Signal Analyzer Vs Spectrum Analyzer

[mw_rookie]

Hi,

Could anyone please point out if there is any difference between a Signal Analyzer and the Spectrum Analyzer? or are they different generations of the same equipment?

Thanks

 

[goal]

spectrum analyzer is used for seeing the sinusoidal signal power, frequency etc. you can measure tone power, freq etc
if you apply RF signal to signal analyzer it can down convert the signal to digital signal and can make you to analyze the signal in terms of constellation, spectrum, spectral mask etc. you can basically analyze the signal quality of you signal which you will not be able to do in spectrum analyzer.

 

[biff44]

Nowadays there isn't that much difference.

A signal analyzer has the ability to demodulate RF signals....either with internal DSP processing, or at least by digitizing the I and Q data and providing that for external processing on a laptop. They often contain basic spectrum analyzer capabilities too, like displaying spectrum, spurious signals, power level, but are not as well qualified to do so as a real spectrum analyzer. Signal analyzer are often cheaper.

A "spectrum analyser" is optimized to show accurate power vs frequency data. Some of them can also demodulate or digitize the signals...but maybe only 30% of them have this capability.

 

[mw_rookie]

Thank you for the replies. So in essence, I basic RF lab can do without a signal analyzer rather than a spectrum analyzer?