Euler Precision's eSAP-30 Is a Battery-Powered, Openly-Expandable Active Probe Good to 3GHz
High-bandwidth probe will see its design files published under an unspecified license "upon the release of its successor."
Euler Precision is preparing to launch a crowdfunding campaign for the eSAP-30, a battery-powered single-ended active probe capable of 3GHz of bandwidth — targeting fast transitions and data streams in PCI Express, USB, and other high-speed buses.
"eSAP-30 is a high-performance, battery-powered oscilloscope active probe that's feature-packed and portable. Designed for engineers, researchers, and technicians working with RF [Radio-Frequency], high-speed digital, or sensitive analog electronics. eSAP-30 bridges the critical gap between expensive, brand-locked active probes and traditional passive probes," claim Euler Precision's Enrique Corpa Rios and Fábio Cadore Posser of the tool they have created. "After a year of intensive development and over ten front-end design iterations, we've achieved our goal: an accessible, professional-grade tool that doesn’t compromise performance or flexibility."
The single-ended probe is claimed to offer bandwidth from DC all the way up to 3GHz, with a 10:1 attenuation dropping down to 5:1 and a reduced bandwidth when used with a 1MΩ front-end. The input impedance is 1MΩ, with a capacitance under 3pF when used with MMCX accessories or under 1pF with a header tip on the end. The input voltage range is ±25V, and there's a 50Ω MMCX connector for the output — good for any oscilloscope with a 50Ω or feed-through termination, the pair say, or with a 1MΩ front-end with reduced performance. Everything is held in an injection-molded polycarbonate case, along with a user-replaceable 18650 battery charged through a USB Type-C connector that doubles as a firmware upgrade port.
"We believe in longevity, transparency, and right-to-repair. To that end, we are committed to release the design files for the eSAP-30 version of the probe upon the release of its successor," Rios and Posser promise, though without offering a timescale on when such a successor may appear. "This will include schematics, board layout files, and case design files, empowering our customers to maintain, repair, and extend the life of our tools indefinitely. It was designed with repairability and longevity in mind, featuring a replaceable, standard 18650 lithium-ion battery and easy-to-service electronics by just removing four screws."
The company has also promised that it will release the firmware source code under an unspecified open source license "to enable customization and development of new features," along with design files for probe accessories.
More information is available on the project's Crowd Supply campaign page, where interested parties can sign up to be notified when the crowdfunding campaign goes live.