Trueform Technology

Generate true point-by-point arbitrary waveforms with less jitter, more fidelity and

greater resolution

33500B Series waveform generators with exclusive Trueform

signal generation technology offer more capability, fidelity and

flexibility than traditional DDS generators. Use them to acceler-

ate your development process from start to fi nish.

Over the past two decades, direct digital synthesis (DDS) has

been the waveform generation technology of choice in function

generators and economical arbitrary waveform generators. DDS

enables waveform generators with great frequency resolution,

convenient custom waveforms, and a low price.

As with any technology, DDS has intrinsic downsides and limita-

tions as well. Engineers with exacting requirements have had

to either work around the compromised performance or spend

up to 10 times more for a high-end, point-by-point waveform

generator.

The Keysight Technologies, Inc. Trueform technology offers a

new alternative that blends the best of DDS and point-by-point

architectures, giving you the benefits of both without the limita-

tions of either. Trueform technology uses an exclusive digital

sampling technique that delivers unmatched performance at the

same low price you are accustomed to with DDS.

The table below highlights the revolutionary capabilities of

Trueform technology.

DDS:

Traditional

25 MHz

waveform

generator

Trueform:

Keysight

30 MHz 33511B

waveform

generator

Improvement

Edge jitter

500 ps

40 ps

12x better

Custom

waveform

replication

Skips

waveform

points

100% point

coverage

Exact

waveform

replication

Total

harmonic

distortion

0.2%

0.04%

5x better

Anti-alias

filtering

Must provide

externally

Always

anti-aliased

No anti-aliasing

artifacts

Sequenced

arb

Not possible

Standard

Easily

create complex

waveform

sequences

For more information about Keysight Trueform technology

please visit: www.keysight.com/find/trueform

Revolutionary advances over traditional DDS

Trueform technology

DDS technology

Lower distortion

Reduced jitter

Better signal integrity

0.04%

THD

Trueform at 200 kHz

DDS at 200 kHz

<40 ps

500 ps

2 | Keysight | 33500B Series Waveform Generators - Data Sheet