TEKTRONIX: Tektronix introduces measurement instruments for leading-edge design applications
JUN 3, 1999, M2 Communications - Beaverton, OR -- Tektronix, Inc.
(NYSE: TEK) today introduced a suite of new instruments designed to
work together to provide a complete solution for some of the most
challenging leading-edge digital design applications, including Rambus
Memory Systems and next-generation microprocessors. The new integrated
solution offers digital design and embedded software engineers robust
acquisition performance, customized measurements and depth of analysis
to enable and simplify the debugging, verification and characterization
of today's newest designs.
The integrated tool set is composed of new performance-leading
instruments: The TLA 714/720 portable and benchtop logic analyzers, the
TDS694C digital storage oscilloscope (DSO) and complementary connection
devices. The instruments were designed to work together to provide
specialized features and optimized performance, including time-aligned
cross-triggering and extensions of instrument performance to the device
under test (DUT). Together, these instruments provide a complete tool
set for the entire design team.
"A digital design engineer operates in an environment of accelerating
technological change under extreme time-to-market conditions," said
Steve Jennings, director of marketing for Tektronix' Measurement
Business Division. "This new integrated solution provides superior
measurement and analysis capabilities for even the most challenging
design areas like Rambus Memory Systems and next-generation
microprocessors."
New Logic Analyzers Deliver Fastest, Widest and Deepest Performance
Available
The new TLA 714/720 logic analyzers are replacing the original TLA
704/711 in the revolutionary TLA 700 Series. They offer an
industry-leading combination of acquisition speed, channel width and
memory depth, all of which are essential for supporting next-generation
microprocessor designs. Now offering up to 16 M, the TLA 714/720 have
the deepest memory configuration in the industry plus an innovative
hardware-assisted display system to simplify the management of such a
large memory.
Up to 408 channels can be merged for working with next-generation
microprocessors, and up to 680 channels are available on a single
mainframe for multi-bus applications. The new TLA 700s inherit their
predecessors' proprietary MagniVu acquisition technology, providing
each logic analyzer module with 500- ps timing resolution on all
channels simultaneously. This technology also allows the new TLA 700s
to provide 200-MHz synchronous acquisition and a 400-MHz data rate. The
TLA 714/720 are also the only logic analyzers to provide simultaneous
200-MHz state and 2-GS/s timing on the same probe.
The new TLA 700s feature an easy-to-use Windows 98 user interface and
a PC platform with expanded openness in response to customers' strong
acceptance of the original TLA 700s' open platform. Tektronix has also
created the Embedded Systems Tools Partners Program to deliver
development and debug solutions for the TLA 700 Series. The solutions
range from providing software and analysis tools, to physical processor
connections, to disassembly software that runs on the logic analyzer.
The program includes 19 partners and 424 supports. All of these new
capabilities are available without a price premium over previous TLA
700 models, and customers can preserve their investment by simply
upgrading performance.
New DSO Has Highest Multi-Channel Single-Shot Bandwidth
The TDS694C DSO is the only oscilloscope that provides 3-GHz
single-shot bandwidth on all four channels simultaneously. The
combination of this high analog bandwidth, simultaneous 10-GS/s sample
rate on all channels and high- stability time-base allows the most
accurate signal-timing measurements to 15 picoseconds. The DSO's
performance is extended to the DUT with new intelligent connection
devices, including a full-bandwidth active probe and a 1.7-GHz
differential probe.
In addition to its comprehensive general measurement and statistics
capabilities, the TDS694C offers specific jitter and timing analysis
measurements through optional embedded Java implementation, thereby
enabling users to automatically characterize jitter.
A Complete Solution for Challenging Designs
As next-generation microprocessor clock speeds are planned to go to 1
GHz and beyond, clock jitter tolerance has become a major design
concern with these new buses, including the Rambus Channel. Meanwhile,
bus speeds have become the system bottleneck. New buses, such as
RAMBUS, have been developed to overcome such bottlenecks. To help
characterize edge timing and jitter, the TDS694C allows the most
accurate single-shot rise-time and timing measurements between signal
edges as well as specialized jitter measurements. The TLA 700
simplifies interpretation of the complex Rambus data protocol by
de-serializing the packets with its special Rambus application package.
This enables engineers to verify system performance and debug their
designs by having the TLA 700 trigger the TDS694C when the problem
occurs, while full-bandwidth active probes maintain the signal
integrity.
About Tektronix
Tektronix is a portfolio of measurement, color printing and video and
networking businesses dedicated to applying technology excellence to
customer challenges. Tektronix is headquartered in Wilsonville, Oregon,
and has operations in 26 countries outside the United States. Founded
in 1946, the company had revenues of $2.1 billion in fiscal 1998.
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