Electronics Automation

Series of arbitrary waveform generators are billed as the world's fastest, designed to meet the test needs for high-speed serial databuses and wideband digital RF devices.

New from Tektronix, the AWG7000 Series of arbitrary waveform generators (AWGs) are billed as the world's fastest, designed to meet the test needs for high-speed serial databuses and wideband digital RF devices. With 5.8GHz bandwidth, 10bit resolution, and sample rates up to 20Gsample/s, the AWG7000 is the only AWG that can produce high-speed real-life waveforms including pre/de-emphasis and multilevel signalling up to 10Gbit/s. The AWG7000 is the fastest, most capable, and versatile signal source available for high-speed serial and wideband RF signals.

Design engineers who are developing new technologies such as SATAIII, PCI Express 2, 2x XAUI, HDMI 1.3, ultrawideband (UWB), the latest storage devices and radar need to process large amounts of data at faster speeds, broader bandwidths and higher frequencies, and often involving the latest high-speed standards.

An AWG is used by engineers in design and test processes to create, replicate and generate either ideal, distorted or 'real-life' signals including noise, jitter, glitches and other imperfections to assist with prototype, debug, verification, and standards compliance for the latest serial data or wideband digital RF designs.

'Engineers have told us that they need greater performance, capability, and versatility from their signal source to keep pace with the latest technology', said Mike Higashi, Vice President, Signal Sources Product Line, Tektronix.

'Tektronix designed the AWG7000 to minimise complexity for users and to provide the performance needed to match increasing serial datarates and the advance of wideband digital RF technologies'.

'The AWG7000 can create, replicate or generate any signal and can generate up to six signals simultaneously'.

'No other AWG can match the performance, capability and flexibility of the AWG7000'.

'The AWG7000 will assist engineers with the development of better products and with a lower investment of time and money'.

The AWG7000 Series is based on a new high performance platform that incorporates a new digital-to-analogue (DAC) convertor to produce greater precision and performance.

The DAC uses an IBM silicon germanium (SiGe) 7HP process that increases vertical resolution and sample rate to establish new performance benchmarks for signal fidelity and timing resolution.

With the flexibility to create, replicate and generate virtually any type of signal, the AWG7000 is the most capable and versatile signal source available.

The sample rate has increased from 4.2Gsample/s in previous generation products to 20Gsample/s with the AWG7000 Series, providing engineers with more than 4x the performance compared with any other AWG.

The AWG7000 is able to generate signals including imperfections up to 10Gbit/s for high-speed serial data applications and modulated digital RF/IF signals up to 5GHz for wideband applications including advanced radar.

The combination of industry-leading AWG7000 performance attributes matches the test needs of new generations of high-speed serial and wideband digital RF technologies.

'Engineering is constantly under pressure to develop products faster and more cost effectively', said David Erisman, Chief Technology Officer, X-Com Systems.

'As system designs become more advanced and complex, the ability to create accurate signals in a realistic test environment becomes increasingly important'.

'The user interface and waveform development tools of the AWG7000 enable engineers to easily generate, very early in the development process, the exact waveform, data stream or mixed signal needed for testing design concepts before committing them to hardware'.

'The Tektronix AWG7000 provides breakthrough performance and more capabilities and ease of use than any signal source we have seen'.

'The AWG7000 will definitely improve our ability to develop leading products and solutions for our customers'.

Tektronix user experience designers researched signal source customer usage patterns and needs to determine requirements for the AWG7000.

Based on this research, the AWG7000 is equipped with a 10.4in LCD touch screen colour display and an intuitive user interface employing Windows XP to help engineers be more productive.

Connectivity features include GPIB and Gigabit Ethernet.

The units come with one or two analogue channels and two or four marker outputs enabling the generation of mixed-signal waveforms that provide for analogue signals and digital control channels.

The AWG7000 enables easy data interchange with third-party software including Matlab, Mathcad and Microsoft Excel which are often used in the creation and generation of waveforms, data streams and mixed signals as an aid to design, prototype, debug and test compliance of the latest products.

Exfo Electro-Optical Engineering has reported strong sales and earnings growth.


Exfo Electro-Optical Engineering has reported strong sales and earnings growth for the fiscal year ended 31st August 2006. Sales increased 31.9% to US $128.3 million in fiscal 2006 from US $97.2 million in 2005. In the fourth quarter of 2006, sales reached US $35.7 million compared with US $35.4 million in the previous quarter and US $26.3 million in the fourth quarter of 2005.

