Spectronix unveils wavelength tunable 10G bit error rate testers

March 15, 2011
Spectronix Inc. says it has added the Eye-BERT 10G and the Eye-BERT Micro 10G 10-Gbit bit error rate testers (BERTs) to its Eye-BERT product line.

Spectronix Inc. says it has added the Eye-BERT 10G and the Eye-BERT Micro 10G 10-Gbit bit error rate testers (BERTs) to its Eye-BERT product line. The two new BERT fiber-optic test and measurement systems are designed to combine low-cost and high performance via features not found in other test equipment.

The units are engineered to be simple to use and versatile, thanks to the use of standard XFP transceiver modules. The modules enable users to customize the interface for the fiber types and wavelengths of concern.

The Eye-BERT Micro 10G, as its name implies, is a small unit with an externally pluggable XFP transceiver and USB interface. The Eye-BERT 10G has front panel controls and an internal transceiver. Both units support full C-Band wavelength tuning.

The two BERTs operate between 9.9 and 11.4 Gbps with user-selectable test patterns. The units can generate nonstandard bit rates that the user can program in 10-Hz steps. Users also can employ custom programmable 64-bit patterns including unbalanced signals that can be valuable for CDR margin testing. The Windows user interface and custom bit rate and pattern generator features combine to form an optical signal generator able to produce modulated optical signals between 155 MHz and 5.7 GHz.

Another feature of the Eye-BERT Micro 10G that network installers may find useful is its ability to decode and automatically test XFP transceivers. XFP identification and testing is accomplished without having to look up the transceiver specifications, Spectronix says. Inserting an XFP with a loopback cable and initiating the Test XFP function will cause the Eye-BERT Micro 10G to read the transceiver registers and automatically test the device performance against the specifications read. The system will generate a test report within 20 seconds that includes part number, serial number, date code, operational specifications, diagnostics, functional test results, BERT results, and overall pass/fail results, Spectronix says.

The Eye-BERT 10G is offered in a stand alone bench top package with full front panel controls as well as USB interface. Standard configurations include 850 nm, 1310 nm, 1550 nm, and C-Band Tunable; other options including DWDM outputs are also available. The Eye-BERT Micro 10G measures 3.5x2.5x1.2 inches and comes with optional flange mounts.

Both units come with a power supply, USB driver, and Windows software application; the communication protocol is designed to makes user application development and integration into automated test equipment straightforward. Target applications include use in the lab, by network installation professionals, and for integration into larger systems or ATE to provide dedicated link verification.

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