Example Project: Tektronix TekProbe Adapter/Breakout - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: voltsandjolts
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: May 05, 2017, 08:23:44 am
content: 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.PDFCircuitStudio Project 8.3MB :https://filedn.com/l5C6rr68NJOFlFbvMqdgEzu/EEVBlog/TekProbeAdapterEEVBlog2.zip

author: JamesH-AltiumOfficial
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: May 09, 2017, 04:28:36 am
content: 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 HarrimanAltium

author: KE5FX
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 09, 2017, 05:53:36 am
content: 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.

author: tggzzz
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 09, 2017, 08:27:50 am
content: Consider posting the gerber files, or some PCB houses allow you to make the design available for anyone to buy (e.g. dirtypcbs.com)

author: MarkL
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: May 15, 2017, 02:55:12 pm
content: Quote from: KE5FX on May 09, 2017, 05:53:36 amUnfortunately, 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/#msg42290Agilent/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.

author: voltsandjolts
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: May 16, 2017, 09:01:55 am
content: I wanted this adapter to be usable with any scope so didn't consider using Agilent Autoprobe interface.Quote from: tggzzz on May 09, 2017, 08:27:50 amNow included in the download (gerber + drill)

author: Neomys Sapiens
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 30, 2017, 08:25:26 pm
content: 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.

author: Harvs
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 30, 2017, 11:21:45 pm
content: Quote from: JamesH-AltiumOfficial on May 09, 2017, 04:28:36 amThanks 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?

author: voltsandjolts
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: July 02, 2017, 04:26:36 pm
content: 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.

author: Harvs
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 02, 2017, 10:40:07 pm
content: Quote from: voltsandjolts on July 02, 2017, 04:26:36 pmOh god... Thanks!

author: JamesH-AltiumOfficial
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: July 03, 2017, 05:54:11 am
content: No problem harvs, oh I should have posted a screen capture!Best regards,James HarrmanAltium

author: Belgarath
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: May 30, 2021, 10:08:58 am
content: 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

author: PeterMichael
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: October 10, 2021, 04:56:12 pm
content: 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!)

author: voltsandjolts
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: October 10, 2021, 04:57:00 pm
content: 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.

author: PeterMichael
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: October 10, 2021, 05:02:55 pm
content: Thank you for this tip - I will do so !Started to learn how to...

author: Belgarath
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: October 10, 2021, 06:47:52 pm
content: 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

author: PeterMichael
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: October 11, 2021, 03:17:45 am
content: 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 BestPeter

author: Belgarath
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: August 14, 2022, 06:59:17 am
content: Hello all,For those wondering, only two sets of populated adapter boards remaining.Best Regards,FrançoisQuote from: Belgarath on May 30, 2021, 10:08:58 am

author: arturmariojr
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: March 07, 2023, 10:36:27 am
content: 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 boxYou 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.

author: MarkL
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: March 07, 2023, 02:52:57 pm
content: 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

author: Toritorin
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: January 27, 2024, 05:14:25 pm
content: 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.

author: voltsandjolts
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: January 27, 2024, 05:55:46 pm
content: My bad! Links fixed.

author: Toritorin
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: January 27, 2024, 06:09:02 pm
content: Terrific!!! Thanks a lot voltsandjolts!