Net bookings totalled US $32.6 million in the fourth quarter of fiscal 2006 compared with US $37.9 million (-14.0%) in the third quarter of 2006 and US $24.6 million (+32.6%) in the fourth quarter of 2005.

Gross margin improved to 55.3% of sales in fiscal 2006 from 54.7% in 2005.

In the fourth quarter of 2006, gross margin amounted to 54.3% compared with 56.4% in the previous quarter and 54.7% in the fourth quarter of 2005.

GAAP net earnings totalled US $8.1 million, or US $0.12 per diluted share, in fiscal 2006 compared with a net loss of US $1.6 million, or US $0.02 per diluted share, in 2005.

GAAP net earnings in 2006 included US $4.4 million in amortisation of intangible assets, US $1.0 million in stock-based compensation costs, US $0.6 million in impairment of long-lived assets, and a nonrecurring government revenue grant of US $1.3 million.

In the fourth quarter of 2006, GAAP net earnings amounted to US $2.9 million, or US $0.04 per diluted share, compared with US $3.5 million, or US $0.05 per diluted share, in the third quarter of 2006 and US $0.5 million, or US $0.01 per diluted share, in the fourth quarter of 2005.

GAAP net earnings included US $1.0 million in amortisation of intangible assets and US $0.2 million in stock-based compensation costs in the fourth quarter of 2006.

'Clearly, Exfo stands out in the telecom industry with 12 consecutive quarters of sales growth, a 31.9% year-over-year sales increase in fiscal 2006, as well as compound annual growth rates (CAGRs) of 27.5% and 20.9% over the last 3 and 10 years, respectively, despite the 2001 telecom crisis', said Germain Lamonde, Exfo's Chairman of the Board, President and CEO.

'Like every year since our inception in 1985, I believe that we have increased sales faster than our end-markets'.

'Our bottom-line improved even faster than our top-line in recent years with GAAP net earnings of US $8.1 million in 2006, thus extending our sequence to seven consecutive quarters of GAAP profitability'.

'These performance highlights, which must be weighed against the strengthening Canadian dollar, larger customers consolidating and competitors intensifying pricing pressure, reflect ongoing market-share gains in each division as well as operating efficiencies throughout the company'.

'Based on long-term planning and judicious R and D investments in optical, protocol and copper access testing, I believe that Exfo is well-positioned to benefit from the migration of carriers to converged, IP-based networking as they increase bandwidth and accelerate triple-play service deployments', Lamonde added.

'We intend to continue strengthening our sales, marketing and R and D teams in order to build on our competitive advantage in the marketplace'.

'As well, I am pleased to report that we surpassed two key corporate performance goals for fiscal 2006 and have announced ambitious performance metrics for 2007, as we maintain our focus on growing faster than our end markets, increasing net earnings faster than revenues, and achieving these results through excellence in product innovation'.

'I would like to thank all our employees for their outstanding commitment and real passion to serve our customers, since we could not aspire to reach such lofty heights without their wholehearted contribution'.

Selling and administrative expenses amounted to US $40.3 million, or 31.4% of sales, in fiscal 2006 compared with US $31.8 million, or 32.7% of sales, in 2005.

In the fourth quarter of 2006, selling and administrative expenses totalled US $10.9 million, or 30.4% of sales, compared with US $11.1 million, or 31.3% of sales, in the third quarter of 2006 and US $8.1 million, or 30.7% of sales, in the fourth quarter of 2005.

Gross research and development (R and D) expenses reached US $19.5 million, or 15.2% of sales, in fiscal 2006 compared with US $15.9 million, or 16.3% of sales, in 2005.

In the fourth quarter of 2006, gross R and D expenses attained US $5.2 million, or 14.6% of sales, compared with US $5.3 million, or 15.1% of sales, in the previous quarter and US $4.1 million, or 15.8% of sales, in the fourth quarter of 2005.

Net R and D expenses totalled US $15.4 million, or 12.0% of sales in fiscal 2006, compared with US $12.2 million, or 12.5% of sales, in 2005.

In the fourth quarter of 2006, net R and D expenses amounted to US $4.3 million, or 12.0% of sales, compared with US $4.1 million, or 11.6% of sales, in the third quarter of 2006 and US $3.3 million, or 12.5% of sales, in the fourth quarter of 2005.

