86130A BitAlyzer Quick Reference

Measurement Setup

PRBS 2^n-1: The most commonly used pattern to simulate random data.
1) Select Patterns Mark Density PRBS: Allows you to vary the ratio of logic 1's to 0's.
User Pattern: Used for functional, alarm, and stress testing. Included examples mimic real
data packets and standard stress patterns.

You can adjust the Amplitude,

Offset, and Data Out Delay by
2) SelectBit
Select BitRate
Rate For bit rates > 3 Gb/s, select
using the front panel knobs with
External Clock Input.
these labels.
You can manually select different
terminations for custom logic
levels.
In the Data
3) Set
PG PG Levels
Levels and
and Clock Logic Level lists, select the logic
Terminations
and Terminations
families that are appropriate for your device.
Choosing the wrong (The terminations will automatically be selected.)
terminations can
damage your device. In the Data and Clock Termination lists, select
4) Set ED the error detector terminations that are appropriate
ED Terminations
Terminations ESD can damage or for the logic family of your device.
destroy electronic
components. Be sure
to take all precautions.
Process
Connect your device D C
5) Connect Your See online Help for
Connect Device (see example).
Device more information.
Turn on outputs. PG ERROR C D
PERFORMANCE
ED ANALYZER DUT

or Clock/Data Center Data In Clock In C D

6) Set Sampling
Set Sampling Point
Point and 0/1 Threshold Center
Redo sampling point each time you change settings in
steps 2 4, and each time you connect a device.

Error Lights? Yes Troubleshoot See Other Side

No Zoom in to see more detail. See online Help for more info.
Select accum mode, period,
and measurement log.
7) Accumulate
starts accum. stops accum.

Errored 1: 1 measured as 0.
Errored 0: 0 measured as 1.
8)View
Analyze Results
Results Err 1's Ratio: Err 1's/total bits.
Err 0's Ratio: Err 0's/total bits.
Measurement logs are saved as CSV files. Import CSV
files into a spreadsheet to see more information.
Location of log files: E:\BitAlyzer\Measurement Data\
 Troubleshoot Setup Problems

No signal BERT connected "looped back" or to BERT connected to your device.

detected. your device. (Correct "looped back" problems first.)
PG CLK * External Clock Input is selected and the external clock is off or not connected.
LOSS Yes
* Your cables or the external clock is faulty.

No No signal * The PG clock output is off or not connected. * There is no clock signal from your device.
detected. * There is no connection to the ED clock input. * Your device is faulty.
ED CLK * Your cables are faulty.
LOSS Yes

No No signal * The PG data output is off or not connected. * There is no data signal from your device.
detected. * There is no connection to the ED data input. * Your device is faulty.
* The 0/1 threshold is not in the eye limits of the incoming
DATA signal. Use Auto Align or select Avg 0/1 Threshold.
LOSS Yes
* Your cables are faulty.

* The sampling point is incorrect. Use Auto Align. * The data eye is very small. If Auto Align does not
No * The data pattern is inverted. Toggle Data Inverted correct, set the threshold manually.
The measured
or use Auto Align. * Your device has inverted the data pattern. Toggle
BER is greater
* The ED pattern does not match the incoming data Data Inverted or use Auto Align.
than the sync
pattern. Make the ED track the PG pattern, or set * Your device has changed the data pattern. Set the
threshold.
ED and PG patterns independently the same. ED and PG patterns separately.
SYNC * Patterns have lost sync in manual sync mode. Use * If the fundamental BER of your device is higher than
LOSS Yes
Auto Align, Sync Now, or select Auto Sync the sync threshold, you can select a higher sync
mode. threshold BER.

View the Delta BER bar or BER * Stable errors caused by the error * Stable or variable errors can also be caused by your
No Process
Results to see the nature of the add function. Turn "error add" off. device. Correct the problems with your device.
errors. * Stable errors caused by false sync. Select * If the problems are not clear, then accumulate
a lower sync threshold BER. measurement data and analyze results.
* Variable and high errors caused by faulty
Errors connectors/cables.
Yes

See Other Side (Steps 7 & 8) Accumulate and Analyze Results

See Online Help For More Information Pattern Sync

Access Help from the Help menu or dialog boxes.

What's This? or ? allows you to click/touch any item to get To access:
Help on that item.
Select sync mode and sync
Main Help Contents threshold BER. Auto Sync mode
with BER 1E-3 is recommended.

Bit Error Ratio or

Click/touch here for
What's This? Help.
Or click/touch here.
Bit Error Rate (BER)
BER = bit errors / total bits
1 error / 1000 bits = BER 1E-3
A higher BER is 1E-2.
A lower BER is 1E-4.

Copyright 2001 Agilent Technologies, Agilent Part No. 86130-90053, Printed in USA, August 2001