Signal-Integrity Analysis Tool Targets PCI Express and SATA II
-- Test & Measurement World, 8/12/2005 8:44:00 AM
Wavecrest has announced the SIA 3400D, which is optimized for testing serial-data applications with speeds up to 3.5 Gbps, including PCI Express and SATA II. Wavecrest designed the 3400D to complement existing products that address 1.5-Gbps applications, such as SATA I, and 4.25-Gbps applications, such as 4x Fibre Channel.
The Wavecrest SIA 3400D includes GigaView software with dedicated PCI Express and SATA II toolsets that test all physical-layer jitter parameters, providing immediate pass/fail confirmation on one screen. Amplitude parameters such as rise-time, fall-time, and eye opening can also be tested. The GigaView software provides additional diagnostic tools that enable the user to instantly determine the root cause of signal-integrity problems. GigaView software utilizes Wavecrest's patented TailFit algorithm, a methodology for separating and identifying various jitter components and providing an accurate total jitter number.
"The increased speeds of applications such as PCI Express and SATA II require even more corresponding critical improvements to testing tools and methodologies so that overall device performance is ensured," said Dennis Leisz, Wavecrest president and CEO. "Engineers can be confident that when they use our new SIA 3400D, their test results will be compliant to industry standard specifications, and their devices will be reliable, high-performance products when released to market."
The SIA 3400D also includes Wavecrest's recently announced 13-GHz oscilloscope bandwidth extension, which is available on the SIA 3100, SIA 3300, and SIA 3600 instruments as well.
"As new standards emerge, Wavecrest continues to develop hardware and software tools for the most demanding diagnostic and compliance testing, " said Leisz. "The 13 GHz bandwidth extension on the oscilloscope, along with the enhanced features of our GigaView software, enable our users to have continued confidence that their test measurements are accurate and reliable. This is especially important as serial interface speeds continue to increase."