Exfo forecasts sales between US $34.0 million and US $37.0 million and GAAP net earnings between US $0.02 and US $0.05 per diluted share for the first quarter of fiscal 2007.

GAAP net earnings include US $0.02 per diluted share in amortisation of intangible assets and stock-based compensation costs.

The DVStorIP-Gen is a high-performance, cost-effective tool for the evaluation, compliance testing and verification of networks, monitoring and equipment analysis.

Pixelmetrix has expanded its repertoire of IPTV service validation systems with the IPTV test stream generator, DVStorIP-Gen. The DVStorIP-Gen is a high-performance, cost-effective tool for the evaluation, compliance testing and verification of networks, monitoring and equipment analysis. The DVStorIP-Gen supports SPTS (single-programme transport stream) and MPTS (multiple-programme transport stream) generation, as well as UDP and RTP streaming.

Each generated transport stream can be forwarded to up to 100 target IP destinations, identified by the IP address and port number.

Danny Wilson, President and CEO of Pixelmetrix Corp elaborated: 'Our DVStorIP-Gen can generate up to seven unique transport streams simultaneously'.

'Plus the fact that it can generate up to 900Mbit/s of IPTV traffic, makes it an efficient solution for IPTV broadcasters as well as test and monitoring equipment and network providers'.

Among its other unique features, the DVStorIP-Gen also allows restamping of continuity count and insertion of PCR discontinuity flag during transport stream loopback for error-free streaming.

The DVStorIP-Gen is a hard-disk based system that allows nonstop simultaneous recording of multiple channels of transmitted IP video.

It allows broadcasters using Internet Protocol television (IPTV) to verify that a specific transmission actually occurred at a given time.

With DVStorIP-Gen, not only legal compliance can be sustained, but disputes can also be resolved promptly through transmission records check.

Digital serial analyser sampling oscilloscope, remote sampling electrical modules and enhanced IConnect software are ideal for serial data network analysis applications.

New from Tektronix, the DSA8200 digital serial analyser sampling oscilloscope, remote sampling electrical modules and enhanced IConnect software are ideal for serial data network analysis applications. The new TDR (time-domain-reflectometry) and electrical modules represent the most significant performance advancement in TDR test technology in 20 years, in direct response to the demanding needs and compliance requirements of high-speed serial data standards. The emergence of multigigabit serial standards is driving down power budgets and timing margins.

As a result, accurate analysis of signal path and interconnects in both time and frequency domains is critical to fully understand the effects of loss and crosstalk in today's high speed serial designs.

Industry standards such as PCI Express, Serial ATA, XAUI, and Infiniband increasingly call for the use of S-parameters and impedance measurements to characterise the effects and ensure system interoperability.

With a 250% increase in TDR performance and new automation tools, the new DSA8200 solutions are an ideal fit for serial data network analysis requirements.

The DSA8200 represents the highest performance and most cost-effective solution for accurate and repeatable S-parameters measurements for 1 to 12.5Gbit/s serial datarates of current and emerging differential standards.

'Engineers are challenged to accurately characterise the effects of the signal path on multi-gigabit serial data transmissions', said Brian Reich, General Manager, Electrical Optical Product Line, Tektronix.

'For serial data network analysis applications, the Tektronix DSA8200 solutions provide engineers with a versatile, time and cost-effective toolset'.

'The primary alternative has been the vector network analyser (VNA), a specialised, dedicated frequency-domain instrument'.

'However, the VNA requires extensive setup and calibration routines, and is significantly more expensive than the new Tektronix TDR-based solution'.

'TDR and S-parameter measurement routines for serial data network analysis that often require hours to set up and execute using a VNA can be performed in a few minutes using the DSA8200 mainframe, new electrical modules and IConnect'.

Four new electrical modules feature an unparalleled combination of high bandwidth and low noise to address the trend toward lower power, higher bit rate differential signalling.

The modules include advanced usability features such as channel-to-channel and module-to-module deskew of +/-250ps, user-selectable bandwidth, and small form factor remote samplers.

Each channel has a fully integrated 2m cable with a remote sampler that brings the TDR head very close to the device under test (DUT), minimising the effects of probes, cables, and fixtures.

This ensures the highest possible system fidelity for measurement accuracy and repeatability.

