Introduction to the 7000-Series Oscilloscopes

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In August of 1969, Tektronix issued a supplement catalog featuring a new series of instruments called the 7000 Series.

Howard Vollum himself wrote the introduction message on page 1 of this supplement, where he presented the 7000 series as a replacement to the 500 scope series, emphasizing the necessity to switch to a new platform for modular high-end scopes due to the limitations of the original 500 series platform designed in 1953.

According to Vollum, a significant portion of the previous two years' $28 million engineering budget (~250m in 2023 dollars!) were spent to develop the initial components and products of the 7000 series.

The initial family introduction in 1969 consisted of the 90 MHz 7504 and 150 MHz 7704 mainframes, and no less than 13 plug-ins − the 7A11 FET-probe amplifier, 7A12 dual-channel amplifier, 7A13 differential comparator, 7A14 current-probe amplifier, 7A16 singles-channel amplifier, 7A22 differential amplifier, 7B51 and 7B70 delaying time bases, 7B50 and 7B70 delayed time bases, 7S11/7T11 sampling system, and the 7M11 delay line.

While the original 7504 and 7704 mainframes were short-lived, the series lasted until the early 1990s, with some of the original plug-ins like the 7A22 or the 7S11 remaining in production throughout.

Common features of 7000-series scopes

Meaning of the type numbers

  • first digit − series
    • 7000
  • second digit − bandwidth
    • 3: 25 MHz
    • 4: 65 MHz
    • 5: 90/100 MHz
    • 6: 100 MHz
    • 7: 150/200 MHz
    • 8: 400 MHz
    • 9: 500 MHz
    • 1: 1000 MHz
  • third digit − CRT type / storage
    • 0: no storage
    • 1: single-mode analog storage: variable-persistence or bistable storage
    • 2: multi-mode analog storage
    • 3: fast multi-mode analog storage
    • 4: dual-beam
    • 5: digital storage
  • fourth digit − number of bays

Prefix R: Rack-mount version

Suffix A or B: later variant

Suffix N: no readout

7000 series functional color code

Display Mode Selection
Trigger Source or Control
Uncalibrated Variable
Denotes functional relation
Caution
Exclusive function


This info was taken from a video shared by the VintageTEK Museum on YouTube

Overview

7000 series overview
Scope Bandwith
[MHz]
Plug-in
Bays
Start
of Sales
End
of Sales
CRT Type CRT Raster
[cm/Div]
Bistable
(reduced scan)
Fast Bistable
(reduced scan)
Var-Pers.
(reduced scan)
Fast Var-Pers.
(reduced scan)
Digital
storage
Readout Power
[W]
Cooling
fan
Weight
[kg]
writing speed [div/µs]
7313 25 3 1972 1979 split-screen bi-stable storage 1.0 0.5 - - - - YES 170 - ?
7403N 65 3 1970 1975 standard 1.22 - - - - - - 130 - 13.6
R7403N 65 3 1971 1975 standard 1.22 - - - - - - ? - ?
7503 90 3 1970 1972 standard 1.0 - - - - - YES 258 - 21.3
7504 90 4 1969 1971 standard 1.0 - - - - - YES 285 - 24.6
7514 90 4 1970 1974 split-screen bi-stable storage 1.0 1.0 - - - - YES 225 - 19.5
7603 100 3 1972 1990 standard 1.22 - - - - - YES 170 Some versions 13.6
R7603 100 3 1973 1990 standard 1.22 - - - - - YES 170 ? 13.6
7613 100 3 1972 1990 variable-persistence storage 0.9 - - 5 - - YES 170 YES 13.6
R7613 100 3 1973 1990 variable-persistence storage 0.9 - - 5 - - YES 180 YES 13.6
7623 100 3 1972 1975 multi-mode transfer storage 0.9 0.03 50 0.5 100 - YES 170 - 13.6
R7623 100 3 1973 1974 multi-mode transfer storage 0.9 0.03 50 0.5 100 - YES 180 - ?
7623A 100 3 1975 1990 multi-mode transfer storage 0.9 0.03 50 0.5 150 - YES 170 - 13.6
R7623A 100 3 1975 1991 multi-mode transfer storage 0.9 0.03 50 0.5 150 - YES 180 - 13.6
7623B 100 3 1991 1992 multi-mode transfer storage 0.9 0.03 (Y,?) 50 (Y,?) 0.5 (Y,?) 150 (2200) - YES ? - ?
R7623B 100 3 1991 1992 multi-mode transfer storage 0.9 0.03 (Y,?) 50 (Y,?) 0.5 (Y,?) 150 (2200) - YES ? - ?
7633 100 3 1975 1990 multi-mode transfer storage 0.9 0.03 (0.2) 50 (400) 0.5 (3) 150 (2222) - YES 170 - 13.6
R7633 100 3 1975 1990 multi-mode transfer storage 0.9 0.03 (0.2) 50 (400) 0.5 (3) 150 (2222) - YES 180 - 13.6
7704 150 4 1969 1972 standard 1.0 - - - - - YES 210 - 19.1
R7704 150 4 1970 1985 standard 1.0 - - - - - YES ? - ?
7704A 200 4 1972 1987 standard 1.0 - - - - - YES 180 - 13.6
7834 400 4 1977 1986 multi-mode transfer storage 0.9 0.03 (0.2) 50 (776) 2.0 (12) 300 (5500) - YES 215 YES 17.0
7844 400 4 1974 1988 dual beam 1.0 - - - - - YES 235 YES 16.3
R7844 400 4 1975 1992 dual beam 1.0 - - - - - YES 235 YES 15.0
7854 400 4 1980 1990 standard / digital 1.0 - - - - YES YES 230 YES 19.0
7904 500 4 1971 1983 standard 1.0 - - - - - YES 190 - 13.5
7903 500 3 ? ? standard 1.0 - - - - - YES ? - ?
R7903 500 3 1974 1982 standard 1.0 - - - - - YES 160 - 13.5
7904A 500 4 1984 1990 standard 1.0 - - - - - YES 190 YES 13.5
7934 500 4 1987 1990 multi-mode transfer storage 0.9 0.03 (0.2) 50 (776) 2.0 (12) 300 (8800) - YES 230 YES 17.2
7104 1000 4 1978 1990 micro-channel plate 0.85 - - - - - YES 215 YES 19.8
R7103 1000 3 1985 1990 micro-channel plate 0.85 - - - - - YES ? YES ?
7D20 70 - 1982 1992 - (digital storage plug-in) - - - - - YES YES - - 3.9
7612D 90 2 1980 1988 - (digitizer) - - - - - YES ? 400 YES 24.95
R7912 500 2 1973 1978 - (digitizer) - - - - - YES YES ? YES ?
7912AD 500 2 1978 1987 - (digitizer) - - - - - YES YES 360 YES 24.7
7912HB 750 2 1987 1989 - (digitizer) - - - - - YES YES ? YES ?
P7001 175 - 1973 1981 - (digitizer) - - - - - YES ? 120 YES 21.8

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