snap to.

Oh god...  Thanks!
 

Offline JamesH-AltiumOfficial

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Re: Example Project: Tektronix TekProbe Adapter/Breakout
« Reply #10 on: July 03, 2017, 05:54:11 am »
No problem harvs, oh I should have posted a screen capture!

Best regards,

James Harrman
Altium
 

Offline Belgarath

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Re: Example Project: Tektronix TekProbe Adapter/Breakout
« Reply #11 on: May 30, 2021, 10:08:58 am »
Hello happy eev-blogers,

I built some of the nice breakout adapter of Voltsandjolts (thanks for sharing the work), and a few sets of board are remaining on my bench.

For those of you interested, I will sell them for the buying cost 18€/set, plus the letter shipping (real cost depending where you're living).

Recto/verso of the boards on the picture hereunder.

François / F4HTX
 
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Offline PeterMichael

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Re: Example Project: Tektronix TekProbe Adapter/Breakout
« Reply #12 on: October 10, 2021, 04:56:12 pm »
Hi Francois,
My name is Peter and I has been a Guest since about two years - now I have registered. Many thanks for posting this project! Thus, I like your breakout adapter from your post on May 30, 2021, 10:08:58 am. You offered you'll send a set for €18,-- plus shipping costs. If you have two sets left I'll want to order these (I need it for four channels). Do you have PayPal ? I will pay you 2x€18 + shipping costs (please declare me how much  :) ). I'm from Austria (be aware no kangaroos!  :-+)
 

Offline voltsandjoltsTopic starter

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Re: Example Project: Tektronix TekProbe Adapter/Breakout
« Reply #13 on: October 10, 2021, 04:57:00 pm »
Hi Peter, welcome to the forum. It looks like François is not here very often, so might be better to contact him by personal message (Belgrath > Actions - Send Personal Message) and that should email him. BUT because you are new here, it might not be possible for you to send a message yet (needs 10 posts or something?...I don't remember)....so I sent him a message.
 

Offline PeterMichael

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Re: Example Project: Tektronix TekProbe Adapter/Breakout
« Reply #14 on: October 10, 2021, 05:02:55 pm »
Thank you for this tip - I will do so !
Started to learn how to... :)
 

Offline Belgarath

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Re: Example Project: Tektronix TekProbe Adapter/Breakout
« Reply #15 on: October 10, 2021, 06:47:52 pm »
Hi PeterMichael,

Yes still have pcbs available, I'll have to dig them out from somewhere as I just move to a new home, some boxes to move/open.

Let me check with the post office and I'll come back to you with a grand total to Austria.

Kevin : thanks for the help, if you need a couple pcbs I'll be glad to send them for free to thank you for the share.

François
 
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Offline PeterMichael

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Re: Example Project: Tektronix TekProbe Adapter/Breakout
« Reply #16 on: October 11, 2021, 03:17:45 am »
Hi Francois,
Thank you for your fast reply  :).
From my experience the best and cheapest is to send it as mail package - it's cheap because it's not heavy and it is automatically registered. A letter cost more.
All the Best
Peter
 

Offline Belgarath

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Re: Example Project: Tektronix TekProbe Adapter/Breakout
« Reply #17 on: August 14, 2022, 06:59:17 am »
Hello all,

For those wondering, only two sets of populated adapter boards remaining.

Best Regards,

François


Hello happy eev-blogers,

I built some of the nice breakout adapter of Voltsandjolts (thanks for sharing the work), and a few sets of board are remaining on my bench.

For those of you interested, I will sell them for the buying cost 18€/set, plus the letter shipping (real cost depending where you're living).

Recto/verso of the boards on the picture hereunder.

François / F4HTX
 

Offline arturmariojr

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Re: Example Project: Tektronix TekProbe Adapter/Breakout
« Reply #18 on: March 07, 2023, 10:36:27 am »
Hi, I finally got one Tektronix P5205A probe, but I don't have a way to make the adapter board.
Instead, I planed to make an external power supply and connect it to the bnc box of Tektronix probe.

I opened the BNC box of probe and found that it connects only to +- 15Vdc sources and data pins. All other pins have no connection on circuit board.

Please, I would really appreciate to have any confirmation about my draws bellow, as I infered them from the pictures above (mainly the first board and the probe hooked to it), and the probe costs 10x my oscilloscope!

Highlights (from the post bellow):
- I have identified that the Black and Blue wires are the -+15V main power supplies.  When the -+15V are on, I can hear a brief beep and LED flash.
- The official power supply 1103 also supplies +-5V. But they are not likely used in p5205, since p5205 has a circuitry to split/convert the +-15V supplies to a pair of +-5V supplies.
- Brown goes to the Tekprobe "Data" pin, which is the attenuation sense input (aka  "readout" pin).
Red goes to the center wiper of a 1-turn 10k pot, and the ends of the pot go to +15 and -15.  This is the offset adjustment accessible through the small hole in the compensation box
You are correct on the blue +15V and black -15v.
...power supply is not demanding. Mine draws 71mA steady.
.. So, 50 ohm termination with this probe is not a good thing.

Now, there are two important questions: 1). Will the power be clean enough at the required load level; and 2). The P5205 was speced to use +/-15.0V power. Will a +/-10.5V supply be adequate?
Answer: A sine signal of 100MHz and Vpp of a couple volts was connected to the input of the 5205.
For supply changing from 15.0V to 9.0V, the signal output stayed flat  at about 2.6V. When supply further reduced to 8.0V,  the signal output was dropped to  2.45V, or  a 0.5dB attenuation.
...When the supply further dropped to 9.0V, the output voltage clamped about 7% and other artifacts started to show up at the peaks of the waveform .
Based on these tests, I think a supply voltage between 10V to 15V should work fine.

The case (main case, not the BNC connector case) is fastened with four screws. You can access the screws by lifting the top plastic sticky sheet cover. You need only to lift it at each corner just enough to see the screw well. A sharp knife can be used to do the initial lifting.





« Last Edit: March 08, 2023, 11:25:56 am by arturmariojr »
 

Offline MarkL

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Re: Example Project: Tektronix TekProbe Adapter/Breakout
« Reply #19 on: March 07, 2023, 02:52:57 pm »
I think that's right.  Take a look at this thread which has a detailed discussion about the P5205 wiring:

  https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/tek-p5205-hv-differeantial-probe-teardown-btw-what-are-the-red-and-brown-wires/msg520841/#msg520841
 
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Offline Toritorin

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Re: Example Project: Tektronix TekProbe Adapter/Breakout
« Reply #20 on: January 27, 2024, 05:14:25 pm »
Hi voltsandjolts!

That's a great project you published!

Even though the post is quite old, I was wondering if you still have those files, since the link is not longer available.

Thanks in advance!

Greetings.
 

Offline voltsandjoltsTopic starter

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Re: Example Project: Tektronix TekProbe Adapter/Breakout
« Reply #21 on: January 27, 2024, 05:55:46 pm »
My bad! Links fixed.
 
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Offline Toritorin

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Re: Example Project: Tektronix TekProbe Adapter/Breakout
« Reply #22 on: January 27, 2024, 06:09:02 pm »
Terrific!!! Thanks a lot voltsandjolts!
 


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