Keysight Technologies Introduces MultiScope Application, Ideal for Testing High-Speed Multilane Devices with up to 40 Channels

Keysight Technologies, Inc. (NYSE: KEYS) today introduced the N8834A MultiScope application, which enables engineers to connect multiple Infiniium real-time oscilloscopes to make up to 40 time-correlated analog channels available for signal acquisition. Designers working on high-speed multilane applications such as optical networking, MIMO (multiple input multiple output) antennas, power rail analysis, DDR memory and high-speed serial standards can gain insight faster, save money and improve their productivity by making simultaneous measurements across multiple lanes.

The application presents data on a control PC with N8900A Infiniium offline analysis software installed. Engineers can daisy chain a leader oscilloscope and up to nine follower oscilloscopes via cables and splitters. The scopes are controlled by the PC through a LAN or USB connection. Engineers can separate the oscilloscopes and use them independently when they need four channels or fewer. The N8834A MultiScope application supports multiframes using the same family of oscilloscopes or a heterogeneous combination of different families of Infiniium oscilloscopes. The application offers automated calibration methods to allow channel correlation across scopes. For example, precision calibration on the 90000 Q-Series and Z-Series is able to provide interscope intrinsic jitter of 150 fs.

“The ease and accuracy of measurements made using Keysight’s MultiScope software has enabled us to perform industry-leading optical transmission systems experiments detecting simultaneously up to four channels on two 80-GSa/s real-time oscilloscopes,” said S. Chandrasekhar, DMTS, at Bell Labs, the industrial research arm of Alcatel-Lucent.

“The MultiScope application addresses the growing need to test more than four channels on the industry’s leading-edge technologies,” said Dave Cipriani, vice president and general manager of Keysight’s Oscilloscope and Protocol Division. “Keysight’s new MultiScope architecture means current Infiniium scope users can test up to 40 channels without buying new hardware, making it the most affordable way to test in high-speed multilane applications.”

The N8834A MultiScope software works with the N8900A Infiniium analysis software’s new PC-hosted mode, which allows engineers to see live signals on a PC with N8900A software installed. Engineers can use the N8900A Infiniium analysis software to save setup and waveform files for offline analysis using a PC. Instead of using a stack of separate oscilloscopes to make tedious measurements, engineers can use the MultiScope software, the N8900’s PC-hosted mode, and offline analysis to make measurements, analyze results and gain insights with better productivity.

U.S. Pricing and Availability

The Keysight N8834A MultiScope application is available now at a starting price of $2,250 (for connecting two oscilloscopes). An upgrade path is available to connect more than two oscilloscopes.

Additional information

Additional information about Keysight’s MultiScope application is available at www.keysight.com/find/n8834a. Product images are available at www.keysight.com/find/n8834a_images.