TriStar
The Tektronix TriStar DSP architecture is used in the TDS520B, TDS540B, and possibly other instruments.
Regarding the TriStar DSP, Gary Johnson recalls
I do remember the TriStar ASIC. It was designed specifically for waveform processing. Dan Knierim told us the DSA600 had a TriStar along with an Intel coprocessor in it. So that would make it the DSA600 along with the TDS500, TDS600 and TDS700 platforms. I was thinking I can ask an old colleague to run a Where Used on the TriStar and see what it says.
All of the chips that were designed by the ASIC group were given ADGXXX alpha-numeric names. I think the TriStar was ADG500. The ADG was an acronym for Advanced Development Group. The group was very talented and really good designers. Initially, they created all their own tools for chip design. Then later they replaced the tools with off the shelf Cadence tools when they became available. The group had 2 subgroups. One digital and one analog.
Dan Knierim was the A/D designer in the group. It always amazed us while other commercial companies had whole design teams to work on A/Ds, Tek had Dan. And he turned them out every couple of years on time and higher performance than anything you could buy in the market.
When Tek needed more performance, they went to IBM who had a Silicon-Germanium process that was really fast. IBM took on Tek as a customer, not for the volume of business, but because of Tek’s ASIC knowledge. Tek would get early access to the latest process node. And Tek’s characterization and models of the process that Tek created were more accurate than IBM’s! It was a great partnership for many years.
There were two versions of the TriStar. The first was used in the DSA600 along with the Intel 80286 and 80287 coprocessor. The second version, Tektronix part number 156-6030-00, has a much larger where-used list. Its description is as follows:
IC,ASIC; CMOS,CUSTOM;TRISTAR DIGITAL SIGNAL PROCESSOR,BIG PINOUT,ADG500B,NATIONAL SEMI CS150 1.5U PROCESS;VF4651/MM9260-VF8,PQFP132,TRAY.DS3
Instruments Containing the Second Version TriStar DSP
| TDS410 | OSCILLOSCOPE; 2 CHANNEL |
| TDS410 13 | RS232/CTR/SPOOL; RS232 CENTRONICS W/ SPOOLER |
| TDS410 3P | ACC SEP PRINTER; PRINTER/POUCH/RS232/ CENTRONICS |
| TDS410A | OSCILLOSCOPE; 200 MHZ |
| TDS410A13 | RS232 CENT SPL; RS232 CENTRONICS SPOOL |
| TDS410A1M | 120K RECORD LNG; 120K EXTENDED RECORD LENGTH |
| TDS410A2A | VIDEO TRIG 120K; VIDEO TRIG & 120K COMBINED |
| TDS410A3P | PRINTER PACK; RS232 CENTRONIC PRINTER PCK |
