Keysight (Agilent) 54542A Monochrome Digitizing Oscilloscope, 4-Channel, 2 GSa/s

The Keysight (Agilent) 54542A is a 4-channel monochrome digitizing oscilloscope delivering 500 MHz analog bandwidth with 2 GSa/s simultaneous sampling per channel. Built for signal acquisition in analog and digital design, R&D, and manufacturing test environments, this instrument captures elusive signal activity through advanced logic triggering sensitive to glitches as narrow as 1 ns. The 54542A combines 32K points of acquisition memory per channel with 1 ns peak detect capability, enabling precise characterization of fast transients and anomalies.

Technical Specifications

• Bandwidth: 500 MHz


• Channels: 4 analog channels


• Sampling Rate: 2 GSa/s per channel (simultaneous)


• Acquisition Memory: 32K points per channel


• Peak Detect Resolution: 1 ns


• Vertical Sensitivity: 1 mV to 5 V/div (±1.25% accuracy)


• Timebase Range: 500 ps to 5 s/div


• Display: Monochrome CRT


• Waveform Storage: 4 non-volatile, 2 pixel volatile, and segmentable memory


• Sequential Single Shot Acquisition: Captures successive single-shot events without dead time, storing up to 400 Kbytes total waveform data

Key Features

• Advanced Triggering: Logic triggering with glitch detection down to 1 ns


• FFT Capability: Built-in Fast Fourier Transform for spectral analysis


• Automatic Measurements: 23 waveform parameter tests with user-defined pass/fail limits


• Mask Testing: Template-based pass/fail testing; supports ANSI, CCITT, and ISDN telecom standards (Option 001)


• Setup Storage: 9 non-volatile memory locations for instrument configurations


• Data Output: Internal 3.5", 1.44 MB MS-DOS compatible floppy disk drive for setup, waveform, and screen image storage (TIFF, PCX, EPS formats); supports software upgrades

Typical Applications Analog and digital circuit design validation, R&D signal characterization, manufacturing test and quality assurance, transient capture, and high-speed protocol analysis.

Compatibility & Integration

• Programmability: Full HP-IB (IEEE 488) remote control and automation


• Standard Probes: Four HP 10441A 10:1, 1 MΩ probes


• Optional Probes: HP 1145A two-channel active probe (750 MHz bandwidth, 2 pF input capacitance); HP 1144A active probe (800 MHz bandwidth, 2 pF input capacitance)


• Software: Compatible with software revisions 3.10 and T3.33