The 80E10 Dual Channel True Differential TDR module provides a 12ps incident and 15ps reflected TDR rise time, 50GHz bandwidth and 600uV RMS noise, the lowest noise at this performance level.

With independent step generation for true differential measurements and industry-leading specifications for a fully integrated system, the 80E10 represents the most significant advance in TDR performance in twenty years.

Other modules include the 80E08, a dual channel TDR electrical module with 18ps incident and 20ps reflected rise times, and 300uV RMS noise at 30GHz bandwidth.

Two new dual channel low-noise electrical modules, the 80E09 and 80E07, feature 450uV RMS noise at 60GHz and 300uV RMS noise at 30GHz, respectively.

IConnect software provides efficient and easy signal integrity analysis for gigabit serial data interconnect links.

IConnect quickly measures insertion and return losses, reflections, eye diagrams, jitter, crosstalk, reflections and ringing.

The IConnect product family has three product configurations: IConnect, IConnect S-parameters and IConnect with MeasureXtractor.

IConnect applications include signal path integrity analysis, impedance characterisation, S-parameters (insertion and return loss), eye diagram compliance tests and fault isolation.

A new command line interface (CLI) enables automation of multi-port S-parameter measurements, and other compliance test needs, significantly reducing calibration and test times while increasing test repeatability.

With automated CLI scripts, test routines typically requiring hours for set-up and execution can now be performed in a few minutes, greatly improving productivity.

IConnect now also supports very long record lengths with up to 1M points.

1M memory provides sufficient S-parameter frequency domain resolution and the highest frequency when measuring long devices such as cables.

A new EZ Z-Line viewer enables dynamic adjustment of the oscilloscope for much more efficient fault isolations in packages, PCBs and on-chip.

IConnect also supports Touchstone file export capabilities.

'Tektronix pioneered the TDR-based S-parameter measurements, and provides the most cost-efficient and highest-throughput approach to measurements in digital design, signal integrity analysis, and interconnect compliance testing', said Kiran Unni, Program Industry Manager, Test and Measurement group with Frost and Sullivan.

'As a new generation of S-parameter users become familiar with this measurement methodology they will look for an instrument solution that is familiar and provides accurate and repeatable results'.

'The DSA8200 is a versatile, cost and time effective solution to achieve accurate, repeatable S-parameter measurements for serial data network analysis applications in product development and manufacturing'.

The DSA8200 digital serial analyser is based on a new generation hardware mainframe designed for the communication, computer, and consumer electronics industries that increasingly require signal path characterisation and compliance verification.

The DSA8200 provides the versatility and superior accuracy needed for characterisation, design validation, and compliance verification of time and frequency domain behaviour of differential channel interconnects for high-speed serial standards including PCI-Express II, FB-DIMM II, SATA II, and 10Gbit/s Ethernet.

The DSA8200 extends the capabilities of the TDS/CSA8200 Series and provides full support for the same modules and software.

The new mainframe unit incorporates a high-speed processor and the benefits and familiarity of the Microsoft Windows XP operating system.

The new front panel mounted DVD/CD-RW combo drive and USB 2.0 port provides easier and faster measurement and data file storage and transfer.

With six available mainframe slots, the DSA8200 provides the most extensible modular architecture, allowing users to configure the instrument to meet their most demanding measurement challenges today and in the future.

The DSA8200 can be configured for up to four true differential TDR channels, the most available in any oscilloscope-based toolset for serial data network analysis.

When combined with the new TDR modules and IConnect capabilities, the new DSA8200 solution provides the most complete and cost-effective solution for the analysis and characterisation of complex serial data networks.

A new user-definable function option enables Agilent Infiniium oscilloscope users to create and execute application-specific measurements.


A new user-definable function option enables Agilent Infiniium oscilloscope users to create and execute application-specific measurements. This option, on which Agilent and The MathWorks collaborated, makes it possible for Infiniium oscilloscope users to develop custom maths and analysis functions in the Matlab software environment and execute them live on the oscilloscope screen, just like any of the scope's standard functions. The Agilent Infiniium user-definable function consists of two components: the custom analysis function developed in Matlab and the graphical user interface to enable the scope user to select measurement parameters.

The custom function is developed in the Matlab software environment and defines the data analysis to be performed, such as equalisations and digital filtering.

Users can perform further data analysis by combining this software with other popular Infiniium oscilloscope software packages such as the Agilent N5400A EZJIT Plus or E2688A serial data-analysis software.

