BER Test Solution accelerates design verification.
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Press Release Summary:
Scalable and expandable to meet future test needs, J-BERT M8020A enables accurate receiver characterization, validation, and compliance testing of single- and multi-lane devices. Unit supports 1–4 BERT channels and offers data rates up to 8.5 Gbps and 16 Gbps, with extension to 32 Gbps. Controlled from user interface via USB, tester offers built-in jitter injection, 8-tap de-emphasis, interference sources, reference clock multiplication, clock recovery, and equalization.
Original Press Release:
Agilent Technologies Introduces New Series of BER Test Solutions for Faster Design Verification
J-BERT M8020A Accelerates Insight into Performance Margins of High-Speed Digital Devices
SANTA CLARA, Calif. – Agilent Technologies Inc. (NYSE: A) today introduced the new M8000 Series BER test solution, a highly integrated and scalable bit error ratio test solution for physical-layer characterization, validation and compliance testing for receivers used in multigigabit digital designs. With support for a wide range of data rates and standards, the new M8000 Series BER test solution provides accurate and reliable results that accelerate insight into the performance margins of high-speed digital devices for computer, consumer, server, mobile computing and data-center products.
When R&D and validation teams characterize next-generation designs, they face several test challenges. First, the faster data rates of the emerging next-generation digital computer buses, such as PCI Express® 4 (with a bit rate of 16 GT/s) and USB 3.1 (with a bit rate of 10 Gb/s), present new signal integrity test challenges. New 128/130-bit and 128/132-bit coding formats complicate error detection and loopback pattern creation.
In addition, widespread adoption of mobile computing devices means more and more R&D and test engineers need to test different implementations of MIPI™ ports, with new data formats, termination models, multiple lanes and built-in error counting.
Lastly, with the enormous surge in data-center traffic, servers and storage designs must support much higher bandwidths on their backplane and networking ports. Data rates of 25 Gb/s and more on multiple lanes over PC boards, cable or optical interconnects are required by most of the latest industry standards, such as 100GbE, CEI and Fibre Channel. Testing such 25-Gb/s receiver ports requires new test capabilities to characterize device tolerance for interference, channel losses and crosstalk.
“The new M8000 Series BER test solutions will enable R&D and test engineers to master next-generation receiver test challenges,” said Juergen Beck, general manager and vice president of Agilent’s Digital and Photonic Test Division. “With its unique level of integration and scalability, the M8000 Series sets the foundation for engineers to accelerate accurate receiver characterization of high-speed digital designs.”
The first model in the new M8000 Series is the J-BERT M8020A high-performance BERT. It enables fast and accurate receiver characterization of single- and multilane devices operating at data rates up to 16 Gb/s and 32 Gb/s. The M8020A accelerates insight into designs by:
•Â Streamlining receiver test setup by providing the highest level of integration. It offers built-in jitter injection, 8-tap de-emphasis, interference sources, reference clock multiplication, clock recovery and equalization.
•Â Ensuring accurate and repeatable measurements by automating in situ calibration of signal conditions.
•Â Reducing the effort required to bring devices into loopback test mode because the M8020A behaves like a link partner for the device under test and supports interactive link training for PCIe® devices.
The J-BERT M8020A high-performance BERT is scalable and expandable to meet future test needs. It supports one to four BERT channels and offers data rates of up to 8.5 Gb/s and 16 Gb/s with an extension to 32 Gb/s.
The new J-BERT M8020A is based on AXIe, which is the industry standard for high-performance modular test equipment. The M8020A is controlled from a user interface via USB. All options are upgradeable.
More information about the Agilent J-BERT M8020A high-performance BERT is available at www.agilent.com/find/M8020A.
For accurate receiver characterization, Agilent offers several complementary test instruments: the M8048A interference channels, N5990A test automation software, the M8061A multiplexer 2:1 with de-emphasis, the N4877A 32-Gb/s clock data recovery with demultiplexer and the 86100D Infiniium DCA-X high-bandwidth oscilloscope.
Agilent will demonstrate high-speed digital solutions, including the J-BERT M8020A, in Santa Clara at DesignCon 2014, Jan. 28-31, Booth 201.
U.S. Pricing and Availability
The J-BERT M8020A high-performance BERT is available now. The price starts at $122,200 for a one-channel 16-Gb/s high-performance BERT with built-in clock recovery.
Agilent’s Digital Test Standards Program
Agilent Digital Test Standards Program experts are involved in various international standards committees, including the SD Association, Joint Electronic Devices Engineering Council, PCI-SIG®, Video Electronics Standards Association, Serial ATA International Organization, Serial Attached SCSI (T10), USB-Implementers Forum, MIPI Alliance, Ethernet standards (IEEE 802.3), Optical Internetworking Forum and many others. Agilent’s involvement in these standards groups enables the company to bring the right solutions to market when customers need them.
About Agilent Technologies
Agilent Technologies Inc. (NYSE: A) is the world's premier measurement company and a technology leader in chemical analysis, life sciences, diagnostics, electronics and communications. The company's 20,600 employees serve customers in more than 100 countries. Agilent had revenues of $6.8 billion in fiscal 2013. Information about Agilent is available at www.agilent.com.
On Sept. 19, 2013, Agilent announced plans to separate into two publicly traded companies through a tax-free spinoff of its electronic measurement business. The new company is named Keysight Technologies, Inc. The separation is expected to be completed in early November 2014.
MIPI is a licensed trademark of MIPI, Inc. in the U.S. and other jurisdictions.
PCIe and PCI Express are U.S. registered trademarks and/or service marks of PCI-SIG.
