Our November 2023 rotating exhibit comprises three oscilloscopes that span 40+ years but have something in common. They were all high volume products (for their time) that had significant contributions to Tektronix revenue.

The 545B (left), introduced in 1965, was a 30 MHz module while "premium" models had higher 50 MHz performance. Much of the design was done focusing on lower cost and manufacturability. The 545 was also the product that was "cloned" by three other manufacturers and resulted in the landmark lawsuit against the U.S. Government by Tektronix. This specific 545B was seen in the movie Hidden Figures.

(The AWG4162 Arbitrary Waveform Generator (second from left) from our previous rotating exhibit is generating the signal that all three oscilloscopes are displaying)

The TDS220 (second from right), introduced in 1996, was designed from the ground up as a low-cost product. The entire oscilloscope circuitry is on one circuit board and the entire product uses just a handful of screws for assembly. The 60 MHz model sold for $995.

The TDS2024 (far right), introduced in 2008, was a follow-on of the original TDS220 family. The bandwidth was increased to 200 MHz and a color display option was added. The main oscilloscope circuit board is on display in front of the oscilloscope and takes advantage of Tektronix proprietary integrated and hybrid circuit components.