Portability has come to eye pattern measurements as well as to spectrum analysis, with the introduction of the MP1026A Eye Pattern Analyzer from Anritsu Co. (www.us.anritsu.com), also known as the Bit Master™. The Bit Master brings the same battery-powered, handheld form factor as the Spectrum Masters to eye pattern measurements for data rates from 0.1 to 12.5 Gb/s. It supports testing on such high-speed networks as OC-192, STM-64, 10G Fibre Channel, 10G Ethernet, SONET/SDH.
Eye pattern measurements are an invaluable means of assessing the electrical health of a high-speed network, with eye "closure" denoting problems with signal timing and distortion. They are usually performed with a combination of an oscilloscope and a bit-error-rate (BER) tester. But, for about one-half the cost of a general-purpose oscilloscope, the MP1026A Eye Pattern Analyzer offers a variety of amplitude and timing measurements, including RMS and peak-to-peak jitter, rise time, fall time, and duty-cycle distortion (DCD). The portable analyzer features low 1-ps RMS jitter and typically only 1 mV RMS noise. The Bit Master, with a bandwidth of 25 GHz, can show infinite-persistence pulse patterns and eye patterns with a two-channel overlay and four markers to simplify analysis.
The Bit Master measures just 315 X 211 X 78 mm (12 X 8 X 3 in.) and weighs less than 4 kg (less than 7 lbs.). It uses the same user-interface format as the Spectrum Master with large display screen. An option allows clock recovery at clock rates from 0.1 to 2.7 GHz and 9.8 to 12.5 GHz. Using an optional opto-electrical (O/E) module, the Bit Master can be used for optical fiber measurements at wavelengths from 750 to 1650 nm and typical bandwidth of 7.5 GHz. Anritsu Co., Microwave Measurements Div., 490 Jarvis Dr., Morgan Hill, CA 95037-2809; (800) ANRITSU, (408) 778-2000, Internet: www.us.anritsu.com.