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The TekConnect TCA Series is a family of adapters that connect signals into Tektronix high-performance, real-time oscilloscopes equipped with a TekConnect interface. The TekConnect interface delivers signal fidelity with useful bandpass up to 25 GHz and preserves a low-VSWR 50 Ω environment along with a reliable electrical connection, while a one-button release and locking mechanism allows quick installation and removal of probes, amplifiers, and adapters. The family comprises the TCA75, TCA-BNC, TCA-SMA, TCA-N, and TCA-292MM, each translating the TekConnect interface to a different connector standard with less signal distortion and better performance than traditional connection methods such as BNC to N or BNC to SMA.
Listed applications span signal integrity, jitter, and timing analysis; verification, characterization, and debug of sophisticated designs; and work with high-speed digital devices and circuits. The series is also applied to power supplies and inverters, semiconductor devices, electronic ballasts, industrial and consumer electronics, mobile communications, motor drives, transportation systems, and disk drive analysis. Additional use cases include investigation of transient phenomena, spectral analysis, and video design and development, including HDTV and streaming digital video.
ValueTronics stocks and holds its own inventory in a 20,000 sq ft secure warehouse at 1675 Cambridge Drive in Elgin, Illinois, so the instruments and accessories we list are equipment we keep on hand rather than source on demand.
The TekConnect TCA Series is a family of adapter systems that expand the functionality of Tektronix high-performance oscilloscopes by moving a signal from one connector environment to another with less signal distortion and better performance than traditional connections such as BNC to N or BNC to SMA. Built on the TekConnect interface — which supports useful bandpass up to 25 GHz and a low-VSWR 50 Ω environment — the series lets an engineer match the oscilloscope's input to the connector standard the device under test requires.
Each model below links to its own dedicated product page with new-condition pricing. Select the adapter whose connector type and bandwidth tier match your measurement; every page reflects the configuration and condition-matched price for that specific new unit.
The TCA75 is the family's 75 Ω member: it allows a TekConnect oscilloscope to access and measure 75 Ω terminated circuitry, presenting a 75 Ω ±1.5% input with 2.46X ±1.5% attenuation accuracy at DC. Its attenuation factor is automatically corrected so the end user sees correctly displayed signal magnitudes.
The models differ primarily in connector type, input impedance, and bandwidth. The TCA75 provides a 75 Ω BNC input, while the TCA-BNC, TCA-SMA, TCA-N, and TCA-292MM are 50 Ω only, terminating in TekProbe BNC 50 Ω, SMA, N, and 2.92 mm connectors respectively. The TCA-BNC additionally supports Tektronix high-speed active and differential probes through its TekProbe BNC 50 Ω interface.
Typical (–3 dB) bandwidth rises with connector capability: DC to ≥4 GHz for the TCA75 and TCA-BNC, DC to ≥11 GHz for the TCA-N, DC to ≥18 GHz for the TCA-SMA, and DC to ≥25 GHz for the TCA-292MM, in each case limited by the host instrument. Minimum rise time follows the same ordering, and the 2.92 mm interface — robust and SMA-compatible — reaches the highest frequencies. The comparison table below lists the per-model connector, impedance, bandwidth, and rise-time figures.
| Model | Output Connector | Max Bandwidth (–3 dB) | Input Impedance |
|---|---|---|---|
| TCA-BNC | TekProbe BNC 50 Ω | DC to 4 GHz, limited by host instrument | 50 Ω |
| TCA75 | 75 Ω BNC | DC to 4 GHz (adapter only) | 75 Ω ±1.5% |
| TCA-SMA | SMA 50 Ω | DC to ≥18 GHz, limited by host instrument | 50 Ω |
| TCA-N | N 50 Ω | DC to ≥11 GHz, limited by host instrument | 50 Ω |
Additional differences in specifications beyond the few shown above are not listed here — see each model's full specifications below.
| Characteristic | TCA75 | TCA-BNC | TCA-SMA | TCA-N | TCA-292MM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Attenuation Accuracy at DC | 2.46X ±1.5% | Refer to host instrument specification | Refer to host instrument specification | Refer to host instrument specification | Refer to host instrument specification |
| Input Resistance at DC | 75 Ω ±1.5% | 50 Ω | 50 Ω | 50 Ω | 50 Ω |
| Bandwidth (–3 dB), Typical | DC to 4 GHz (adapter only) | DC to 4 GHz (maximum frequency), limited by host instrument | DC to ≥18 GHz (maximum frequency), limited by host instrument | DC to ≥11 GHz (maximum frequency), limited by host instrument | DC to ≥25 GHz (maximum frequency), limited by host instrument |
| RMS Noise | Refer to host instrument specification | Refer to host instrument specification | Refer to host instrument specification | Refer to host instrument specification | Refer to host instrument specification |
| VSWR (Return Loss) | Refer to host instrument specification | Refer to host instrument specification | Refer to host instrument specification | Refer to host instrument specification | Refer to host instrument specification |
| RF Insertion Loss (adapter only) | 6.05 dB | 0.25 dB max | 0.06×SQRT (F) (GHz) | 0.3 dB max | 0.04×SQRT (F) (GHz) |
| Rise Time (minimum rise time, limited by host instrument) | <50 ps | ≤100 ps | ≤22 ps | ≤36 ps | ≤16 ps |
| Maximum Input Voltage (Derated with frequency) | ≤12 V DC or ≤12 VRMS (2 W max) | Refer to host instrument specification | Refer to host instrument specification | Refer to host instrument specification | Refer to host instrument specification |
| Inputs (Nominal) | 1 (BNC 75 Ω) | 1 (TekProbe BNC 50 Ω) | 1 (SMA 50 Ω) | 1 (N 50 Ω) | 1 (2.92 mm 50 Ω) |
| Adapter Model Compatibility | Refer to TekConnect amplifier, adapters, and probes compatibility table | Refer to TekConnect amplifier, adapters, and probes compatibility table | Refer to TekConnect amplifier, adapters, and probes compatibility table | Refer to TekConnect amplifier, adapters, and probes compatibility table | Refer to TekConnect amplifier, adapters, and probes compatibility table |
| Warranty | 1 year | 1 year | 1 year | 1 year | 1 year |
Important: TCA-292MM: the locking screw must be used to ensure full bandwidth performance.
Important: TCA-292MM: The 2.92 mm connector is compatible with SMA connectors, but the electrical performance will be limited to the bandwidth of the SMA connector.
Important: Firmware version 2.1 or greater is required on all referenced oscilloscopes for use with these TekConnect adapters.
Recommended pairing: use the P6150 9 GHz, 1X/10X 50 Ω divider probe with the TCA-SMA, as named in the recommended accessories list.
ValueTronics supplies both new and used test and measurement equipment. New units ship factory-sealed, exactly as received from the manufacturer; every used unit is inspected and functionally verified in-house at our 20,000 sq ft secure facility in Elgin, Illinois before it ships. Our Test Architects can help you select the condition, calibration, and configuration that fit your application.
Please review the Manufacturer's Data Sheet to verify published specifications. Feedback on this webpage is always welcome — please reach out to your Test Architect at any time for questions or concerns. Thank you, we truly appreciate you being our customer.
Model No
Tektronix
Condition
Factory New
Manufacturer
Tektronix
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