Mixed-Domain Oscilloscopes
The MDO3000 Series mixed-domain oscilloscopes each include a spectrum analyzer and an optional logic analyzer, protocol analyzer, arbitrary function generator, and digital voltmeter. The oscilloscopes feature two or four analog input channels with bandwidth ranging from 100 MHz to 1 GHz, 16 digital channels (optional), and one RF input channel matching the bandwidth of the oscilloscope (9 kHz up to analog bandwidth). The RF input frequency on any model can be extended to 3 GHz. With the new FastAcq feature, the oscilloscopes can capture more than 280,000 waveforms per second, which can be presented on a digital phosphor display for easily finding infrequent anomalies in a signal. From $3,350 for a starter instrument to $18,650 for a 1-GHz, four-channel oscilloscope with AFG, MSO, and a 3-GHz spectrum-analyzer frequency range. Tektronix
RF-Sampling ADC
The RF-sampling ADC12J4000 ADC clocks in at 4 GS/s and supports the JEDEC JESD204B serial interface standard. The ADC12J4000 can be used in test and measurement equipment such as spectrum analyzers as well as in wireless and defense applications. The ADC12J4000 combines the vendor’s existing gigasample ADC IP with low-power digital processing blocks that provide digital filtering and downconversion. System designers can sample a large block of the frequency spectrum at RF and downconvert it to quadrature in the digital domain, which can reduce signal distortion. Because the ADC12J4000 utilizes the JESD204B serial interface standard, it can output data on one to eight lanes, depending on the decimation and link rate settings, while simplifying layout. Texas Instruments
ADS 2014 software for RF, microwave, and signal-integrity applications serves RFIC, MMIC, RF PCB, and multitechnology RF module design. ADS features automatic electromagnetic simulation setup and design partitioning. Wireless verification test benches provide circuit design verification for the newest and most challenging multiband, wide-bandwidth standards (LTE, LTE-A, and 802.11ac) with a simplified user interface. The Controlled Impedance Line Designer tool optimizes line geometry for multigigabit-per-second chip-to-chip links. The ADS Board Link PCB integration solution supports bidirectional transfer of layouts, schematics, and libraries between ADS and enterprise PCB tools. From <$9,900. Agilent Technologies
Data-Acquisition Kit
The DI-155 USB data-acquisition starter kit includes four analog voltage channels capable of measuring from ±2.5 V to ±50 V full-scale across eight programmable gain ranges with a conversion resolution of ±1 part in 4,096. In addition, the DI-155 has four dedicated digital inputs and four discrete digital outputs. One digital input can be used to acquire frequency data (up to 10 kHz) and a second to count up to 16,383 transitions. The included WinDaq data-acquisition software allows users to display and record data to a PC hard drive in real time. Once recorded, data can be played back, analyzed, or exported to an array of data acquisition and spreadsheet formats. From $149. DATAQ Instruments
Software Debugger
SourcePoint debugger now supports Express Logic’s ThreadX real-time operating system, giving development engineers multiple views of the code execution context at any point in a program. With SourcePoint, the software engineer can select one of ThreadX’s resources, and the debug information automatically displayed will be context-sensitive. The selectable resources include threads, timers, queues, semaphores, mutexes (mutual exclusions), and other components of the operating system. Two of the vendor’s hardware modules support the SourcePoint debugger: the LC-500Se run-control probe and the LX-1000 Trace Port Analyzer. ASSET InterTech
Packet Analysis Tool
The Packet Data Analysis (PDA) tool accommodates live monitoring of signaling and traffic over IP. PDA is distributed with the vendor’s Packet Analyzers, allowing users to monitor live IP networks including capture, analysis, and reporting of every call in detail. The Packet Analyzers can acquire IP packets over different transmission lines, including IP, T1, E1, T3, E3, and OC-3 STM-1/OC-12 STM-4. PDA then processes the captured packets; it identifies and segregates calls based on signaling and traffic parameters. Users can listen to or record audio and video data in real time and perform power, frequency, and video analyses to get an exact picture of QOS (quality of service). GL Communications
S-Series signal generators (SGA and SGD) now have improved phase noise and better RF level accuracy. At a carrier frequency of 1 GHz, phase noise now is improved by 6 dB—typically reaching -140 dBc/Hz at frequency offsets from 100 kHz to 1 MHz. The S-Series supports this performance while maintaining its frequency settling time of 100 µs. The SGD is further enhanced by the addition of wideband analog modulation and an arbitrary waveform generator (AWG) sequence mode. Analog modulation provides internal AM, FM, and phase modulation. The AWG sequence mode allows the user to set up a sequence of waveforms generated in the AWG to make a rapid test sequence. Aeroflex