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Product category: Stand-Alone Instruments
News Release from: Tektronix | Subject: RT-Eye
Edited by the Electronicstalk Editorial Team on 23 May 2005

Serial compliance and analysis software
upgraded

A new fully buffered DIMM module and an updated PCI-Express compliance test module are available for the RT-Eye serial data compliance and analysis software for Tektronix' oscilloscopes.

Tektronix has released a new fully buffered DIMM (FB-DIMM) module and an update to its existing PCI-Express compliance test modules for the RT-Eye serial data compliance and analysis software for Tektronix' oscilloscopes Both modules will facilitate the development and implementation of these advanced serial data standards

PCI Express and FB-DIMM are the two most recent examples of the industry trend to replace legacy shared parallel buses with high-speed point-to-point serial buses.

FB-DIMM is a new memory interconnect technology standard for high-end memory connections, enabling memory chips to operate at a throughput of 6.4Gbyte/s, double the current throughput of today's DDR-2-400 modules.

Multiple lanes of serial data links are used at raw signalling rates of 3.2 to 4.8Gbit/s.

Similarly, PCI-Express is a high speed serial architecture used primarily for I/O and graphics applications; currently operating at 2.5Gbit/s, but expected to move to 5Gbit/s in 2006.

"We are committed to helping our customers to implement the very latest technologies", said Colin Shepard, Vice President, Performance Scopes Product Line, Tektronix.

"FB-DIMM and second generation PCI-Express are leading examples of high-speed serial data standards that require robust test and validation".

"The new test and validation modules for RT-Eye will aid customers with their efforts to incorporate these technologies into the latest designs".

RT-Eye serial compliance and analysis software from Tektronix transforms a host oscilloscope and probing solutions into a powerful automated validation and compliance-testing platform for copper-based serial standards operating at datarates up to 6Gbit/s and beyond.

The package runs on the recently announced Tektronix TDS6000C Series - the 12GHz TDS6124C and 15GHz TDS6154C - both of which are currently shipping.

The latter is the world's fastest real-time oscilloscope designed for the most demanding serial data applications such as FB-DIMM and second generation PCI-Express.

Either of these scopes when coupled with the Tektronix P7313 Z-Active probe provides the required 12GHz bandwidth recommended for FB-DIMM system level testing.

"Test and measurement equipment from companies such as Tektronix, are enabling the industry on key initiatives", said Jim Pappas, Director of Initiative Marketing for Intel's Digital Enterprise Group.

"The new test and validation capabilities available for FB-DIMM and second-generation PCI Express will help the broader community of companies who are working to design and implement these technologies".

RT-Eye provides software clock recovery, eye diagrams, and a full battery of standard specific parametric measurements in the amplitude, timing, and jitter domain, including total jitter at 10e-12 BER.

The new FB-DIMM compliance module for RT-Eye supports the multirate bus at 3.2, 4.0 and 4.8Gbit/s.

It provides pass/fail testing of measurements called out in the JEDEC High Speed Differential PTP (point to point) specification.

The update of the PCI Express module for RT-Eye supports new measurement methods in the recently released Rev1.1 Base and Rev1.1 electromechanical specification for PCI Express.

New measurement techniques are required for compliance to the Rev1.1 specification and this software update provides compliance results to both the new and legacy specification.

The new compliance module also provides preliminary testing for second generation PCI-Express which can easily be updated as the specification matures.

FB-DIMM and second generation PCI-Express are now part of the growing list of standards supported by the compliance test modules available with RT-Eye.

The list also includes Infiniband, serial ATA (SATA), and serial attached SCSI (SAS), and others.

Beyond known standards, waveform masks, measurement limits, and reporting functions can be customised by the user within RT-Eye, enabling companies and industry groups working on proprietary and emerging standards to develop their own internal and external compliance programs and reports.

The RT-Eye news today complements a recent announcement of enhanced FB-DIMM support for Tektronix TLA700 Series logic analysers.

With Nexus Technology's NEX-FBD-NEXVu designers are able to verify, test and debug the advanced memory buffer (AMB) control of the DDR2 SDRAM.

Additionally, the FB-DIMM northbound and southbound traffic can be monitored by a Tektronix TLA700 Series logic analyser and a Nexus Technology NEX-FBD-LAI interposer card. Request a free brochure from Tektronix ...

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