With access to Matlab on the oscilloscope, users can also interactively analyse and visualise their results in the Matlab environment, configure and control their instruments, and generate reports.

'Increasing signal rates in high-speed serial communications and digital/RF designs, coupled with decreasing product-development cycles, have driven the need to make custom measurements with tools that are reliable and flexible', said Jay Alexander, Vice President and General Manager, Agilent Technologies.

'By integrating MATLAB with Infiniium oscilloscopes, users have the dependability of an industry-standard instrument and the flexibility of an industry-standard software environment'.

'When testing or verifying a complex design, oscilloscope users often need to make measurements that are application-specific and not available with the analysis functions built into the instrument', says Richard Rovner, Vice President of Marketing, The MathWorks.

'The Matlab integration on Infiniium oscilloscopes enables design and test engineers to make the custom measurements they need to qualify a design'.

Agilent's N5430A user-definable function option is available immediately from Agilent Technologies.

Windows-based software tool adds powerful viewing, control and analysis functions to enhance optical spectrum analyser's productivity.

A Windows-based software tool has been introduced for use with the Yokogawa AQ6370 high-resolution optical spectrum analyser, adding powerful viewing, control and analysis functions to enhance the instrument's productivity. In addition to providing a PC display of stored waveform data, the new AQ6370 Viewer software enables the user to remotely control the spectrum analyser from a PC via an Ethernet or other network connection and to analyse measurement data on the PC. In addition, it allows file transfer of measurement data from the hard disc of the spectrum analyser to the PC.

In R and D applications, the software will allow users to analyse one set of measurements while the analyser is being used to make new measurements.

In manufacturing, the remote control capabilities allow the user to create, edit and run macros on the spectrum analyser and transfer new measurement results directly to the PC.

All analysis functions provided by the AQ6370 are supported by the AQ6370 viewer software, including automatic analysis of parameters such as spectral width, optical signal/noise ratio, EDFA evaluation and optical power analysis.

A setting mode is included for WDM filter analysis, and pass/fail templates can be implemented for manufacturing test applications.

In mid-October, Gerotron presented the Innovation Award sponsored by Rohde and Schwarz to the winning team in the research association category.


In mid-October, Gerotron presented the Innovation Award sponsored by Rohde and Schwarz to the winning team in the research association category. This award has been offered once a year since 2002 at EEEfCOM in Ulm. The award is then presented at RadiotecC, which is a trade fair including a developer forum for RF electronics and mobile radio, at the Adlershof Science and Technology Park (WISTA).

Rohde and Schwarz is one of the main sponsors of this event.

'As a high-tech company, we live from innovations', says Gerhard Sonnde, Director of the T and M Central Marketing Subdivision.

'Therefore, we present this award as part of our effort to promote co-operation between industry and science'.

The team from Ulm was the lucky winner of the R and S ZVB network analyser, worth more than Eur 40,000.

All told, prizes worth Eur 250,000 were awarded.

Winfried Mayer and Arnold Gronau, two academic staff members of the microwave engineering department at Ulm University, and Dr Helmut Leier of Daimler Chrysler impressed the distinguished jury with their joint work.

This year was thus the first time that a joint venture consisting of research and industry took part - and with success.

The team's practice-oriented work and their contribution to improving techniques commonly used today were the main reasons for the jury to give them high marks.

The innovative value of their concept was also of major importance.

They scored at or near the top in all categories, making them the uncontested winners.

The winning team concentrated on road traffic safety.

Automobile drivers are increasingly benefiting from driver assistance.

Sensors with high angular resolution and a wide field of vision are essential for detecting critical traffic situations.

After the situation has been detected, it is evaluated.

This includes ensuring, for example, that automatic braking takes place only when clearly necessary in order to avoid rear-end collisions.

Given the current state of research, today's sensor concepts are relatively expensive and difficult to implement.

The winning proposal exploits the advantages of high-resolution radar systems for use in automobiles.

In addition, its simple hardware architecture contributes to a more cost-efficient solution.

The concept has already been tested for suitability in practical applications: at Ulm University, it was successfully implemented on a demonstration system at a frequency of 24GHz.

The Nexus turnkey wireless testing systems provide all the signal generation and analysis hardware and software required for complete testing of 802.11 a, b, g, j and n wireless devices.

