Calibrator accommodates 2.1-GHz scopes

The 5820A oscilloscope calibrator supports calibration of oscilloscopes with bandwidths up to 2.1 GHz. Features include: a front-panel current loop for calibrating current probes; dc voltage measurement to calibrate reference signals; 60.33 ppm frequency accuracy standard; and variable pulse width (1 to 500 ns, with 250-ps resolution) for complex trigger tests, such as glitch/violation, runt, and setup and hold. In addition to the 2.1-GHz option, the device can be equipped with a five-channel output option for hands-free automated calibration of multi-channel oscilloscopes. Regarding such capabilities, Fluke Oscilloscope Calibrator Project Manager Joe Swanzy notes, "Most oscilloscopes can be fully calibrated by the standard 5820A. New models of faster scopes will soon become a bigger part of the day-to-day workload. The 2.1-GHz option gives users the choice to purchase the required performance up-front or add it later keeping costs down while protecting the customer's investment in hardware and procedures." Fluke Corp.: Product Code 4830

A modern day Watson for hands-free control

"Mr. Watson, come here. I want to see you." These words of Alexander Graham Bell may be considered the first electronically transmitted voice command. Hewlett Packard now effectively gives engineers a pair of assistant's hands by incorporating a voice-control option on its high-performance Infiniium oscilloscopes. Especially with increasingly fine pitch circuit boards, both a user's hands have to be concentrated on precisely positioning probe tips to avoid short circuits. As one engineer says, "I don't have enough hands. I'm pushing buttons with my nose while holding the probes." Now, using a Lernout & Hauspie phonetic speech-recognition engine, users control the scope verbally via a collar-mounted microphone to manipulate on-screen views, take measurements, and print waveforms. The natural-language command set adjusts all primary controls and is speaker- and gender-independent, so no training is needed. Current Infiniium owners can retrofit the voice-recognition capability. Hewlett Packard, Test and Measurement Organization: Product Code 4826

DSO offers 3 GHz, four channels

The TDS694C digital storage oscilloscope (DSO) features 3-GHz bandwidth and sampling up to 10 GSamples/sec on all four of its channels simultaneously. The device is part of a suite of instruments for new computer architecture designs. "This new integrated solution provides superior measurement and analysis capabilities for even the most challenging design areas, like RAMBUS and next-generation microprocessors," notes Tektronix Measurement Business Div. Worldwide Program Manager Tom Weiss. Bandwidth and sampling, along with a high-stability time base, allow accurate signal timing measurements to 15 ps. Intelligent connection devices, such as a full-bandwidth active probe and 1.5-GHz differential probe, extend the DSO's performance to the device under test. The Java-powered TDS694C's optional embedded jitter measurement package automatically measures and characterizes jitter and edge timing. Tektronix: Product Code 4828

Software automates signal analysis

AutoSignal is a 32-bit Windows-based software package that enables users to automate spectral and time-domain analyses, and signal processing without programming, all in a package less than $1,500. "Typically, people are limited to using expensive hardware to get basic time and frequency feedback or programming algorithms to perform complex signal analysis," says Joe Granda, senior marketing manager of SPSS Science. Users simply choose signal analysis techniques from a menu or toolbar, select the algorithm and options from the interface and get immediate visual feedback presentations and numeric summaries for reports. Built-in spectral analysis procedures find components of complex signals. SPSS Science: Product Code 4829

Sensor does diagnostics and analyses

The Kaman Micro Digital Advantage (KmDA) is a digital smart sensing system geared for position measuring. The microcontroller-based, software-controlled, eddy-current sensors make accurate displacement measurements and are integrated into a package that performs math and other user-defined functions. The KmDA integrates with PLCs and other process control equipment. Internal software allows the system to perform limit detection on the sensors or on any of the user-programmable math functions. Digital inputs control remote triggering of data captures. According to Kaman Marketing Manager Dan Spohn, "Gone are the days when users were required to connect the outputs of single-channel measurement devices into secondary math analysis modules. KmDA does it all in one package, without the aid of an external CPU." Kaman Instrumentation: Product Code 4827

DSPs provide power supply accuracy

TrueWave (TW) Series ac power sources are power rated at 1,750, 3,500, and 5,250 VA. The devices feature clean dc and ac sine wave output, have a user-friendly front panel, and a fast DSP-based measurement system. According to the company, the compact 5U rack-mount configured TW has the highest power density of any polyphase ac source in its class. The series is geared for testing electronic equipment for compliance with European standards for harmonics and flicker, including EN61000-3-2 and -3-3 (likewise the synthesized output impedance meets these standards for ac source requirements). Other applications include: testing for dc single- or polyphase ac power conditions; automated test equipment; avionics testing; power supply testing for ac-dc and dc-dc converters, and uninterruptible power sources. Elgar: Product Code 4831