| TDS420 | OSCILLOSCOPE; 150 MHZ |
| TDS420 13 | RS232/CNT/SPOOL; RS232/CENTRONICS/PRINT SPOOLER |
| TDS420 3P | ACC SEPARATE; PRINTER/POUCH/CABLES SHIPPED IN SEPARATE BOX W/ OPTION 13 INSTALLED IN INST |
| TDS420 47 | TEK DIRECT; RESTRICTED USE NMC ONLY |
| TDS420A | OSCILLOSCOPE; 200 MHZ |
| TDS420A13 | RS232 CENT SPL; RS232 CENTRONICS SPOOL |
| TDS420A1M | 120K RECORD LNG; 120K EXTENDED RECORD LENGTH |
| TDS420A2A | VIDEO TRIG 120K; VIDEO TRIG & 120K COMBINED |
| TDS420A3P | PRINTER PACK; RS232 CENTRONIC PRINTR PACK |
| TDS420AXL | OPTION BUNDLE INCLUDES; OPTS (1M) 120K EXTENDED RECORD LENGTH |
| TDS430A | OSCILLOSCOPE; 400MHZ ANALOG BANDWITH 2 CHANNEL |
| TDS430A13 | RS232/CENTRONIC |
| TDS430A1M | 120K RL |
| TDS430AXL | OPTION BUNDLE INCLUDES; OPTS (1M) 120K EXTENDED RECORD LENGTH |
| TDS460 | OSCILLOSCOPE; 350 MHZ |
| TDS460 13 | RS232/CNT/SPOOL; RS232/CENTRONICS/PRINT SPOOLER |
| TDS460 3P | ACC SEPARATE; PRINTER/POUCH/CABLES SHIPPED IN SEPARATE BOX W/ OPTION 13 INSTALLED IN INST |
| TDS460 47 | TEK DIRECT; RESTRICTED USE NMC ONLY |
| TDS460A | OSCILLOSCOPE; 400 MHZ |
| TDS460A13 | RS232 CENT SPL; RS232 CENTRONICS SPOOL |
| TDS460A1M | 120K RECORD LNG; 120K EXTENDED RECORD LENGTH |
| TDS460A2A | VIDEO TRIG 120K; VIDEO TRIG & 120K COMBINED |
| TDS460A3P | PRINTER PACK; RS232 CENTRONIC PRINTER PCK |
| TDS460AXL | OPTION BUNDLE INCLUDES; OPTS (1M) 120K EXTENDED RECORD LENGTH |
| TDS510A | OSCILLOSCOPE; 500 MHZ ANALOG BANDWIDTH |
| TDS520 | DIGITAL OSCILLOSCOPE |
| TDS520 1M | 50K RECORD; INCREASE MEMORY TO 50K PER |
| TDS520 9C | CAL CERT & DATA; CERTIFICATE OF TRACEABLE CALIBRATION |
| TDS520A | OSCILLOSCOPE; 500MHZ |
| TDS520A1M | 50K MEMORY; |
| TDS520B | OSCILLOSCOPE; 500 MHZ 2+2 CH DSO |
| TDS520BCM | MANUAL; COMMERCIAL COMPONENT |
| TDS520C | OSCILLOSCOPE; 500 MHZ 2+2 CH MONO INSTAVU - CERTIFICATE OF TRACEABLE CALIBRATION STANDARD |
| TDS520D | OSCILLOSCOPE; 500 MHZ 2+2 CH MONO DPO |
| TDS524A | OSCILLOSCOPE; 500 MHZ |
| TDS540 | OSCILLOSCOPE; 1GS/SEC |
| TDS540 1M | 50K RECORD LNTH; INCREASE MEMORY TO 50K PER CHANNEL RECORD LENGTH |
| TDS540 22 | ADD 2 10X PROBE; P6139 PASSIVE |
| TDS540 9C | CAL CERT & DATA; CERTIFICATE OF TRACEABLE CALIBRATION |
| TDS540A | OSCILLOSCOPE; 500MHZ |
| TDS540A1M | 5OK MEMORY; |
| TDS540B | OSCILLOSCOPE; 500 MHZ 4 CH DSO |
| TDS540C | OSCILLOSCOPE; 500 MHZ 4 CH MONO INSTAVU - CERTIFICATE OF TRACEABLE CALIBRATION STANDARD |
| TDS540D | OSCILLOSCOPE; 500 MHZ 4 CH MONO DPO - CERTIFICATE OF TRACEABLE CALIBRATION STANDARD |
| TDS544A | OSCILLOSCOPE; 1GS/S |