A new range of low-priced 802.11 Wi-Fi test systems is now available in the UK from TTi (Thurlby Thandar Instruments), the exclusive UK distributor for GaGe Applied Technologies. The Nexus turnkey wireless testing systems provide all the signal generation and analysis hardware and software required for complete testing of 802.11 a, b, g, j and n wireless devices. IEEE802.11, also known as the Wi-Fi standard, defines a set of modulation standards developed for wireless local area networks (WLANs).

Design, test and manufacturing engineers have previously had difficulty finding a low-priced testing solution for 802.11 a, b, g, j and n devices.

To meet this requirement, GaGe has developed Nexus 802.11 systems, which are built on a foundation of GaGe CompuGen and CompuScope hardware (arbitrary waveform generator and digitiser cards) and software technology, combined with powerful WLAN generation and analysis application software.

GaGe Nexus 802.11 Wi-Fi test systems are capable of generating complex 802.11 testing signals for up-conversion and transmission as well as acquiring and analysing received and down-converted 802.11 signals.

The systems can provide an error vector magnitude (EVM) measurement of -45dB.

This compares well to the best currently available transmit/receive wireless devices, which typically provide an EVM of -35dB, giving a base performance at least 10dB better than the device under test.

Another important benefit of the Nexus system is true simultaneous conversion clocking and triggering on all channels.

This benefit is a direct result of GaGe's master/slave multi-CompuScope digitiser architecture.

Simultaneous timing on multiple channels gives the Nexus a fundamental advantage for 802.11n multiple-in/multiple-out (MIMO) architectures, where multiple transmitter and receiver antennas are used.

Other manufacturers of 802.11 test systems suggest that their single-antenna systems may be combined and used in MIMO architectures, but closer examination often reveals that synchronisation between separate channels is minimal or nonexistent.

The Horizon 1500 RWA is an extremely durable cable and harness analyser tester that meets aerospace, transportation and military requirements for durability and test performance.

The latest addition to the Clare range of electrical safety testing equipment is a special ruggedised cable and wiring harness tester designed for demanding test locations and environments. Designed specifically for portable field-testing applications, the Horizon 1500 RWA is an extremely durable cable and harness analyser tester that meets aerospace, transportation and military requirements for durability and test performance. Enclosed in an shock resistant and totally weatherproof enclosure, the tester is capable of battery powered operation and can be equipped with any standard Horizon analyser for the testing of everything from simple data cables to complex wiring assemblies used in electrical and electronic systems incorporated in automotive, aerospace, computing, medical, military, railway and telecomms equipment.

Horizon RWA testers are equipped with 128 high voltage test points for hipot testing up to 1500V DC and/or 1067V AC.

Touch screen control enables test programs to be established quickly and easily, enabling immediate in-field verification of cable systems, components and connections, ensuring that any defective products or wiring configurations are highlighted immediately.

The Horizon 1500 RWA forms part of a comprehensive range of electrical safety testing equipment supplied by Clare for all safety, conformance and type approval testing requirements.

Agilent Technologies has introduced the first LXI class C compliant oscilloscope family optimised for use in test systems.

Agilent Technologies has introduced the first LXI class C compliant oscilloscope family optimised for use in test systems. The Agilent 6000L Series digital storage oscilloscopes (DSOs) offer four channels of measurements in a compact, rack-mountable 1U-high form factor, giving engineers a space-efficient way to integrate oscilloscopes into their test systems. The unit's remote capabilities and graphical web interface reduce setup and troubleshooting time for engineers building design-verification and functional-test systems in the aerospace/defence, automotive, communications, medical and computer industries.

Test engineers in these industries are demanding more digitiser channels in less rack space.

The Agilent 6000L Series low-profile oscilloscopes come in a 'true 1U' package that packs four channels and up to 1GHz bandwidth into a slim design, providing more digitiser channels to engineers who have limited rack space.

'The introduction of these LXI oscilloscopes demonstrates our commitment to lead the transition to LXI products', said Scott Sampl, Vice President and LXI spokesperson for Agilent's Electronic Measurements Group.

'It's another important step in helping our customers simplify test-system configuration and create new possibilities in testing'.

The 6000L Series oscilloscope models offer 100MHz, 500MHz and 1GHz analogue bandwidth and up to 4Gsample/s sample rate.

All three models come standard with 8Msample MegaZoom III deep memory so engineers can capture long, nonrepeating signals, and maintain high sample rates with good timing resolution.

