Spectronix Eye-BERT Micro combines bit error rate test, optical signal generation, and SFP test

OCTOBER 5, 2010 -- Spectronix, Inc. has unveiled the Eye-BERT Micro. The Eye-BERT Micro is designed to combine low-cost, high-performance bit error rate testing with features “not found in ordinary test equipment,” according to Spectronix.

Designed for use by engineers, technicians, manufacturers, and installers, the Eye-BERT Micro is simple to operate and offers versatility by using standard SFP transceiver modules, giving the user the ability to customize the interface for various fiber types and wavelengths, Spectronix says.

The Eye-BERT Micro operates at 11 standard bit rates between 125 Mbps and 4.25 Gbps and can generate seven different standard test patterns. One Eye-BERT Micro feature Spectronix highlights is its ability to generate nonstandard bit rates that the user can program in 1-Hz steps. The unit also can use any user-programmable 40-bit pattern, including unbalanced signals, for bit error rate testing, Spectronix adds. The included Windows user interface exploits the custom bit rate and pattern generator features to form an optical signal generator capable of producing a modulated optical signal of nearly any frequency between 3 MHz and 2.1 GHz, the company says.

A feature of the Eye-BERT Micro that makes it especially useful for network installation professionals, according to Spectronix, is its ability to decode and automatically test SFP transceivers. SFP identification and testing is accomplished without having to look up the transceiver specifications. Inserting an SFP with a loopback cable and initiating the Test SFP function will cause the Eye-BERT Micro to read the transceiver registers and automatically test the device performance against the specifications read. Within 20 seconds a detailed test report is generated including part number, serial number, date code, operational specifications, diagnostics, functional test results, BERT results, and overall pass/fail results, Spectronix says.

The unit measures 3.5x2.5x1.2 inches and comes with optional flange mounts, a USB driver, Windows software application, and a ruggedized carrying case. The simple communication protocol makes user application development and integration into automated test equipment straightforward, Spectronix says.

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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