The Tektronix 7104 is a 1 GHz, non-storage 7000-series oscilloscope mainframe that was introduced in 1979.  It featured two vertical and two horizontal plug-in slots.  The museum has a 7104 on display.

A micro-channel plate (MCP) CRT was developed to significantly improve beam intensity at the high writing rate.  While previous CRTs used distributed plates for the vertical deflection, the 7104 CRT used distributed plates for both the horizontal and vertical deflection.  The museum has a MCP CRT with the corner cut away on display with the oscilloscope.

It is not visible in this photo but at the museum you can see the microchannel plate through the cut out.

Val Garuts was the initial project leader and Gene Andrews took over leadership about half way through the seven year development. John Addis was the Project Engineer for the vertical system.   He designed the 7A29 plugin and its two ICs, one of which was used extensively in the 7104 mainframe.  Wink Gross designed the 7104 main vertical amplifier including the channel switch, the main vertical output amplifier and its IC.  Dave Morgan designed the mainframe horizontal amplifier and Art Metz designed the Z axis system.  Dennis Hall was the project leader for the CRT and Aris Silzars designed the vertical deflection plate structure and managed the acquisition of the microchannel plate.

This Volume 11 Number 1 1979 Tekscope describes the technical breakthroughs required in the development of this instrument.  Click on the image to view the PDF.

 

These two articles were in the January 18, 1979 issue of Electronic Design.  Click on the images to view the PDFs.

 

This undated slide show notes describes key features and technology of the 7104. Click on the image to view the PDF.

 

This January 26, 1979 TekWeek features an article on the introduction of the 7104.  Click on the image to view the PDF.

 

The 7104 was named the Product Of The Year by Electronics Products Magazine.  This February 22, 1980 TekWeek article features the award.  Click on the image to view the PDF.

 

This 1984 brochure describes the 7104 1 GHz Oscilloscope.  Click on the image to view the PDF.