All Agilent 6000L Series oscilloscopes come standard with LAN, GPIB and USB interfaces as well as an additional front-panel USB port that lets engineers easily store waveform data, scope setups and screen images on standard USB memory sticks.

The 6000L Series DSOs are 100% software compatible with Agilent 6000A Series portable oscilloscopes, which offer displays and front-panel control knobs and buttons.

Engineers can use a 6000A Series oscilloscope during the R and D phase.

When the product moves to manufacturing, they can use a system-optimised 6000L Series oscilloscope without a display.

Because the 6000A and 6000L are completely software compatible, the manufacturing team can use the software and test routines developed in R and D.

Engineers working with both analogue and digital circuitry can easily upgrade the 6000L Series DSOs to get the unique capabilities of a 4+16-channel (scope and logic) mixed signal oscilloscope (MSO).

Both the MSOs and the traditional four-channel DSO models are optimised with the capabilities engineers need for verifying and debugging designs that include embedded system components.

An optional secure environment mode provides the highest level of security by ensuring that internal memory is clear of all setup and trace settings in compliance with National Industrial Security Program Operating Manual, Chapter 8 information-system security requirements.

The Agilent 6000L Series oscilloscopes are part of Agilent Open, a versatile combination of test-system hardware, I/O and software tools that are easy to enhance and maintain by ensuring greater choice in measurements, connectivity and programming.

Compact 10 Gigabit Ethernet test solution provides performance assurance and quality of service testing in local and wide area networks.

Exfo Electro-Optical Engineering has launched a compact 10 gigabit Ethernet test solution for performance assurance and quality of service (QoS) testing in local area networks (LANs) and wide area networks (WAN). The FTB-8510G Packet Blazer 10 Gigabit Ethernet module, currently supported in the FTB-400 Universal Test System, can now be housed in the FTB-200 Compact Platform, thus extending Exfo's extensive 10 Gigabit Ethernet test capabilities to a convenient, lightweight and compact form factor. The increase in IP-based applications has placed additional bandwidth and performance requirements on supporting Ethernet services.

Delay-sensitive applications like voice-over-Internet Protocol (VoIP) and Internet Protocol TV (IPTV) demand that service-level agreements (SLAs) are validated and maintained throughout the network.

The FTB-200 Compact Platform, equipped with both the FTB-8510 and FTB-8510G Packet Blazers, provides users with the capability to fully test and validate Ethernet services from 10Mbit/s to 10Gbit/s.

Features, such as multi-stream generation and analysis, expert mode and service-disruption measurements, along with RFC 2544 testing, packet jitter measurement, and bit-error-rate testing, provide a complete test solution that enables customers to thoroughly validate the performance of their 10 GigE links.

The FTB-8510G Packet Blazer also offers both LAN and WAN PHY interfaces within the same module, covering all networking applications.

At the increased rate in which 10 Gigabit Ethernet networks are being deployed, this combination offers field technicians another unique capability in testing performance and efficiency.

'Coping with the increasing number of 10 Gigabit Ethernet networks being deployed, service providers are faced with the challenge of turning up and validating networks at a much faster rate', said Etienne Gagnon, Exfo's Vice-President of Protocol and Optical Product Management.

'Adding the FTB-8510G Packet Blazer to the FTB-200 Compact Platform provides a feature-rich Ethernet test solution required to effectively and efficiently validate Ethernet services covering rates from 10Mbit/s to 10Gbit/s, and all this at approximately half the sise and weight of the nearest competitor'.

Aeroflex has added a radio channel fading capability to its highly successful 6401 AIME 3G mobile protocol test system.

Aeroflex has added a radio channel fading capability to its highly successful 6401 AIME 3G mobile protocol test system. The 6401 AIME's new radio channel emulation capability addresses and overcomes the inherent drawbacks of traditional RF based radio channel emulation methods by integrating these functions at baseband. Applying the time varying radio channel characteristics digitally facilitates very high accuracy combined with precise repeatability, essential for thorough testing of the physical layer of 3G devices.

Traditionally, radio channel emulation requires expensive additional test equipment, such as fading simulators and AWGN noise sources, connected at RF between the signal generator and the unit under test.

RF issues like insertion loss and timing delays need to be compensated for, or calibrated out by the user, and even then are subject to the uncertainties inherent in analogue RF circuitry.

