The PicoScope 9211A works by stimulating the device under test using its two independently programmable, 100-ps (typical) rise-time step generators. It then uses its 12 GHz sampling inputs to build up a picture from a sequence of reflected or transmitted pulses. The results can be displayed as volts, ohms or reflection coefficient against time or distance.
As well as TDR/TDT analysis, the PicoScope 9211A can also be used for mask limit testing of a wide range of communications standards including SONET/SDH, Fibre Channel, Ethernet, InfiniBand 2.5G and 5.0G, XAUI, ITU G.703, ANSI T1/102, RapidIO 1.25G and 3.125G, G.984.2, PCI Express 2.5G and 5.0G, and Serial ATA 1.5G and 3.0G. Over 150 industry-standard masks are included. The instrument has three trigger inputs—a DC to 1 GHz direct trigger, a 1 to 10 GHz prescaled trigger and a 12.3 Mbps to 2.7 Gbps clock-recovery trigger—as well as a 10 Gbps pattern sync trigger for averaging eye diagrams.
Unlike traditional, bulky bench-top instruments that contain a PC and a display, the PicoScope 9211A takes very little space on your workbench. If you’re working at a customer’s premises, the only extra equipment you need to carry is a laptop and a mains adapter. The analyser connects to any Windows XP or Vista computer with a USB 2.0 port, and an Ethernet port is provided for remote operation over a network. There are no extra software modules to buy: all the software you need is included in the initial cost.