Tektronix DMM6500 User manual

Keithley Instruments

DMM6500 in a Keysight 34401A Application

28775 Aurora Road
Cleveland, Ohio 44139
1-800-935-5595

tek.com/keithley

Emulation and Migration Guide

Introduction

Thank you for choosing a Keithley Instruments product. This document provides information about using the
DMM6500 as a drop-in replacement in a Keysight 34401A test system application, and also provides a guide to
migrating from a Keysight 34401A to a DMM6500 in native mode.

The DMM6500 provides greater functionality and improved accuracy over the Keysight 34401A. However,
established customer test systems can be sustained after replacement without significant reconfiguration and
code changes by using emulation mode.

Emulation mode is intended primarily for remote command operation. You can use the DMM6500 SCPI 34401
command set to emulate a Keysight 34401A, but you will not have access to the full range of features available
in its native mode. In addition, the options that you can set from the front panel are more limited than the
front-panel options on the DMM6500.

This guide describes:

 How to configure the DMM6500 for emulation mode.
 The hardware interface differences between the Keysight 34401A and the DMM6500.
 The software differences between SCPI 34401 on the DMM6500 and the standard SCPI command set

available on the Keysight 34401A product.

 Application examples that provide insight into migrating from Keysight 34401A emulation to DMM650

s

tandard SCPI commands.

0

Comparison of key features

Although new functions and features are supported in native mode, the emulation mode will restrict you to
legacy instrument features. The DMM6500 standard SCPI command set lets you access new measurement
functions, ranges, and data analysis tools. See Updating your code to use DMM6500 SCPI commands (on
page 9) for more information.

077146700 / May 2018 *P077146700* 1

DMM6500 in a Keysight 34401A Application Emulation and Migration Guide

The following table is a comparison of key features between the instruments.

DMM6500 Keysight 34401A

Resolution

DMM input terminals

Plug-in module slots and channels

Module cards supported

Reading capacity

Non-volatile memory

Basic DCV accuracy

Measurements

DCV, ACV (ranges)

DCI (ranges)

ACI (ranges)

Temperature

Diode

Capacitance

Digitizer

6 ½ digits 6 ½ digits

Front and rear Front and rear

Single slot, up to 10
independent channels

2000-SCAN, 2001-TCSCAN N/A

7M 512

No Yes

25 ppm / 1 year; 30 ppm / 2 year 35 ppm / 1 year

Same

10 μA, 100 μA, 1 mA,

10 mA, 100 mA, 1 A, 3 A, 10 A

100 μA, 1 mA,

10 mA, 100 mA, 1 A, 3 A, 10 A

Thermocouple, RTD, thermistor N/A

10 V clamp (10 μA,

100 μA, 1 mA, and 10 mA test
currents)

1 nF, 10 nF, 100 nF,
1 μF, 10 μF, 100 μF

Up to 1 MS/s voltage or current N/A

N/A

10 mA, 100 mA, 1 A, 3 A

1 A, 3 A

1 V clamp (1 mA)

N/A

Resistance (lowest ranges)

PC interfaces

USB flash drive support

Mechanical size
(for rack mounting)

Measurement accuracy and
resolution

1 Ω, 10 Ω, 100 Ω 100 Ω

USB/LAN-LXI (standard)

GPIB/RS-232/TSP-Link
(optional)

Yes No

2U, ½ rack

14.039 in. (356.6 mm) deep 13.713 in. (348.3 mm) deep

The datasheet for each model provides specifications. See the Keithley
Instruments website.

GPIB/RS-232 (standard)

2 077146700 / May 2018

DMM6500 in a Keysight 34401A Application Emulation and Migration Guide

Select the SCPI command set for emulation mode

To use the DMM6500 as a drop-in replacement in an existing Keysight 34401A application, you must use the
SCPI 34401 command set. This command set includes most of the commands that are available in the
Keysight 34401A product.

You can select the SCPI 34401 command set from the front panel or over the remote interface.

When you change to the SCPI 34401 command set, you must reboot the instrument. You will be prompted by
the front panel to reboot, but you will not be prompted if using remote commands.

Using the front panel:

1. Press the MENU key.

2. Under System, select Settings.

3. Select the button next to Command Set.

4. Select SCPI 34401. You will be prompted to reboot.

5. Select OK.

Using SCPI or TSP remote commands:

Send the command:

*lang SCPI34401

Reboot the instrument.

Identify the DMM6500 when using the SCPI 34401 command set

To ensure a level of compatibility in querying for the identification string of the instrument, when set to use the
SCPI 34401 command set, the DMM6500 will return the following text string:

KEITHLEY INSTRUMENTS INC.,34401A,<serial_number>,<firmware_version>

The manufacturer will always be set to "Keithley Instruments Inc.", and is not configurable to report the
manufacturer as "Keysight", "Agilent", or "Hewlett-Packard".

Front-panel operation with the SCPI 34401 command set

When the SCPI 34401 command set is selected, the options available through the front panel are limited.
Emulation mode is intended primarily for remote command operation.

The following topics describe the options that are available when the SCPI 34401 command set is selected.

077146700 / May 2018 3

DMM6500 in a Keysight 34401A Application Emulation and Migration Guide

Home screen display

When the SCPI 34401 command set is selected, you can select the User, Channel, and Functions swipe
screens.

The options available on the Home screen are described here.

Figure 1: Home screen when the SCPI 34401 command set is selected

# Screen element Description

System status

1

and event
indicators

Located at the top of the Home screen. These indicators provide information
about the present state of the instrument. Some of the indicators open up a
dialog box with more information or a settings menu when selected.

MEASURE view

2

area

Swipe screen

3

area

Green part of the Home screen; displays the value of the present
measurement.

Blue part of the Home screen. It displays the User and Functions options. If the
rear terminals are selected, Channel options are available.

Status and error indicators when the SCPI 34401 command set is selected

The indicators at the top of the Home screen contain information about instrument settings and states. Some of
the indicators also provide access to instrument settings.

Figure 2: Status and error indicators — SCPI 34401

The communications indicator is at the left. The options you might see here include:

Indicator Meaning

Local

GPIB

RS-232

TCPIP

VXI-11

USBTMC

Telnet

Instrument is controlled from the front panel.

Instrument is communicating through a GPIB
interface.

Instrument is communicating through an RS-232
interface.

Instrument is communicating through a LAN
interface.

Instrument is communicating using VXI-11.

Instrument is communicating through a USB
interface.

Instrument is communicating through Telnet.

4 077146700 / May 2018