For complicated testing scenarios like soft handover, antenna diversity, and MIMO (multiple-input, multiple-output) the cost of multiple external RF fading simulators and AWGN sources, and the complexity of their control and calibration, can become prohibitive.

With the 6401 AIME's integrated radio channel fading capability, up to eight paths for each of its three UMTS carriers are available.

This allows multipath conditions to be simulated with each path independently controlled to provide either constant, Rayleigh, Doppler, periodic or log-normal gain and constant, periodic or pseudo-random delay conditions.

This satisfies all of the current 3GPP RF and protocol conformance test radio channel fading profiles, as well as giving the user the ability to create their own.

An AWGN generator for each cell is also incorporated to provide simulation of interference signals.

A highly accurate and repeatable solution results, as both the Fading and AWGN are implemented digitally at baseband.

The 6401 AIME 3G mobile protocol test system is already well established in the market and used by most of the world's top test labs and major mobile handset manufacturers.

Due to its powerful system design existing users can upgrade their development test systems to include the new channel fading capability without the need for additional hardware.

New from Anritsu Instruments, the Access Master MT9083A Series is an all-in-one field measuring OTDR for construction and maintenance of optical networks.

New from Anritsu Instruments, the Access Master MT9083A Series is an all-in-one field measuring OTDR for construction and maintenance of optical networks. Until now, installing and maintaining optical networks required technicians to carry a variety of equipment which was not only cumbersome, but also expensive. Hearing this common complaint, Anritsu engineers have developed its new line of MT9083A Access Master OTDRs.

They feature multiple wavelengths and options to satisfy any network testing requirement: access or metro, FTTx or LAN - all without straining your budget.

MT9083A test sets are designed to make your measurement experience simple and error-free with true one-button fault location, pass/fail classification, automated file saving and naming and even a macrobend detection feature for identifying installation issues.

When asked what the ideal testing solution would have, customers consistently replied with a few key features: it must be lightweight and reliable, provide high resolution and long battery life, feature simple operation to help our copper technicians entering the fibre world and do all of this cost effectively.

A tall order, but one met by the new Access Master MT9083A from Anritsu.

In fact, during a recent demo, a major US service provider responded 'all that in one box - how can you lose?'.

For customers installing and maintaining metro area or access networks, the Access Master offers an automated fibre construction application and multiple wavelengths including specialty applications such as 1383nm for certifying legacy fibres for CWDM upgrades.

For FTTx networks, the MT9083A series provides both optical testing at all of the primary wavelengths plus quality of service (QoS) verification via the IP testing option.

With the IP option, continuity, download speed, throughput and frame loss of gigabit Ethernet links can be verified up to full line rate.

It also features a unique way to troubleshoot live PON based, FTTx networks without additional costly and complicated external filters.

'The Access Master MT9083A is the first all-in-one tool that does not compromise performance'.

'It features extremely high resolution to see those closely spaces splices and connectors, while still being able to certify 100km-plus spans - quickly and accurately', says Steve Colangelo, Business Development Manager, Anritsu Instruments Company.

'In addition to verifying the integrity of the fibre plant, network performance can also be verified ensuring the customer experience is at its highest level'.

Digital ohmmeter range is practical for a wide range of low resistance measurement applications across the electrical, electronics, QA, instrumentation and utilities sectors.

The Cropico Series 4000 digital ohmmeter range provides a highly practical solution for a wide range of low resistance measurement applications across the electrical, electronics, QA, instrumentation and utilities sectors. The portable and rugged instrument includes a number of advanced features to ensure measurement accuracy including forward and reverse current measurement with auto averaging, true current zero, long scale length and a selectable measurement range from 40mohm to 4kohm with respective resolutions between 10uohm and 1ohm. Within the range, model 4001 also includes temperature compensation, with preset coefficients for copper and aluminium plus user settable coefficients for other materials.

Temperature measurement over the range -50 to +800C is also available.

Protection up to 415V RMS is provided at the measurement terminals and push button operation is achieved easily by clearly marked function controls.

Direct reading measured values are displayed on a four-digit LCD.

Over range and low battery indication is also provided and warning LEDs illuminate when an open circuit lead condition is detected.

The Cropico 4000 series comes complete with a standard 1m-length lead set and a rechargeable battery option includes a battery pack, docking station and charger.

The 4000 Series of milliohmmeters forms part of a comprehensive range of precision measurement instruments available from Cropico, part of the Seaward Group.