| TDS544A1M | 50K MEMORY; ADD 50K RECORD LENGTH MEMORY |
| TDS580C | OSCILLOSCOPE; 1 GHZ 4-CH MONO - CERTIFICATE OF TRACEABLE CALIBRATION STANDARD |
| TDS580D | OSCILLOSCOPE; 1 GHZ 4 CH MONO DPO PROBES NOT INCLUDED WITH OSCILLSCOPE. PROBES MUST BE ORDERED AS AN OPTION TO THE OSCILLOSCOPE OR AS A SEPERATE ITEM. - CERTIFICATE OF TRACEABLE CALIBRATION STANDARD |
| TDS620 | MBD PRODUCT |
| TDS620A | OSCILLOSCOPE; 2CH |
| TDS620B | OSCILLOSCOPE; 2.5 GS/S |
| TDS620C | OSCILLOSCOPE; 2.5GS/S |
| TDS640 | OSCILLOSCOPE |
| TDS640 9C | CAL CERT DATA; CERTIFICATE OF TRACEABLE CALIBRATION |
| TDS640A | OSCILLOSCOPE; 4CH |
| TDS644A | OSCILLOSCOPE; 2GS/S |
| TDS644B | OSCILLOSCOPE; 2.5 GS/S |
| TDS654C | OSCILLOSCOPE; 5GS/S |
| TDS680B | OSCILLOSCOPE; 5 GS/S |
| TDS680C | OSCILLOSCOPE; 5GS/S |
| TDS684A | OSCILLOSCOPE; 1GHZ |
| TDS684B | OSCILLOSCOPE; 5 GS/S |
| TDS684C | OSCILLOSCOPE; 5GS/S |
| TDS694C | OSCILLOSCOPE; 3 GHZ |
| TDS714D | OSCILLOSCOPE; 500 MHZ 4 CH COLOR DPO - CERTIFICATE OF TRACEABLE CALIBRATION STANDARD |
| TDS714L | OSCILLOSCOPE; 500 MHZ 4 CH COLOR DIGITAL STORAGE OSCILLOSCOPE + CERTIFICATE OF TRACEABLE CALIBRATION STANDARD |
| TDS724A | OSCILLOSCOPE; 500 MHZ 2+2 CH DSO |
| TDS724C | OSCILLOSCOPE; 500 MHZ 2+2 CH COLOR INSTAVU - CERTIFICATE OF TRACEABLE CALIBRATION STANDARD |
| TDS724D | OSCILLOSCOPE; 500 MHZ 2 CH COLOR DPO. - CERTIFICATE OF TRACEABLE CALIBRATION STANDARD. |
| TDS744 | OSCILLOSCOPE; |
| TDS744A | OSCILLOSCOPE; |
| TDS754A | OSCILLOSCOPE; 500 MHZ 4CH COLOR DSO W/ INSTA VU |
| TDS754C | OSCILLOSCOPE; 500 MHZ 4 CH COLOR INSTAVU - CERTIFICATE OF TRACEABLE CALIBRATION STANDARD |
| TDS754D | OSCILLOSCOPE; 500 MHZ 4 CH COLOR DPO - CERTIFICATE OF TRACEABLE CALIBRATION STANDARD |
| TDS782A | OSCILLOSCOPE; 1 GHZ 2+2 CH COLOR DSO W/ INSTA VU |
| TDS784A | OSCILLOSCOPE; |
| TDS784C | OSCILLOSCOPE; 1 GHZ 4 CH COLOR INSTAVU - CERTIFICATE OF TRACEABLE CALIBRATION STANDARD |
| TDS784D | OSCILLOSCOPE; 1 GHZ 4 CH COLOR DPO |
| TDS794D | OSCILLOSCOPE; 2 GHZ 4 CH COLOR DPO PROBES NOT INCLUDED WITH THIS OSCILLSCOPE.PROBES MUST BE ORDERED AS AN OPTION TO THE OSCILLOSCOPE OR AS A SEPERATE ITEM. - CERTIFICATE OF TRACEABLE CALIBRATION STANDARD |
| TDS7F05 | VIDEO TRIGGER; TDS700/A HDTV VIDEO TRIGGERFIELD UPGRADE |
| TDS820 | OSCILLOSCOPE; 6 GHZ DIGITAL OSCILLOSCOPE - CERTIFICATE OF TRACEABLE CALIBRATION STANDARD |
| TDS840 | OSCILLOSCOPE; 8GHZ DSO |
| TDSCF7P | TDS700C PROC UP; TDS700C PROCESSOR UPGRADE |
| TLS116 | LOGICSCOPE; 16 CH |
| TLS216 | 16CH LOGICSCOPE; 16 CH |