Out in Front: August 1, 1996

Fluke's new handheld model 163 (160-MHz) and 164 (1.3-GHz) counter/timers include high-contrast, back-lit, 50-MHz-bandwidth waveform displays that let you see what you're measuring. But Fluke emphasizes that, despite their appearance and size—identical to that of Fluke's ScopeMeter LCD DMM/digital storage oscilloscopes (DSOs)—the units are counters, not scopes.

The waveform-sampling technique differs from that of a DSO. Instead of measuring voltages at known points in time, the units determine the points when the waveform voltage equals a set of known values. When you're gathering time-related information, this approach can get you the data you seek more quickly, easily, and far more precisely than can a scope—even one that costs an order of magnitude more and that is many times bigger and heavier. The waveform display indicates the trigger points and the hysteresis band of the counter's trigger circuit.

The units, which you control via an intuitive, menu-driven user interface, operate from alkaline C cells or the provided NiCd cells. The NiCd cells fully recharge in two hours inside the instrument. The 163's price begins at $1495; that of the 164 begins at $1895. Besides the higher frequency range, the 164 includes an optically isolated RS-232C port, statistical and mathematical functions, and burst-measurement capability. Both units automatically measure phase shift between signals on two inputs and measure pulse parameters, such as width, period, duty cycle, and rise and fall times. Options include temperature-compensated and oven-stabilized timebases.

—by Dan Strassberg

Fluke Corp, Everett, WA. (800) 443-5853, fax (206) 356-5116.e-mail fluke-info@tc.fluke.com.