Why does the 1 GHz DPO4104 ship with 500 MHz probes?

Why does the 1 GHz DPO4104 ship with 500 MHz probes?

All of the DPO4000 Series products ship with one P6139A 500 MHz, 10X passive probe per channel. These probes are the highest-bandwidth general-purpose probes available on the market. For many applications, these probes are the best choice for the DPO4104, as well as for other 500 MHz to 1 GHz oscilloscopes.

There are a variety of higher-performance probes available for specific applications. For the highest bandwidth performance, a probe with a lower input capacitance (for lower loading on the circuit) is needed. To get the full 1 GHz bandwidth, the TAP1500 is the best choice, though its dynamic range is limited to ±8V.

“Z0” probes, such as the P6158, are also capable of high bandwidth, but are generally best in 50 Ohm-only environments. Their lower impedance (DC loading) is often too high for many high-speed circuits.

Finally, you can get full-bandwidth performance by connecting the signal to the scope with coax cables. For 50 Ohm environments, use 50 Ohm cable and set the scope’s input termination to 50 Ohms. For 75 Ohm environments, use 75 Ohm cable and use the AMT75 75-to-50 Ohm adapter.