Oscilloscope remote control: TEK emulation mode

This application note describes the features and use of the Tektronix compatibility mode for remote control of the SIGLENT SDS5000X and SDS6000A series oscilloscopes. In many cases, a SIGLENT SDS5000X/6000A oscilloscope can replace a similar Tektronix product without many changes to the existing code. In addition, the limitations of each emulation and the remaining differences between the emulated and the original commands are detailed.

Device Compatibility

An emulated instrument with fewer or the same features as the SDS5000X/6000A can be substituted without special care.

However, replacing an emulated instrument with more features than the SDS5000X/6000A or features different from the SDS5000X/6000A requires extra care.

Verify that the SDS5000X/SDS6000A meets the functional requirements of the test
Ensure that the application code does not use any features in the emulated instrument that are not available with the SIGLENT SDS5000X/SDS6000A.

Currently, the remote emulation for the SDS5000X/SDS6000A supports the Tektronix MDO3000 and MDO4000 series.

Command compatibility

Most of the remote emulations in the SDS5000X/SDS6000A implement the basic commands of the original instrument. Due to functional differences in hardware and software, the SDS5000X/SDS6000A may only be compatible with some parts in certain remote emulations.

The following command table shows the compatibility information for a command and the difference between Siglent and Tektronix:

NOTE: Parameters in red are not supported:

Command	Compatibility Description
ACQuire:MODe	{SAMple\|PEAKdetect\|HIRes\|AVErage\|ENVelope}
ACQuire:STATE	Parameter support:{RUN\|STOP}
ACQuire:STOPAfter	Compatible
HORizontal:RECOrdlength	Value in [,250e3] will set to 250e3 Value in [250e3,1.25e6] will set to 1.25e6 Value in [1.25e6,12.5e6] will set to 12.5e6
HORizontal:SCAle	Timebase value is in 1-2-5 steps, not like Tektronix instruments from 400 ps to 1000 s
HORizontal:DELay:MODe	Compatible
HORizontal:DELay:TIMe	The display value of UI is the opposite of the set value, which actually takes effect
HORizontal:POSition	Compatible. This setting can be viewed under the menu: Utility>Reference Pos
SELect:CH<x>	Compatible
CH<x>:POSition	Compatible
CH<x>:SCAle	Compatible
CH<x>:OFFset	Compatible
CH<x>:PRObe:GAIN	Compatible
CH<x>:BANdwidth	Parameter supported:{FULl\|TWENTY} Not supported:{<NR3>}
CH<x>:COUPling	Parameter support:{AC\|DC} Not supporedt:{DCREJect}
CH<x>:INVert	Compatible
CH<x>:TERmination	Parameter supported :{FIFty\|MEG} Not supported: {<NR3>}
CH<x>:LABel	All label characters are automatically capitalized
TRIGger:A:TYPe	Parameter supported: {EDGe\|LOGIc\|PULSe\|BUS\|VIDeo}
TRIGger:A:MODe	Compatible
TRIGger:A:LEVel	Compatible
TRIGger:A:EDGE:SOUrce	Parameters in red are not supported: {CH1\| CH2\| CH3\| CH4\| D0\| D1\| D2\| D3\| D4\| D5\| D6\| D7\| D8\| D9\| D10\| D11\| D12\| D13\| D14\| D15\|LINE\|AUX\|RF}
TRIGger:A:EDGE:COUPling	Parameter supported: {AC\|DC\|HFRej\|LFRej\|NOISErej}. Noise Reject is a single setting item in SDS5000X. When setting the coupling to NOISErej, it will set to DC and turn on the noise reject. When set to others, it will turn off the noise reject.
TRIGger:A:EDGE:SLOpe	Compatible
CURSor:FUNCTION	{SCREEN\|WAVEform\|OFF}
CURSor:SOUrce	Parameters in red are not supported: {CH1 \|CH2 \|CH3 \|CH4 \|REF1 \|REF2 \|REF3 \|REF4 \|MATH \|BUS1 \|BUS2 \|BUS3 \|BUS4 \|D0 \|D1 \|D2 \|D3 \|D4 \|D5 \|D6 \|D7 \|D8 \|D9 \|D10 \|D11 \|D12 \|D13 \|D14 \|D15 \|AUTO}
CURSor:VBArs:POSITION<x>	Compatible
CURSor:VBArs:HPOS<x>?	Compatible
MEASUrement:IMMed:SOUrce<x>	Parameters in red are not supported: {CH1 \|CH2 \|CH3 \|CH4 \|MATH \|D0 \|D1 \|D2 \|D3 \|D4 \|D5 \|D6 \|D7 \|D8 \|D9 \|D10 \|D11 \|D12 \|D13 \|D14 \|D15 \|HIStogram \|RF_AMPlitude \|RF_FREQuency \|RF_PHASe}
MEASUrement:IMMed:TYPe	Parameters in red are not supported: {AMPlitude \|AREa \|BURst \|CARea \|CMEan \|CRMs \|DELay \|FALL \|FREQuency \|HIGH \|HITS \|LOW \|MAXimum \|MEAN \|MEDian \|MINImum \|NDUty \|NEDGECount \|NOVershoot\| NPULSECount\|NWIdth\| PEAKHits\| PEDGECount\| PDUty\| PERIod\| PHAse\| PK2Pk\| POVershoot\| PPULSECount\| PWIdth\| RISe\| RMS\| SIGMA1\| SIGMA2\| SIGMA3\| STDdev\| 4TOVershoot\|WAVEFORMS} When the type is set to DELay, it divides into the following 8 types according to the edges and direction: FRFR, FRFF, FFFR, FFFF, FRLR, FRLF, FFLR, FFLF
MEASUrement:IMMed:VALue	Compatible
MEASUrement:IMMed:UNIts	Compatible
MEASUrement:IMMed:DELay:DIRection	Compatible. It divides into the following 8 types according to the edges and direction: FRFR, FRFF, FFFR, FFFF, FRLR, FRLF, FFLR, FFLF
MEASUrement:IMMed:DELay:EDGE<x>	Compatible. It divides into the following 8 types according to the edges and direction: FRFR, FRFF, FFFR, FFFF, FRLR, FRLF, FFLR, FFLF
MEASUrement:MEAS<x>:SOUrce<x>	Compatible
MEASUrement:MEAS<x>:TYPe	Parameters in red are not supported: {AMPlitude \|AREa \|BURst \|CARea \|CMEan \|CRMs \|DELay \|FALL \|FREQuency \|HIGH \|HITS \|LOW \|MAXimum \|MEAN \|MEDian \|MINImum \|NDUty \|NEDGECount\| NOVershoot \|NPULSECount \|NWIdth \|PEAKHits \|PEDGECount \|PDUty \|PERIod \|PHAse \|PK2Pk \|POVershoot \|PPULSECount \|PWIdth \|RISe \|RMS \|SIGMA1 \|SIGMA2\| SIGMA3 \|STDdev \|TOVershoot \|WAVEFORMS} When the type is set to DELay, it divides into the following 8 types according to the edges and direction: FRFR, FRFF, FFFR, FFFF, FRLR, FRLF, FFLR, FFLF
MEASUrement:MEAS<x>:STATE	Compatible
MEASUrement:MEAS<x>:Value?	Compatible
MEASUrement:MEAS<x>:MEAN?	Compatible. Valid only when statistics are turned on. Turn on the statistics by using the Siglent command or customize the default settings
MEASUrement:MEAS<x>:DELay:DIRection	Compatible. It divides into the following 8 types according to the edges and direction: FRFR, FRFF, FFFR, FFFF, FRLR, FRLF, FFLR, FFLF
MEASUrement:MEAS<x>:DELay:EDGE<x>	Compatible. It divides into the following 8 types according to the edges and direction: FRFR, FRFF, FFFR, FFFF, FRLR, FRLF, FFLR, FFLF
AUTOSet	Compatible
*RST	Compatible. Siglent’s preset is quite different from Tektronix’s. If need, please customize the preset and save it by the steps: Save＞To Default Key＞Current＞Save.
LANGuage	Parameter in red is not supported: {ENGLish \|FRENch \|GERMan \|ITALian \|SPANish \|PORTUguese \|JAPAnese \|RUSSian \|SIMPlifiedchinese \|TRADitionalchinese \|KOREan}
TIME	Compatible
DATE	Compatible
LOCK	Compatible
UNLock	Compatible
FPANEL:PRESS	Parameter supported: { Runstop\|SINGleseq}